Why does a hamster gnaw a cage and how to wean it?

If you decide to start a hamster, then it is possible that soon you will encounter the fact that he will begin to gnaw a cage. It is worthwhile to consider in more detail why the hamster nibbles the cage, how to wean it away from it, as well as which recommendations from the experts should be followed.

Hamsters in the wild feel great, because they have no time to be bored. They are looking for food, digging holes, hunting. Their life is quite interesting and agile.

Nature intended that the teeth of a hamster grow throughout his life, so at home the pet can begin to gnaw the bars of the cage. It is worth considering in more detail the reasons why the hamster nibbles the cage.

• Grinding teeth. Since the teeth of the animal are constantly growing, he thus grinds them. This usually happens at night. Since he has no branches of fruit trees or mineral stones nearby, he begins to nibble everything that is located nearby, including the bars of a metal cage, creating a lot of noise for others.
• Boredom. Since the rodent becomes fenced from the implementation of the usual actions carried out in the wild, he starts to get bored - for this reason he gnaws the cage.
• Hunger. The lack of food is also one of the reasons that the animal began to gnaw a cage. You should not forget about your pet, follow his diet.
• Little sleep during the day. Since hamsters are night residents, they sleep during the day. If you prevent the rodent in the afternoon, you can expect that at night he will behave inadequately.
• The cage is small in size. If the hamster is cramped, then he can show his protest by starting to nibble the rods. Thus, he wants to leave uncomfortable housing.

If a hamster doesn’t do any harm to his health while he is nibbling a cage, do not pay much attention to this. Obviously, he just likes the process itself - not only employment, but also the noise produced. Usually, rodent babies suffer from this weakness. After 6 months they should lose interest in their cage. It is worth knowing that the consequences can be quite serious. The animal can not only break its teeth on metal rods, but even rub its nose quite hard, sometimes even to blood.

If your pet began to nibble at his cage at night, then you should be prepared for the fact that wean him from this action is almost unreal. Still worth a try, because experts offer a variety of ways.

• It is necessary to focus on the replacement of the object that gnaws a hamster. In the animal feed it is necessary to add grass and vegetables, as well as hard foods, with their help he can grind them. The constant growth of teeth can not only harm the animal, for example, hurt the mouth, but also lead to its death. If the situation is already very running, you should seek help from a specialist who will shorten them. But this method is already an emergency, it is worth moving to it, if other options have not brought results.
• Pay attention to the rodent feed. It should include all the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is worth adding mineral stone to it, as well as tree branches. At insignificant financial expenses your hamster will get a lot of benefits and forget that you can nibble the cage.
• If the animal feels a lot of energy, while it does not send in the right direction, then he may be interested in his cell. The solution to this problem will be to increase the load. It is enough to present a rodent with new apartments, more spacious. You can complete the cage with various accessories. An excellent choice would be a wheel or ball for running.

For example, you can treat a hamster with a favorite delicacy and put a wheel for running. This will save you from the noise, the hamster will be able to keep himself in shape, thereby strengthening the immune system.

It is worth considering in more detail the most common ways.

• Favorite delicacy. Today a wide range of rodent treats is on sale. You can treat your pet not only chips, but also dried fruit. It is better to give preference to something solid, so that the animal could grind its teeth. It should be a treat once a day before bedtime. Thus, you can enjoy a dream, and the animal will be busy with its own affairs.
• Mineral stone - This is a very useful device, because it includes both vitamins and useful elements. In appearance, it is no different from ordinary stone. This stone can be purchased at the pet store, while it will be enough for a long period. To make it easier for the hamster to nibble, the stone should be fixed on the wall of the cage or on a branch.
• Twigs of various trees. They can be prepared independently, and it should be noted that they should not contain harmful resins, since they are toxic to animals. It is necessary to prepare small branches, carefully cut down all the protruding and thorny parts in order to protect the hamster from possible injury. Branches should be fixed in a cage. It is necessary to monitor them in order to replace them with new ones in time, then your pet will always have an interesting occupation.
• Some experts advise using any unpleasant substance to discourage the animal from chewing on the bars of the cage. But it is strictly forbidden to use chemical solutions that can lead to the death of the animal. The best choice would be lemon juice or red pepper. If the baby understands that the cell is tasteless, then soon the desire will disappear by itself.
• You can cope with the situation with a special spray, but it does not work on all hamsters. Usually, his actions are felt by sensitive persons. Its performance is individual.
• It is worth paying attention to when and in which place he gnaws the bars. For example, if he takes action when he sees you with food, then he is just hungry. If he gnaws a place near the door, the animal wants to walk. It is necessary to fulfill his desire - so he will cease to disturb you.

Experts recommend sticking to a few simple tips to disaccustom hamster gnaw cage.

• Usually hamsters begin to gnaw metal rods from boredom. Therefore it is worth adding to his house entertainment, for example, toys, to devote time to games, and also to pick up a more spacious cage for your pet.
• If you didn’t notice the hamster while it was nibbling the cage, then you should pay attention to the bars - if they were painted earlier, and now in some places there is no paint, then the animal is biting them. If they were not originally painted, then you should take a closer look or there are scratches on them or deformations.
• Try not to wake your pet during the day, because in this way it becomes more aggressive, which can manifest itself in bites.
• During sleep, the cage of the animal can be covered with a towel, which will create a comfortable environment for rest.
• It is strictly forbidden to mock the animal - it does not need to throw, squeeze, shake, because all these actions can not only be accompanied by various injuries, but also dizziness,which will negatively affect the work of the brain.
• If a hamster runs freely, then you should carefully watch him, and also hide all sharp objects, because the animal can be injured.
• It is strictly forbidden for children to take a hamster in their hands, since they can harm it greatly. It is better if the animal will hold an adult, and the child just stroking it.

On how to wean a hamster gnaw a cage, see below.