Owning a hamster is one of the best experiences ever. Out of all the pets, they are certainly one of the cutest ones. Taking care of a hamster is a little trickier than the safekeeping of larger pets like cats and dogs.
Seasoned hamster owners say that growing up a hamster is equal to raising a child. You have to be very careful at each step. You have to provide the means of entertainment, and you also have to take care of their health.
Minor negligence, in this case, can result in significant losses. Before jumping to what you should be providing to your hamster, let’s discuss the importance of chewing first.
We will discuss all the chewing-related aspects in this thread, so stay with us till the end.
Why Are Chew Toys Necessary?
There is a common misconception found among the new hamster owners that chew toys are only for fun. No doubt, hamsters love gnawing and chewing, but they hold more importance than just that.
Chewing is an activity that is necessary for the well being of your hamsters. Unlike human teeth, the teeth of hamsters never stop growing, surprised to read that? Yes, that’s true, and not only the teeth but the claws of your hamster keep extending their whole life.
These cute critters engage in chewing to relax their mind and keep their teeth in shape. Several complications can arise with the absence of something to chew on for a hamster.
Some of the significant problems related to hypsodont teeth of hamsters are:
Starvation
If your hamster’s teeth grow beyond a specific limit, they won’t be able to eat. This situation can lead to a very terrible death of your hamster. You can easily prevent this mishap by choosing a suitable chew toy for your hamster.
Injury
Uncontrolled growth of your hamster’s teeth can also cause injuries in the mouth of your hamster. If your hamster is being sluggish or inactive and refuses to eat food, it could indicate injuries in the mouth.
If left untreated, these injuries in the mouth can lead to the death of your beloved pet.
These were the physical complications that may arrive with the outgrowth of hamsters’ teeth. In addition, many mental problems are directly related to the lack of chewing options.
These problems include:
Aggressive Behaviour:
Does your hamster bite when you try to hold them? Does your hamster show signs of constant aggressiveness? If yes, you should check if they are chewing on something for a reasonable amount of time.
Occasionally, hamsters do not appreciate the chew toy you place for them in their cage. You can try replacing the toy or consulting with your vet to address this issue.
Inactivity
Does your hamster look dull most of the time? It is because they don’t have enough means of entertainment. For hamsters, spinning wheels and chew toys are the two most significant sources of entertainment.
These two things keep their body in the same and their mind at peace. We recommend you bring a new chew toy that will keep your hamster.
Now that you are aware of the chewing importance let’s move to the available options.
What Kind Of Sticks Can Hamsters Chew On?
Naturally, hamsters chew on clippings of trees to kill boredom and keep their teeth healthy. We recommend our readers to stick with the way of nature. Sticks that are painted to look good or treated with chemicals can cause complications in the long run.
Hence, sticks that are close to nature are the best ones. For your convenience, we took a tour of Amazon on found these sticks to match our criteria:
- CHUHUAYUAN Natural Apple Sticks- Best Quality Sticks Buy Now On Amazon
- Ware Manufacturing Willow Critters Pretzel Sticks- Most Affordable Buy Now On Amazon
- Ali York Hamster Chew Toys, Natural Wood Snack Toys-3 Pack- Most Diverse Buy Now On Amazon
Let’s find some more exciting information about these chew sticks:
1. CHUHUAYUAN Natural Apple Sticks-Best Quality
Apple sticks are one of the most favourite snacks of hamsters. They taste good and are even better when it comes to the pleasure they get by chewing them. The texture of these sticks is just perfect.
Moreover, the particular apple sticks we have mentioned are of exceptionally high quality. Every bar in this pack goes through a proper quality check before reaching you. Furthermore, no chemicals are used to process these CHUHUAYUAN natural apple sticks, which is another perk of buying these.
2. Ware Manufacturing Willow Critters Pretzel Sticks-Most Affordable
After going through a couple of chewing sticks, we believe that Willow Pretzel Sticks are also a great deal. Just like the first product on our list, these sticks are also organic and healthy for your cute critter.
Is your hamster in a training stage? These sticks will help you train and hand-feed your beloved hamster. Moreover, these chew sticks come at a reasonable price.
3. Ali York Hamster Chew Toys, Natural Wood Snack Toys-3 Pack- Most Diverse
Three different types of sticks are always better than one. This pack is the safest product on the list in terms of practicality. Three different chew sticks will provide your hamster with prolonged enjoyment and a variety of nutritions.
This chew stick pack includes sweet Bamboo sticks, Apple sticks, and Timothy hay sticks, all having outstanding qualities. All of the bars offered in this pack are totally organic and safe for your hamster.
The best part is that these sticks are not only good for your hamster’s teeth, but they are also equally beneficial for its digestive system.
What Are Good Hamster Chew Toys?
You can go a step further by adding chew toys to the cage of your hamster. These toys will cater to your hamster’s chewing needs and add to the aesthetics of the enclosure.
Most of the chew sticks on the market are safe, but not all chew toys are ideal for your hamster. Some toys may contain chemicals that could be dangerous for your hamster’s health. It is why deciding on a suitable chew toy is very crucial.
Usually, wooden based chew toys are much better than the other varieties available on the market. You can get colourful wooden toys that will improve the looks of your hamster’s cage significantly.
There are some other factors that you should consider while buying a chew toy for your hamster. These factors include the toy’s price, the durability of the toy and most importantly composition of the toy.
We have found some fantastic hamster chewing toys that can prove to be an excellent present for your hamster.
List Of Chewing Toys
- Niteangel 6-Pack of Small Animal Chew Toys-Best Overall Buy Now On Amazon
- 9 Pcs Hamsters Play Balls, Chew Grass Balls-Most Entertaining Buy Now On Amazon
- Dbeans Flourithing Hamster Toys, 10 Pack Natural Wooden-Most Vibrant Buy Now On Amazon
Let’s see what these chew toys have to offer:
#1 Niteangel 6-Pack Of Small Animal Chew Toys-Best Overall
If you have ever explored the hamster accessories market, you might be aware of the brand Niteangel. This brand outperforms its competition by providing the most unique and high-quality hamster accessories.
The hamster chewing toy under consideration here is also an excellent product by Niteangel. This pack is a collection of 6 artistic yet straightforward chew toys for your hamster. All of these toys are of different shapes, which will keep your hamster busy for longer durations.
The diversity in this pack is to provide different textures for your hamster to enjoy. To be precise, this pack includes seagrass sticks, three different firewood toys, apple and willow sticks.
All of these pieces are made precisely according to the chewing needs of your hamster. Moreover, these toys are not coloured, which makes them safer than the other options.
No matter which breed of hamsters you own, this pack of chewable toys is perfect for all. Moveable toys added to this pack will bring additional playing activities to your hamster’s life.
What else can you wish for in a chewable hamster toy? Undoubtedly, this product deserved to be on the top of this list.
#2 9 Pcs Hamsters Play Balls, Chew Grass Balls-Most Entertaining
If we talk about these balls’ composition, no chemical, plastic or glue is used in manufacturing. Moreover, these balls are handmade using safe and natural materials like corn husks, rattan and seaweed.
Hence, when your hamster is tired of playing with these balls, they can enjoy tempting flavours and relax. All of the balls are designed in a way to maximize teeth protection. These are ideal for the chewing needs of your hamsters.
Due to their circular shape, these balls respond very well when hamsters interact with them. Therefore, these balls will keep grabbing the attention of your hammy over and over again. There are rings in the rattan ball; when your hamster interacts with it, the bells ring and excite your pet.
The icing on the top is that all of these balls offer different materials. In terms of chewing, a variety of materials mean diversity of textures and flavours.
#3 Dbeans Flourithing Hamster Toys, 10 Pack Natural Wooden-Most Attractive
Just like humans, colours also grab the attention of hamsters. This attraction will motivate your hamster to interact with the toys and indulge in activities. Hence you can use them to improve the mental and physical health of your hamster significantly.
As you can see in the pictures, toys of different colours and shapes are in this pack. This implies that your hamster can spend a reasonable amount of time playing with these toys without getting bored.
All of these toys are made up of organic materials which are safe for your hamster to chew. You won’t find industrial additives which are dangerous for your beloved pet’s health in this pack of toys.
These toys are totally chew-resistant; hence no matter how much time your hamster spends chewing these toys, you won’t have to check the balance in your account.
All in all, this is a great deal. The only drawback is that this pack costs slightly more than other toy packs you will find on the market.
Can Hamsters Chew On Sticks From Outside?
As we emphasize the importance of natural sticks, you might be wondering, “should I just pick a stick from my backyard?” Absolutely not. We are talking about the clippings from certain trees.
Fallen sticks are totally unacceptable due to the health-related risks that come with them. Fallen sticks on the ground are usually the home of parasites and harmful bacteria. If you mistake giving such a stick to your hamster, your hamster can immediately get sick.
Some of these diseases are fatal, and other’s can damage the health of your hamster drastically. It is why you should never give a fallen stick to a hamster for chewing. Buy all-natural chewing bars from reputable pet stores or make them yourself at home using tree clippings.
Conclusion
Chewing is definitely one of the best elements of a hamster’s life. People think that hamsters chew to express emotions or to play, but this is a misconception. Actually, chewing is more of a physical need of your hamster than mental.
It is because of the type of teeth hamsters have. Hamsters have hypsodontal teeth which never stop growing. They need something to chew or gnaw on to keep their teeth in shape.
Buying a chewing toy is very important for you; otherwise, serious health complications can arise. Hopefully, you are now aware of all the dos and don’ts related to hamsters’ chewing habits.
Owning a hamster is a wonderful experience, and these little things make it more unforgettable.
