Why a hamster gnaws a cage, what to do, how to wean

The hamster is a nocturnal animal: during the day it sleeps, and at night it spins the wheel, makes noise, rustles. All owners are interested in the question of why the hamster gnaws at the cage. Many believe that this is from idleness or in order to sharpen their teeth. But if in his dwelling there is a wheel, crayons for cleaning and points of teeth, the reasons why hamsters gnaw on rods are incomprehensible to a person.

Why does a hamster chew on a cage?

This is primarily because he is a rodent. You can’t deceive nature, hamsters’ teeth grow rapidly, they need to be ground down on improvised means. Iron bars are ideal for sharpening teeth. For a rodent, this is a natural process.

The second, less common reason why hamsters gnaw a cage: boredom, dissatisfaction with living conditions. The hamster is very fond of drums and wheels that can be turned, if they are not included with the animal’s housing, be sure to treat your baby to such things. As soon as he masters them, it will be much less likely to sharpen his teeth on the bars. Lack of physical activity often provokes the emergence of a bad habit, provide your pet with the opportunity to live a full life and move as much as he wants.

If you have done everything possible, and your pet is constantly chewing on rods, it means that he likes this activity or does not like living in a cramped cage. Therefore, even before buying an animal, it is important to choose the right cage and equip it. Hamster owners recommend putting a twig of birch to the hamster – the baby will like the slight smell of wood.

Weaning a hamster from a bad habit

If the hamster chews on the cage regularly, it can cut itself. But this is not the only reason to wean a rodent from a bad habit – characteristic sounds prevent a person from sleeping at night, because hamsters are nocturnal animals.

In theory, many people know how to wean hamsters to gnaw a cage, but in practice it is difficult to do this, because the instinct to “nibble” is genetically incorporated. The upper teeth grow throughout the life of the animal, because they do not have roots. In nature, hamsters eat grains and roots, although they are low in nutrients, but thanks to this diet, teeth grind well in a natural way. They also dig minks, which also shortens the teeth.

Domestic hamsters are not concerned about the problem of finding food, caring owners set up cozy houses for them. But the instincts of the rodent remain the same.

Hamster breeders know what to do if a hamster gnaws on a cage: try to wean the pet, direct its actions in the other direction. Remember to add raw vegetables, fruits, crackers and other hard foods to your feed. Grinding teeth is a necessary process, because if this does not happen, the incisors will injure the hamster’s mouth, as a result of which he may die.

Important: the grinding of incisors should occur naturally, only in extreme cases this can be done by a veterinarian.

Another danger is that the hamster can gnaw through the cage and run away. To prevent this from happening, buy a mineral stone and special twigs for your pet. It is inexpensive, but it brings maximum benefits. Pet stores sell treats for hamsters – Fluffy will like to eat dried fruits and nuts more than metal rods. Give solid treats no more than once a day before going to bed – the jungarik will be busy and will not interfere with your sleep. Avid hamster breeders make treats with their own hands.

Several ways to wean a hamster to chew on a cage

The hamster can gnaw through the cage and escape. To prevent this from happening, you can use the following tricks:

• Spread the rods with an unpleasant-tasting substance, but not chemical and harmless to health, for example, lemon juice or aloe. The kid will try that it is tasteless and give up the bad habit for a while;
• Spray the cage with Antigryzin spray. It can be purchased at a pet store, acts on each hamster individually, may not produce the expected effect;
• Pay attention to what time and in what place of the cage the rodent sharpens its teeth. If he does this near the exit from the cage, he may want to take a walk, and if he starts to gnaw on rods when you sit down to eat or open the refrigerator door, and the hamster sees or hears this, most likely he wants a treat.

Watch your pet, it will help to understand why he spoils the cage. It is more difficult to understand a hamster than dogs and cats, they “know how” to speak and use their voice to tell about their desires.

The subtleties of weaning a pet

Hamsters are cute animals, they deliver a minimum of trouble to their owner. The inconvenience may lie in the mismatch of human and animal biorhythms – most people are active during the day, and hamsters at night. The gnashing of teeth against bars can wake up the owner at night, but in such a situation it is important to remain calm and not show aggression towards the animal. It is important to understand whether it is a protest or a hobby, and then draw the appropriate conclusions.

So that the hamster does not gnaw the rods or does it less often, pay attention to the arrangement of the cage – it should be spacious, with a wheel, tunnels, slides. Dzhungariki suffer from escape mania, so they gnaw in the exit area. Syrian hamsters have a calmer character, they can gnaw “for nothing to do.” When you notice that your pet suffers from this habit, offer him a twig or stick at that moment, try to replace one habit with another. Show gentle persistence, learn to recognize the desires of a pet, and you will notice the results.

Video: reasons why a hamster gnaws a cage and how to avoid it