Hamster help required

[mrmichael]

Hi all,
I am needing help with my hamster so i thought i would seek out all your expertise. I love my hamster eternally and although she isnt that tame, due to mistakes i blame myself for, ie trying to tame her the first few nights i had her, not giving her time to settle, i am indeed silly but please excuse me it is the first time ive had a hamster. Anyway i still love her, and although she isnt tame shes still like a really good friend.
Anyway to my problem. My hamster with always bite her cage. Ive been on loads of websites about this problem, i have tried giving her wood to chew, giving her dog buscuits, inventing amazing tubes that she could run though, and although she loves her wheel, i think shes gets quickly bored of it, so is there any other sort of thing i could try? all the websites i have been to have given advice like giving her wood and dog buscuits and then go on to list the problems that are caused by biting the cage, which worries me all the more. Thanks alot anyone who can help, me and my hamster will be infenatly grateful. Cheers MC

[LilSnooPydOG]

Don't blame yourself for not leaving her alone the first few days. I've done the same thing with my 3 hamsters, and I don't think it causes them to be any less tame than someone who waited to hold their hamster.

Just let her chew. It's what hamsters do, and they all seem to love it. We can give them all the chew blocks in the world, but they always prefer the bars of the cage. The worst that will happen would be her getting a little bald spot on her head from it rubbing against the cage, but that doesn't even happen all the time. :)

[mrmichael]

:) Thanks alot thats put a big smile and my face and im sure it will do my hamster when she wakes up and I tell her. :)

[Zouave]

I have 12 Syrians, all tame enough to kiss on the nose. I have 3 cages - two Habitrails and one CritterTrail.

Some of them went nuts chewing on the bars incessantly. Even when I was not there and they could not see or hear me, i could hear them still chewing from another room. Yes, if they see you they are more likely to gnaw the bars.

Some of them I had to move to big glass tanks or Sterilite bins (30 gallon). I moved other hams in them who do not chew. You don't have that option.

BUT. . . besides the other things you have tried, have a big play bin for your ham with lots of bedding and scatter some hamster mix. LET HER FORAGE for as long as she wants; that is what they really want to do when they want to get out. With one of my caged hams she chews, but stops after she does her foraging! Try it.

[serena]

well zouave your idea sound like a really good one and sees like it would keep them occupied for a long time. and mrmicheal its nice to see how much u love yr hammy even though hes not that tame. its good to ahve pll like u around.

[Nani And Tater]

can dog treats hurt my hamster

[pumkin11999]

mrmichael, there is really nothing you can do about the chewing. I sometimes thing they do it to worry us...ha ha...ok not really, just thought I'd throw in some humor. Anyway, I found that my hamster didn't chew other things as much after I gave her lots of different toys and things to keep her from being bored, but she always chews the bars no matter what. I don't know why but it could be because it's the strongest toughest thing in there to file down the teeth. About her not being tame, some never really are. My Rainbow loves to be handled and played with and is very calm. On the other hand, my sweet Sandy that passed away a few weeks ago never cared too much about me playing with her. She never bit me or anything but she didn't really like to be handled. Try not to just grab her up because she may think you are a bird trying to eat her. One thing I found out for myself is that it is easier to pick them up after they are out of their cage. Even with Rainbow, I try to never get her out. I open her door and let her walk out and then I pick her up. It may be because they are so territorial, but I'm not sure.

[mrmichael]

Thanks to evryone who has given me advice, Im so glad I came to this site! :D

[mrmichael]

I dont think dog bisuits can really hurt a hamster, other dog treats though Im not sure about


Thanks to evryone who helped me :D , Im really happy i came to this site, you guys are great! :D

[YourPrinter]

hamsters chew or gnaw on bars because they have to stop their teeth from growing since hamsters are rodents their teeth will never stop growing unless they wear them down

[Cornflower]

That happens with rats too sometimes, yourprinter. Don't feel bad, my hermit crabs are almost imposible to tame. They hide away and are very shy.

[Misty1964]

Hello :)..

My hammies chew their cage its normal...what good to do is put a milkbone dog biscuit in their cage and they will have a great time with it...just make sure its normal milkbones,,,no flavoured one like gralic...I dont think i would even give a garlic one to my dog...yuck hehe

[tamsworld]

Hamsters chewing on the bars of their cage is perfectly normal, and I think that the majority of hamsters will do it at some stage.

Lil Snoopy Dog mentioned about a bald spot - it's true. My Hammy used to go through phases where he would chew the bars incessantly for days and would get a tiny bald spot by his mouth, but it did not hurt him by any means. Once that particular phase was over the hair grew back really quick! Then he would go onto a wooden toy chew or something, but a few weeks later would be back to the bars again! :rolleyes:

If you're particularly worried about it, try buying lots of different coloured/flavoured wooden chews, my Hammy loved the strawberry flavoured chews :yummy: , but wouldnt touch the green apple ones!! You'll soon find one your hamster likes! :cheeky:

[LaGypsyEyes]

I think it's a way of teething for the hamsters..let the hamster be and let it chew. It sharpens their teeth. That's what it does. You could buy it some treats and what not, but make sure you dont give it too many, cause then it'll just become healthy. All Im saying is, dont get carried away with the treats. Let it chew and all will be fine ^_^

[tamsworld]

LaGypsyEyes - I love your new hamsters name - how funny!!!!! :D

[Mistertron]

Some of them went nuts chewing on the bars incessantly. Even when I was not there and they could not see or hear me, i could hear them still chewing from another room. Yes, if they see you they are more likely to gnaw the bars.


Ooh i was wondering that this myself. My hammy will bite the bars sometimes if i am talking to him (he goes nuts sometimes) but i've never noticed him doing it when i'm not in the room. He also has tons of things to chew in his cage.

[jansartsy]

Hi, there. First of all, no matter what you put a hamster in, he/she will want to get out. They love to explore and although I let my nine hamsters (one at a time!) play in my barricaded bathroom in the evening when I clean their cages, my little ones eventually want to check out what's on the other side of the plexiglass barrier. Second, hamsters' teeth grow constantly and need to be worn down, so they gnaw. The problem with metal bars is that your hammie can break her teeth or crack them on metal. My hamster, Sammy, did that on a metal feeder and from that time on, his one incisor wouldn't grow. I had to have his teeth trimmed by my vet once a month for the rest of his life because he couldn't wear down his teeth properly with the one tooth not growing. So I personally do not like any cage with metal in it. I use custom-made plexiglass cages and glass aquariums. Also, in reference to the treats, I only feed lab blocks from Harlan Teklad and fresh, organic-when-possible grains, a little fruit and veggies, especially salad sprouts. I never use any store-bought hamster food because is it old and most of it contains chemical preservatives, especially BHT, BHA and ethoxiquin which are carcinagenic. I wasn't this particular 20 years ago when I started keeping hamsters, but I've learned that excellent food really does help their health. Hope this helps!

[Belinda914]

My hammy aslo bites the cage sometimes too. You can try to get them the chew sticks and just put a little bit of peanut butter on for taste (very little though). As far as taming, all hammies are different. I can try and just putting ur hand in the cage and let her some to you and sniff, dont pick him/her up until shes ready, Talk to your hammy and let it hear your voice.