If you adopted a hamster as a pet, you have probably seen it chewing on the bars of its cage on a few occasions. However, it is very important that you do not ignore this habit and do not consider it as "something normal" in their behavior. A hamster that bites the cage can ingest metals and other substances that areharmful to its body
Wondering why your hamster bites the cage? In this article on our site, we not only answer your question, but we also teach you how to prevent this habit that can severely damage your pet's physical and mental he alth. Keep reading!
Boredom and stress, the main causes of this behavior
Just like us, hamsters can get bored with their routine. In general, this happens when rodents do not have an enriched environment that allows them to find the necessary forms and tools to exercise their bodies and entertain their minds. If your hamster gets bored of its toys, its food or its environment, it is likely that it will look for an outlet to expend energy and release stressthat you have accumulated. As a result, you may experience changes in your behavior and adopt new activities that allow you to stay physically and mentally active. Among them, we find the habit of biting the bars of his cage.
Although maintaining a he althy routine is essential for the animal to feel safe and to develop properly in its home, monotony and lack of stimulationappear as risk factors for the development of behavioral problems and numerous pathologies in hamsters. On the other hand, the accumulation of tension can make a hamster hyperactive, nervous and even aggressive with his guardians and with the other hamsters.
We should also highlight the hidden dangers in the "harmless" habit of cage biting. In general, the structure of the cage is composed of a union of various metals, such as aluminum, copper, zinc and iron, with a superficial layer of dye. Excessive ingestion of metals can generate alterations in the nervous system of these rodents, and even lead to irreversible brain damage. The paint used in the cage can contain plastic particles and toxic substances that, when ingested, harm the animal's he alth and can cause a poisoning picture.
On the other hand, the hamster can break one of its teeth by biting the cage. If this happens, it will be essential to control the growth of the teeth and reinforce the care of the hamster's teeth to keep them always well aligned. If the length of both teeth is not equal, one of them will grow in a compensatory way, putting the he alth of the animal at risk.
Do you think your hamster may suffer from anxiety or stress? Discover other symptoms of a stressed hamster:
- Nervousness
- Compulsive behaviors
- Aggressiveness
- Hyperactivity
- Excessive grooming
- Inactivity
- Apathy
- Loss of hair
If your hamster also bites you and didn't do it before, climbs up the cage, digs and is very nervous, you are probably facing anxiety and stress. Remember that it is not normal for a hamster to bite her cage, it is a clear indication of a lack of well-being, anxiety and stress
Other common causes
Although most hamsters chew their cages as a symptom of boredom, there are other causes that can explain this behavior. For one thing, rodents need to wear their teeth, since they don't stop growing throughout their lives. In their natural habitat, hamsters would take it upon themselves to forage for branches or small pieces of trunk from fruit trees to control their teething. In home life, it is the guardians who must be in charge of offering these elements to their pets. In the market you will find these products, either in a physical store or online.
On the other hand, a hamster that is hungry or maintains a diet deficient in essential nutrients, may also start chewing on the bars of the cage or other objects in search of supplementing its nutritional deficiency. Although it is not a very frequent cause, it reaffirms the importance of offering a complete and balanced diet to our rodents, to avoid nutritional deficiencies. The seeds will be the basis for your hamster, but you can also offer fruits, vegetables, wild herbs, cereals and animal protein sources, always avoiding foods that are prohibited for these rodents.
In addition, some pathologies can cause changes in your hamster's behavior, causing symptoms of stress, boredom or hyperactivity If you notice that your If your pet is behaving differently or is becoming aggressive, don't hesitate to rush to the exotic animal veterinary clinic.
Tips to prevent a hamster from chewing the bars of her cage
- Spend time playing with your hamster: Despite requiring simple care, a hamster needs the attention and affection of its guardians to stay active, happy and he althy. The best way to stimulate your hamster to exercise is by sharing quality moments with him. Therefore, do not let yourself be overcome by the fatigue of a long day and reserve a few minutes exclusively to enjoy the company of your favorite pet.
- Enrich the environment of his cage: Environmental enrichment is essential when preparing your hamster's cage in order to entertain and keep it active even during your absence. Although the traditional wheel can help manage your pet's weight, the ideal is to offer other toys and accessories to arouse your hamster's curiosity and stimulate its cognitive capacity. There are many cages specially designed to provide an "amusement park" for the more active hamsters.
- Remember that your hamster needs to grind down its teeth: It is generally recommended to offer organic branches from fruit trees to hamsters, but There are also pressed bars and calcium chews designed especially for domestic rodents. It is very important to make sure about the organic origin of the branches that you offer to your pet, since the pesticides can poison their organism and even cause their death.
- Consider changing his cage: if after enriching your hamster's environment, playing with him and ruling out a possible pathological cause, your hamster keeps biting the bars, it is better to change the traditional cage for an aquarium or terrarium that does not have metals and dyes. In this way, we prevent the animal from consuming possibly toxic substances.
- Offer adequate preventive medicine: as we have mentioned, some diseases can cause behavioral changes in your hamster. Therefore, it is very important to offer adequate preventive medicine to your pet to strengthen its immune system. Remember to visit the vet every 6 months, provide a balanced and diversified diet, regularly sanitize its cage with appropriate products, and keep it physically and mentally active.
