Hamsters are playful creatures. They keep running around and exploring as much as they can. Many times their activity also extends to biting their plastic cage out of fun and leisure.
Yet, when the cage-biting intensifies, it may become a cause of concern. So, to help you and your hamster out of this, we will talk about:
- Do hamsters usually bite their cage?
- Why does my hamster chew on his plastic cage?
- Is it bad for hamsters to chew plastic?
- How to stop a hamster from chewing its cage?
So, let’s begin!
Do Hamsters Usually Bite Their Cages?
Yes, hamsters do have a habit of biting their cages a lot of time. It doesn’t cause any problem as long as it is done occasionally and not every day.
However, if you feel like your hamster does it very repeatedly, then you should look out for the reasons and find a proper way to prevent it.
So, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why your hamster keeps chewing the plastic cage.
Reasons Why Your Hamster Is Chewing a Plastic Cage
The given reasons talk about why your hamster keeps chewing the plastic cage.
1. Tiny Cage Problem
A lot of times we often fail to see the pain of our pets. This might be the case with your hamster too.
The hamster cages you get in the market may not have enough size to accommodate it nicely. Apart from accommodating, it also needs to have some space for the hamster to roam and enjoy around.
If the cage is too tiny, your hamster may feel trapped and thus, keep chewing on the plastic cage to get out of it.
2. Growing Teeth
One of the most common reasons why your hamster is chewing on its cage is because of growing teeth.
Hamsters teeth keep growing continuously. Their four front teeth are known to grow for their entire lifetime. So, whenever it is the teething time, they may feel itchy and start chewing on the cage to reduce that itching feeling.
Chewing while their teeth are growing is actually a good thing as it ensures that the teeth don’t grow too long and cause discomfort. To satisfy your hamsters’ chewing needs, you could try to provide alternative chewing materials like special gnawing toys.
3. Stress or Anxiety Related Problems
Another issue why your hamster is chewing its cage is because of stress and anxiety.
If your hamster is not feeling comfortable with you or the surroundings, it may start feeling stressed and scared. So, as a coping mechanism, the hamster will start chewing the plastic cage just like we do with our nails!
Hence, it becomes necessary to allow your hamster to get friendly with you and your surroundings before putting him inside the cage.
Tip: Here’s what to do, if your hamster bit you and drew blood.
4. Needs Attention and Has Curiosity
Hamsters are always curious to know and sense more. So, if you and your hamster have a close bond, it may need your full attention.
Now, it will start chewing on the cage just to grab your full attention.
5. Out of Habit
As we mentioned earlier, hamsters usually have a habit of biting their cages. This habit starts slowly in the beginning.
However, if you do not pay attention to it and let them do whatever they want, they develop the habit of chewing their cage.
Thus, it can get hard to rid your hamster of this habit but it is not impossible.
6. Out of Boredom
The last reason why your hamster keeps chewing its cage is because of boredom.
Hamsters like to roam around and explore everything. However, if they are locked in a cage, they may get bored and start chewing on their cage.
So, it is necessary to bring out your hamster to avoid this problem and also, play with your hamster. Also, provide them with a hamster wheel.
Depending on age, gender, and physical condition some hamsters run up to 12 hours in their wheels. Which equals up to six miles every night.
If you don’t already have a hamster wheel in place for your furry buddy, this might be the easiest cure for your hamster’s plastic chewing addiction.
Is it Bad For Hamsters to Chew Plastic?
It is necessary to know whether it is bad for your hamster to chew on plastic. Well, yes, it is possibly dangerous for your furry animal.
Given below are some of the reasons why they are harmful.
- When your hamster keeps chewing on its plastic cage, the plastic may come off and cause choking in your hamster.
- Secondly, plastic cages have toxic paints. If your hamster ingests those, it can possibly damage its digestive system.
- If you fail to observe your hamster chewing its plastic cage a lot, it can even lead to its death. So, it can definitely get serious.
Thus, it is important to stop your hamster from chewing the plastic cage as it can have some severe effects on its body.
Now, the question arises how can you stop your hamster from eating away the plastic cage? Keep reading!
5 Best Solutions to Stop Your Hamster From Chewing The Plastic Cage
Given below are some of the best ways or solutions to stop your hamster from chewing the plastic cage.
Know that all the tips are thought of in a way that will not cause any harm to the hamsters or hurt them.
1. Find a Bigger and Spacious Cage
As mentioned earlier, your hamster may chew the plastic cage due to feeling suffocated.
Hamsters love to play and explore their surroundings. Putting them in a cage can limit them from doing that.
So, try to find a bigger and spacious cage that can accommodate him. According to us, the minimum dimensions of a cage are 24 inches x 12 inches. The height can also be around 12 inches.
Once, the hamster starts feeling cozy and comfortable in the cage, it won’t keep biting the plastic cage.
2. Give Them Teething Toys
When it comes to teething trouble, there is very little that you can do.
However, you can always get chewing toys and give them to the hamsters. If your hamster likes the toy, it will shift its attention and focus from the plastic cage to its toys.
Another option is keeping the hamster in a glass tank with a few chewing toys. So, your pet won’t have any option than to chew the toys.
3. Understand and Make Your Hamster Trust You
Stress and anxiety can cause your hamster to chew the cage.
In this situation, it is important to establish a proper bond between you two. You can give your hamster little treats and try to befriend it. Additionally, try to not hold your hamster every time as that can make it more scared.
If you have recently adopted the hamster, do not get too friendly and touchy with it. Your hamster requires some space to get used to your smell and touch.
Once your hamster knows you well, it will not be stressed or anxious.
4. Spend Time With Your Hamster
Try to spend some time with your hamster. Boredom often causes hamsters to start chewing their cages.
So, bring out all the toys and start playing. You can get an exercising wheel that will keep your hamster occupied and also have fun!
5. Shift Your Hamster To A Glass Tank
If your hamster is too used to the chewing habit, it is time to shift your pet to another area.
You can always consider shifting the hamster to a glass tank temporarily as that can prevent chewing.
Once you feel like the hamster may have given up on the chewing habit, you can try to shift it back to the cage.
Final Thoughts
Chewing plastic can cause severe problems in your hamster. Thus, it is necessary to get your hamster to get rid of it in any way.
So, try to find your hamster a bigger cage, befriend your furry pet, and lastly, give it your full attention to prevent this chewing problem in the future!
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