Hamsters like to nibble on any and everything they can lay their claws on. From food bowls to suction cups that keep water bottle holders in place, chewing may happen daily. Many of us freak out when pet rodents chew potentially harmful plastic cage components but they often survive without issues.
This article answers the question “what happens if hamsters eat plastic” by laying out the potential cycle plastic goes through when chewed. We also look at whether consuming plastic items can have negative effects on these cute furballs.
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What Happens If Hamsters Eat Plastic?
Hamsters are usually fine after eating plastic and mostly avoid ingesting the chewed parts anyway. Chewing is a pretty normal behavior in pet rodents during boredom or hunger. If your hamsters look and feel normal after chewing plastic and are eating and pooping alright, they’ll probably be OK.
Why Do Hamsters Eat Plastic?
Hamsters are instinctive chewers that like to taste anything they can lay their teeth on including fruits and vegetables as well as hamster seed mixes and pellets.
But beyond that, they also like to have a taste of other stuff like toys and even cage wires. This is why it is recommended that rodent cages contain chewable toys or boredom breakers that involve some sort of chewing to give them something to do when they’re feeling lazy.
Eating plastic is pretty normal behavior in hamsters and nothing to freak out over. You should probably be more concerned if they never show interest in chewing anything in their cages as that could be a sign of illness.
What To Do After Your Hamster Chews Plastic
Seeing your hamster nibble on plastic for the first time can be scary for many of us but that shouldn’t be the case. Here are a few actions you can take in the aftermath.
Remove the Plastic
It is only logical to remove whatever plastic toy or item the hamster may have been nibbling on as a precautionary measure to discourage chewing. If it is a chewable toy, you may want to take it out of the cage for a bit and bring it back later when the little guy’s mind is elsewhere.
Observe
The next step is to keep an eye on the chewer hamster to see if you can detect possible signs of illness or abnormal behavior. Does the hamster look sick or in any form of distress? Is he passing normal stool or showing symptoms of stomachache?
If none of the signs above are evident, there’s probably no cause for alarm and he’ll be just fine. Continue close monitoring for the next 24 hours or so.
Vet
If you’re unsure that your hamster is OK after nibbling on plastic, book an immediate appointment with your vet. Signs of pain or discomfort should be taken seriously because hamsters have fragile digestive systems that cannot withstand non-edible materials.
Hamsters hardly ingest plastic but your vet is the best person to detect if that is the case. Even when plastic is ingested, the probability of passing it out via stool is extremely high. Vets may offer various remedies including fluids that speed up the excretion of the plastic from the hamster’s digestive tract.
Will a Hamster Die If it Eats Plastic?
Hamsters may suffer some discomfort from ingesting plastic but death is rare. In most instances, the ingested plastic is excreted via poop within the space of a couple of hours. It is advisable to seek immediate veterinary care if your hamster starts displaying signs of discomfort after nibbling on plastic.
Timely treatment can put the little guy out of his misery and provide comfort within the shortest period.
Why Do Hamsters Chew on Plastic Cages and Running Tubes?
Hamsters may chew through cage wires, running tubes, and other essential accessories for a variety of reasons.
Boredom
Boredom is the number one cause of indiscriminate nibbling in pet rodents. Chewing becomes a default activity when they have nothing better to do with their built-up energies and plastic toys like exercise wheels and running tubes can be easy targets.
Providing lots of toys and creating boredom breakers should eliminate or at least minimize how often these little guys get bored.
Teeth Filing
Chewing on plastic items in the cage also helps with the natural filing of their teeth. Hamsters can experience overgrown incisors that may cause injuries during eating. Nibbling on plastic keeps their teeth growth in check and helps minimize the risk of dental problems and aggression against cage mates.
Pleasure
Believe it or not, hamsters derive pleasure from chewing which explains why they sometimes munch on cage wires and toys even when there are easier targets like tasty vegetables available on their food plates.
You may have no choice but to indulge the behavior by introducing a couple of chewable toys into your pocket rodent’s cage. This should make life easier and hopefully discourage gnawing on cage wires and vital components such as running tubes.
How to Discourage Hamsters From Chewing Plastic Bin Cages
Hamsters are natural chewers that enjoy gnawing on different stuff in their cages. Discouraging them totally from the behavior can be almost impossible but there are a few ways you may steer their minds away as much as possible including the following.
Boredom Breakers
They can act as mental stimulants that keep hamsters fully engaged to minimize the risk of boredom. Food-based options work well but there are lots of alternatives that can be effective depending on the hamster in question.
Toys
The probability of hamsters chewing on cage components you don’t want them to can be much lower when they have an array of toys at their disposal. We recommend having 2-3 sets of toys to rotate after every couple of days to prevent them from tiring of each set quickly.
Rubbing Vinegar
Rubbing vinegar on any surface can discourage hamsters from nibbling because of their hate for the scent. In the absence of vinegar, lemon could be another potent alternative. Just spray lemon juice on the surface and watch as your hamsters stay clear of it.
Conclusion: What Happens If Hamsters Eat Plastic?
Hamsters often survive after eating plastic as they normally spit it away or hide it in their cheeks to bring out later. Even when they do eat it, the plastic goes through and comes out of their digestive systems quickly without causing problems.
Offering toys and boredom breakers can minimize the risks of hamsters nibbling on plastic. Rubbing lemon juice or vinegar on certain plastic items or surfaces may also discourage chewing to prevent potential problems.
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