Teeth - How long should they be?

[ModularFurball53]

Hello. (:

My hamster, Bunky, is now about 4 months old. I got him late from the pet shop as nobody wanted to buy him and I just loved the little guy straight away! He is also my first hamster, so I'm still learning about them.
When I first got him, he gnawed the bars loads. I put in loads of new stuff to gnaw, and even though he didn't actually gnaw them, he certainly played with them! :x Now, even though I've re-arranged his cage, and put loads of homemade chews such as pasta, treat balls, cardboard ect, but he ignores them. :?
I was wondering if it was because his teeth had gotten too long. How long should a hamster's teeth be? I can see them, and they don't look that long. He's eating and drinking and pooping and stuff, but I'd just like to check! :mrgreen:

Thanks,
Cat (:

[Treacle_08]

I have a hamster who chewed on bars loads and I think that they just do it for the fun of it as my hamster came originally from a place called paws here and she used to be in a tank so she had never encounterred bars before. If you are really quite concerned about his teeth then maybe you should take him to maybe a vet or the place you got him from and see if anyone can check his teeth. There will be someone out there that can help. :)

[ModularFurball53]

You got your ham from Paw's Here? REALLY! OMG :mrgreen: That's where Bunky came from! :mrgreen:
He lived in a tank too, and he gnawed the cardboardthey had with him. :roll:
I've tried taking pasta shells and macaroni and stuffing seeds and raisons down them.

[Treacle_08]

Have you tried half cooking spagetti and weaving it through the bars like you would card board?
And it's good you got bunky from Rachel at paws here because she is a proper and really good breeder. My Treacle is very friendly and tame unlike some hamsters when you first get them she will be 12 weeks old on monday :)

[ModularFurball53]

No I haven't, but I might try that! :mrgreen: Thanks!
Yeah, she's really nice too. I might have actually seen Treacle as a pup because I saw a litter there that'll be that age now. :x I dunno if you saw Bunky at all, but he was the little cinnamon with a swolen leg. :(

[Treacle_08]

Unfortunately I didn't see Bunky as when I went to choose a hamster all the little boys had been reserved so we looked only at the girls. It you check the paws here website then in the pet gallery you can see Treacle. I uploaded 2 images of her soon after we got her. SO bear in mind she has doubled in size she has already outgrown the 3 triere cage we bought her.

[ModularFurball53]

Oh I see her! :mrgreen: Bunky is in the pics beside the ones of Treacle. (: I have the same cage for Bunky. He has loads of toys and things, and he seems to fit it fine. :mrgreen:

[Treacle_08]

Ohh I see he's so cute. I don't know what it is but ever since I got Treacle. I see a Hamster and want to pick them up and hug them for ever. They're just so adorable

[ModularFurball53]

I've tried hugging him but he's very wriggly too hold! :x He's still adorable though. (:

[Treacle_08]

I have exactly the same problem!!!



[attachment=0:2w0l80k1]Treacle & Trouble small.JPG[/attachment:2w0l80k1]

[ModularFurball53]

Hehe, Bunky had a brother called John The Hamster ( :x ) at the pet shop and she's the same colour as him. (:

[Treacle_08]

Yes I met John... he was being used as a hamster for little kids to handle as he was so calm and not wriggley. Emmm heres another pic of treacle I have just got.[attachment=0:39gwrcng]Kim & Treacle small.JPG[/attachment:39gwrcng]

[ModularFurball53]

Is she long haired? In the other pics I couldn't tell. :x
I was in again today...Do you know how they get the animals so big? :o There was a guinea pig like the size of a...I dunno. It was big anyway. :lol:

[Treacle_08]

Rachel has a strict breeding policy where all her animals are only allowed to have 2 littlers in they're life time which results in the babies being really healthy and at risk of no problems health wise. If you see the animals in P@H they are from rodent farms which overbreed all of they're animals. Which result in heath problems and growth issues. I imagine that Bunky will be around 18 cm long if not slightly more as he is older than Treacle but what is surprising is that female hamsters are more likely to grow larger than males. So if Bunky if 18cm then my Treacle will grow to maybe 19/20cm? :o :shock: :mrgreen: and yes Treacle is long haired!!

[souffle]

Hamster teeth can be remarkably long as you will have noticed if you have seen one yawn. They usually stay at the right length as the hamster chews. Problems can happen if a hammy breaks one so the do not meet properly to wear each other away and also if the hamster has been born with badly positioned teeth which do not meet. These need frequent trimming to keep the hammy comfortable. Signs of tooth problems include not eating well, drooling and swelling in the mouth. You may be able to see the overgrown or broken tooth too.