How to Stop a Hamster Biting the Cage Bars – 3 Steps to Stop

Stop a Dwarf Hamster Biting Cage BarsHamsters… Cute, adorable and never fail to put a smile on ones face. But why does it love chewing on its cage bars?

Russian dwarf hammies among all types and breeds are not the only suspects here. Rabbits, Guinea pigs and rats are also known to awaken their owners up by Biting Cage bars.

Today, you will learn how to Stop a hamster biting the cage bars and also gain some useful tips.

Why is my hamster chewing the bars of its cage?


Generally, there are many reasons why hamsters knaw on their breathing bars but the main reasons are:

1. Boredom – This is the most common reason why a rodent would rather nibble the cage enclosure. Russian dwarf hamsters LOVE chewing and will do large amounts of this in the wild. If your pet is biting the bars frequently, it may be time to carry on reading this post.

2. Space – Unfortunately, many pet stores recommend cages that are too small for a hamster to live in.  If a hamster does not enjoy its living space it will find other ways to entertain its self.  An example of one of these cages would be the Ferplast Combi Cage (see our video review here).

3. Unhappy – Your pet is unhappy, this means that they are biting cage bars to attempt to escape their cage. The one main problem with this is that a hamster may start to show aggressive behaviour towards its owners due to being unhappy. This is a problem and if you are already experiencing this, read our guide to re taming a Russian dwarf hamster.

All of these behaviour habits can be improved.

How Do I Stop My Hamster Biting the Cage Bars?


Hamster bites cage wires

Understanding why your hamster is biting will help you prevent future habits and occurrences.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself first:

~Is my hamsters cage smaller than the recommended size cage? 50×80 base floor.

Does my hamster ignore its accessories and attempt to escape more than once a day?

Has my hamster began biting cage at night and awakening myself?

Is my pet showing aggressive behaviour towards myself?

If any of these questions are answered with a “Yes” or “true”. Its time to take action fellow animal lover!

Step 1 – Rethink your pets environment and understand whether it could be bigger, if there is room for more accessories or even if removing the bars completely by upgrading to a rodent tank would be more beneficial. See our recommendations here.

Step 2 – Look online or at your local pet store for a larger cage that will not allow your beloved rodent to chew the bars. Alternatively, look for used cages on sites like Gumtree, Ebay and Craigslist as you can save money helping someone else out.

Bin Cage – These are extremely popular as completely remove all bars and prevent your hamster from escaping with its simple design. IN fact, we created a 2 story bin cage using two bins for our dwarfs. You can see on our YouTube Channel.

CLICK HERE to see a bin that will remove all biting and knawing problems you are having! (Once you have this, see our bin cage tour here).

Step 3 – Accessories keep your pet happy. Imagine being in the shoes of your rodent, put in an open room with only a few things to entertain yourself with. It will not be long till your biting the bars to escape.

Invest in some more accessories for your hamster and enjoy watching them play again. See our TOP 5 dwarf hamster accessories here.

Preventing Future Chewing & Escape Tactics


Some hamsters just enjoy biting their cage wires and this is normal behaviour. However for the owner, it can cause many sleepless nights and aggressive behaviour developing towards the carer.

The best way to stop a hamster biting the cage bars is by removing the wires completely and changing their habitat to a glass tank or plastic bin (providing it is large enough, safe and does not provide any easy escapes). However, if you wish to try and stop your hamster without removing the bars completely you can:

Lemon juice on the bars – This is not recommended, on the other hand some owners have had success. Simply add 2-3 drops of lemon juice to a glass of water (3/4 full) and then apply this solution to the cage bars with a tissue or cloth.

Add more fun! – Extra accessories and chewable toys to prevent boredom. Personally, we have found this helps, but will not provide a long term solution. Amazon.com and your local pet store have plenty chewable accessories.

Exploration – Increase the time in which your hamster get out side of the cage with you. We recommend that you allow your hamster to spend at least 20 minutes a day being held, in an exercise ball or free roaming dedicated hamster safe areas. This will reduce bar biting habits and increase trust with your pet.

Dwarf hamster keeps biting cage bars at nightChinese, Russian, Roborvoski and Syrian hamsters make great pets for all of the family to hold, love and enjoy. Along with every pet, their are some bad habits that can be adjusted and this guide should help you.

Are you being woken in the night by your dwarf hammie? Leave a comment down below and we will get in touch 🙂


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