You probably landed here because you asked, “do hamsters need chew toys?” The simple answer is yes. However, there is more than that. In this article, you will learn why hamsters need to chew on something, what is a good chew toy for hamsters, what are safe chew toys, and how to tell if your hamster likes them.
Being a bit picky about buying toys for your hammies is very reasonable. You must want the best toys without harmful substances, which we will cover in this article. Chew toys helps our hammies fight boredom, manage oral health, and prevent cage chewing behaviour.
Hamsters need a lot of exercises, and a wide variety of toys cover it for them. They, too, are lovers of the outdoors, and toys satisfy their thirst for exploration. Later on, you’ll see a list of the best hamster chew toys to buy for your pet.
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CONNECTION BETWEEN HAMSTER BAR BITING AND CHEW TOY
When your hamster starts biting its cage bar is not a good sign, this is a common behavioural issue that must be addressed the right way. There are many reasons why your hamster started chewing on the bar cage, but one of the main reasons is the lack of chew toys.
Hamsters’ teeth grow forever. Unkept hamster teeth can cause discomfort, pain, and even be fatal. They chew on wood, tree branches, and other things to keep their teeth at a healthy length, sharpen it, and clean it. It’s something they evolved with, and they can’t help chewing things.
You can provide plenty of healthy and safe chew toys, and this is what this article is about, how to choose the best hamster chew toys.
WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN CHOOSING THE BEST CHEW TOYS FOR HAMSTERS
Opting for a hamster chew toy always comes down to its main component. It is either made of wood, plastic, or natural. Chew toys also come with flavours that will make them crave and play with their chew toys more. Either way, regular chewing will keep your hamster’s teeth healthy, keeping them at the right length and clean.
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Safety
Obviously, the best hamster chews should be safe to digest for a hamster. The question you should be asking yourself in choosing the best hamster chew toys is what materials they are made of.
Harmful substances found in toys can increase the toxicity and affect the health of hamsters. This can harm their immune system, eventually becoming sickness and possibly food poisoning.
Safe hamster chew toys are made with non-toxic materials. Hamsters can accidentally swallow their toys, so avoiding chews with minerals and calcium is best. You should also check if the paint used in each toy is food graded.
Affordability
Some hamsters are also a bit picky, and there’s a chance that they won’t play on your expensive gift toy. So, when looking for hamster chews, they should be reasonably priced. From there, you can run a trial and error and decide which toys they prefer. After all, it is something you must buy for the entirety of your hamster’s life.
Affordability for chew toys comes down to improvising high-end quality toys. Hamsters sometimes prefer to chew toys like cardboard, wine corks, old wood(pesticide-free), and tissue rolls.
Validity
Take notice of the expiration date for chew toys. Some chew toys can only last for several days. Hamsters with extreme enthusiasm over chew toys can tear it just by a week. So, it is best to watch their toys; used or secondhand chew toys can pose a potential danger.
Chewing toys with minerals is not a good option regarding validity. Chew toys, once expired, might have moth eggs inside, and consumption of them is unsuitable for your hamsters.
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Healthy
Tending to our hamster’s health can increase their longevity. A good additional fibre, vitamins, and protein source benefits their overall health. Since they burn so much energy when active, some needed carbs may keep them excited and exercised all night.
It is best to choose toys with vitamins and proteins for optimum nutrition. But balance their diet with small slices of fruits and vegetables. And take note that hamster pellets are more complete than raw foods.
HOW MANY CHEW TOYS TO PLACE INSIDE THE CAGE
Place 5-6 chew toys inside your hamster’s cage, but mix them with soft and hard chew toys. For example, you can place 1-2 whimzees (hard), 2-3 rice pops (soft), and 2-3 apple branches. Observe which one your hamster loves the most and which one they don’t care about.
HEALTHY AND BEST HAMSTER CHEW TOYS TO BUY
Many factors contribute to the safety of a hamster chew toy, a number of which depends on your hamster breed. Hamsters differ in size and level of energy, and preferences. By choosing the best toys, we can guarantee the safety of hamsters.
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Whimzees’ Dental Chews
These dog dental chews are safe for hamsters and are proven to be one of the most favourite chew toys. It’s great for keeping their teeth strong, healthy, and at the perfect length.
You can find them online or almost in every pet shop. They come in different colours and shapes. My dwarf loves those shaped like toothbrushes and crocodiles. However, make sure to buy the ones that don’t have calcium in the ingredients.
Rice Pops
Many factors contribute to the safety of a hamster chew toy, a number of which depends on your hamster breed. Hamsters differ in size and level of energy, and preferences. By choosing the best toys, we can guarantee the safety of hamsters.
Natural Apple Branches Pet Food
This toy is one thing hamsters will never get rid of; it comes with naturally grown, no pesticides, and no induced chemicals apple branches. A bite-size toy and non-toxic, and is vibrant with fibres. It is good to have this in their house together with other toys, and it’s also aesthetically pleasing for natural vibes. It’s environmentally safe and keeps your hamster’s gum clean.
Wood Chew Toys
This type of hamster toy is suitable to be kept in a stash because the expiration date can take a long time. You can choose which sizes you prefer, from 6 to 8 inches. Ensure that the wood you’ll purchase or give to your hamster is free from pesticide spray or other chemicals.
Kaytee Carrot Carousel Chew Toy
Carrot Carousel is an ideal time-consuming chew toy. It comes in the shape of a carrot, and inside, your hamster will find pieces that help to clean, floss, and trim its teeth. It is also made of food-grade colouring and is safe for nibbling. Kaytee is a well-known brand in the hamster hemisphere.
3D Nibble Stix
The package has five pieces of crunchy flavoured wood perfect for little creatures like hamsters. It is as small as your pinky finger and has bright colours that attract the attention of hamsters.
This chew toy for hamsters should last more than a week, depending on how much your pet likes it.
Vitakraft Corncob
Another fun and healthy chew toy is a corncob. My hamster took forever to finish it, so it’s worth the money (or she didn’t like it much!) Either way, entertaining your hamster and looking after those teeth is great.
Kaytee Mini Nut Knot Nibbler
This wood chew toy is coated with food-grade colouring. Hence it’s safe to ingest by hamsters. I recommend sticking some treats inside the knot nibbler to get your hamster’s attention to start chewing on it.
Get one piece first and see if your hamster will like it before buying more. I think this is one of the best hamster chew toys. It’s colourful, has a treat inside, and will take your pet a while to finish through.
VERDICT ON THE BEST CHEW TOYS FOR HAMSTERS
After trying many hamsters chew toys, my pet love Whimzees the most. I love that it’s hard in texture. Hence, it really keeps her busy for a while. They are a great way to grind her teeth and, at the same time, clean them.
You can find them online and in regular pet stores. They’re even available in massive supermarkets at the pet corner. Whimzees and Woodstick Chew Toys are definitely the best things for hamsters to chew on.
Listed above are some of the best hamster chew toys your pet will love, and perhaps chew toys that won’t be left unplayed. Although it might get destroyed by your hyper hamster in a short time or almost instantly depending on their playfulness, of course, that would rather be best than to see your hamster get bored in your newly bought toys.
And, one thing these toys have is that they’re super safe and perfect for a classy-looking environment. No more doubts about choosing the next chew toy. It is affordable and very hamster-friendly.
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Perfect! I have a new “niece” and am getting her treats. Very informative
Sounds exciting! Your new “niece” is undoubtedly lucky to have such a thoughtful aunt” ❤️