[animallover0987]

Hi, my dwarf hamster Minnie is scratching a lot and i dont know what is wrong. is anything wrong? or is she ok? Im just kind of worried about her. also, i am wondering how to make her stop chewing on the bars on the side of the cage. any advice? it would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

[genevie]

She may just be grooming, but it's possible that she has mites. It might also be a reaction to her substrate, if you've changed it recently she could be allergic. You might want to consider taking her to a vet.

As for the cage bar issue, some people have had luck with putting lemon juice on the bars, but the best way to stop it is to give her a more stimulating environment A lot of bar chewing comes from boredom.

How big is her cage? The RSPCA recommends a cage size of 30 x 15 x 15 inches and I second this - a bigger cage will provide more opportunities for her. Also, how deep is her substrate? Hamsters naturally love to burrow so several inches of bedding is best. Does she have a wheel that is 6.5 inches or more? Does she have "toys" in her cage to keep her busy? Most imporantly, does she have anything else to chew on? Wood blocks, for example. Chewing keeps their teeth trim, so it's a necessary behaviour. She should always have something to gnaw on.

 

[animallover0987]

her cage is an appropriate size, and i dont think it is from boredom. she has a tube structure above her cage, a lookout platform, 2 wheels, and about 3 inches of bedding to burrow in. she has plenty of things to chew on, including straw puzzle peices (made for hamsters), little logs of treated wood, and even her hut is chewable! it might be boredom though.. should i change up the location of things in her cage when i clean it today?

 

[genevie]

If she's easily stressed, I wouldn't move things around too much. If she's a calm hammy, you might want to try that. Consider adding some new things too, she could be bored of what she has now. You can swap toys and chews around regularly.

You might want to add a little more substrate if possible. In my cages I have about 4 to 6 inches.

Also, does she use her chews? If she's always chewing her bars and never the straw or wood, try smearing a tiny bit of peanut butter on them to entice her.


If she still doesn't stop, you might want to consider moving her to a tank.

 

[animallover0987]

okay. thank you for the advice! i will deffinatley try these things.