What to give a hamster for grinding teeth?
The teeth of rodents grow throughout their lives, and the formation of a hamster’s bite directly depends on the possibility of grinding them down. In the absence of such an opportunity, the pet will develop malocclusion, which can lead to the inability to eat independently. How to prevent this problem?
Malocclusion is a dental problem that is common to rodents and is an overgrowth of teeth and a change in bite. Not only incisors can grow, but also molars. This not only makes the rodent uncomfortable and interferes with eating, but also injures its oral cavity. Bacteria get into the damage to the mucous membranes, which provokes the development of inflammation. Often, with malocclusion, abscesses develop on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity of the hamster, which, in turn, cause swelling in the lips and cheek pouches. The main danger of abscesses is that they can break into neighboring internal tissues and lead to serious consequences, even death. Also, with malocclusion, rodents experience general weakness, stool disorders, swelling of the eyes, nasal discharge, decreased appetite, or a complete refusal to eat. A single symptom or a combination of them can indicate a problem.
If you suspect malocclusion in a hamster, you need to visit a veterinarian (rodentologist) as soon as possible to correct the length of your pet’s teeth.
As noted above, malocclusion develops due to the inability to grind down the teeth. Most often, this problem is based on malnutrition, in particular, a lack of hard food in the diet of a rodent, as well as a genetic predisposition.
In addition to the correct diet, a reliable prevention of malocclusion in rodents is the installation of a mineral stone in the cage. The mineral stone is designed specifically for grinding teeth and claws and, in combination, is a balanced mineral supplement to the daily feeding ration.
High-quality bio-stones for rodents contain up to 10 or more different substances that contribute to the formation of healthy teeth and skeleton. These are substances such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, cobalt, etc. For example, Fiory mineral stones, along with these elements, also contain selenium, a rare antioxidant that fights free radicals and maintains the overall tone of the body. Also, if desired, you can pick up bio-stones with salt crystals, for greater palatability.
Mineral stones should be selected according to their composition and degree of hardness (the optimal value is 50 units, SHORE C parameter).
Do not forget about proper feeding. In order to avoid the growth of teeth in a pet in the future, review his diet: is it balanced?
About what foods are good for hamsters, read our article: “”.
Take care of your pets!
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