Hamsters tend to chew on the bars of their cage when they get bored or scared. this is not unusual behavior for a hamster, though it can be frustrating for the pet owner. fortunately, there are steps that an owner can take to stop a hamster from chewing on its cage bars.
How to get a hamster to stop chewing the cage
1. Introducing the new hamster to its habitat
When you first get your hamster, there are a few things that it will want to explore inside of its cage. The first thing is usually what he or she will chew on. You can expect to see your pet chewing on everything in sight. This is perfectly normal and should not be worried about, but it is still something that you should try to control.
The best way to do this is to place the hamster's new home somewhere where they have access to their old one. Once they are able to explore both cages, you can then switch them over into their permanent home.
2. Provide items for your hamster to chew on
To control the chewing behavior of your hamster, it is best to provide items that they can chew on rather than whatever you would like them to chew on. This way you will know exactly what they are practicing their teeth on and can monitor which items are most attractive to them.
Make sure that you only give the hamster items that are safe for them to chew on. If you do not know if the item is safe, keep it out of your hamster's reach. Also, make sure that you get enough of these items so that the hamster has a choice and will choose the items over anything else in the cage.
Properly place all of these items throughout the cage so that your hamster will have access to them at all times. This way, it can go from one item to another without having any problems with them being in the wrong place. Also, make sure that there are no items that are too close to where your hamster sleeps or eats because they could end up chewing on these areas.
3. When to move your hamster into its permanent home
When you are ready, then it is time that you switch over the habitats of your hamster so that they can explore their new home. This will depend on how well the hamster is adjusting to its surroundings and whether or not they are still interested in chewing on the habitat.
The majority of hamsters will have their new home shredded by this time. This is perfectly normal and should not be worried about as long as they are not chewing on any of the wires or openings to the cage. If you do notice them doing so, then it may be a good idea to keep them in the old habitat for a few more days.
Any wire on the cage should be covered so that your hamster does not chew on them. The best way to do this is to use twisted wire so that there are no sharp edges for your pet to get hurt on. If you really want to, you can also purchase a plastic cover off of the internet so that your pet can not chew on any of the wires at all.
4. Adjusting your hamster's diet
If your hamster is still chewing excessively once it has moved into its permanent home, then you may want to consider changing its food around a little bit. The majority of people feed their pets seeds because they are very cheap. But this is not necessarily what your pet needs.
You can purchase seeds that are specifically for hamsters, which are better for their health and will likely help them stop chewing on things within their cage. However, you can also feed some fruit or vegetables to your pet as an occasional treat if you want to. This should be enough to satisfy its need to chew on non-harmful items.
5. Be patient
It may take a little while for your pet to stop chewing the habitat, but they will eventually grow out of it. Continue to monitor them very closely until you are certain that they have stopped this behavior before you let them roam around the house without their habitat.
If you are still worried about their chewing habits, then it may be a good idea to purchase an extra habitat so that you can place them in there while you are cleaning out the other one. Just make sure that they have enough things inside of their cage to chew on while they are in here alone.
6. Prevention is key
The best way to stop your pet from chewing on anything is to remove any objects that they could chew on from its habitat. This includes wire, plastic items, and anything made of cloth or felt. If you can not remove it due to how necessary it is for the habitat (such as the bedding), then you may want to consider getting another habitat and take out anything that can be chewed on.
If you do not mind spending a little more on each object then it is best that you purchase items that are specifically made for hamsters such as the ones mentioned above. This will ensure that your pet does not end up chewing on things around its cage, which could cause serious damage to them.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A few tips and tricks on how to make your hamster stop chewing the habitat or items in their cage. Depending on what type of pet you have, you may want to change around a few things here and there, but this is a great start that will help most owners out greatly who are looking for ways to get their pet to stop chewing the habitat.
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