Hi, I keep my hamster in a plastic cage, (made completely of clear plastic), and I’ve heared if hamsters chew the plastic and swallow it, they can be poisoned. So how can I deter him from eating it? I don’t want to change the cage, but I dont want him to be poisoned either!
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Hi, spray vinegar on the plastic. Not too much, one of two drips and rub it around. They hate the smell, too much can cause problems. Just a tiny bit.
Change it’s cage before it chews through and escapes!!!!!!!!
i have only had rats, not hamsters.
but, rodents need to constantly chew on things to grind their teeth down so they don’t get too long and cause problems or grow up into their head…something like that.
so, you will probably need to buy some chew toys from the pet store so that your guy can chew on healthy treats. you might have to buy a few different kinds to see what he likes best. then you will know what he chews on the most. plus, he will have some toys and be less bored. it will cost you a bit, but, you will have less to worry about and possibly more time with your little guy.
you might also check search on the internet to find suggestions of hamster sites for ideas on free or almost free things that they will chew on that will help them to grind their teeth.
good luck. you are on the right track. i think that some of my rats lived shorter lives due to the freedom i give them and the things they chewed up. they are not meant to digest plastic, etc.
peace, pacrat
I agree, you might find that it helps stop the gnawing if the hamster has something else hard to chew on in the cage. They need to constantly wear down their teeth, otherwise they will keep on growing until the hamster is no longer able to close its mouth or eat. It happened to one of my hamsters before…
If you don’t want to buy chewing toys at the pet store, there are a few other things you can use. Do you have a dog? Hard dog biscuits are excellent for hamsters to chew on. You might also try toilet paper rolls, tissue boxes, carrots, or a small piece of a corn cob. Before you put anything inside the cage, make sure it’s safe for your hamster.
They do tend to chew on pretty much everything, but I have never had a problem with a hamster being poisoned. I think as long as nothing sticks off the cage that could potentially be bitten off and then swallowed, you should be fine.