how to tell if hamster teeth too long

She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. All of these can lead to infections. Knowing your hamster's exact age isn't as important as knowing where he is in his life cycle, so you can provide the nutrition and care appropriate to each stage. I have 2 hamsters and one of them has really long teeth. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. The incisors, or front teeth, of your hamster, are the easiest to identify when they become overgrown. Teeth that get too long can puncture their mouths. Veterinary Manual, 2020. After the veterinarian confirms that your hamster's molars are too long, they may be able to trim them with the pet awake using a surgical instrument designed for bone or tooth removal called a rongeur (interestingly enough, the word "rongeur" is French for "rodent") or a tooth-specific instrument. I’ve had my little guy for a while and he’s my second hamster. Spotting signs that your hamster's teeth are misaligned before they cause a real problem will allow you to deal with the issue before it becomes a problem. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Also look for sores inside your hamster’s mouth. It is normal to bleed for a few hours after a tooth extraction, but sometimes our bodies are unable to form a proper blood clot, and we start to … Fat pads in the cheeks cover up the molars in the back of the mouth making them hard to examine. Mistake 6: Giving your hamster too small a wheel. To learn how to use chew toys to prevent future dental problems, read more from our Veterinary co-author. Small amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables or herbs; Timothy hay. a hamster's bottom incisors are much longer than the top incisors, and more curved. My hamster isn’t interested in his chewies/toys. For that reason, hay should form part of your rabbit's diet, and you can also give them some wood, cardboard, tree branches to gnaw on. The oral surgeon gave my a prescription for tylenol with codiene. If both upper and lower incisors overgrow, they may hit each other when the hamster tries to close its mouth, breaking off and causing pain. Find an answer to your question What happens when hamster's teeth grow too long? Determining if the incisors are too long can be tricky, and requires some experience. This article has been viewed 12,513 times. You aren’t going to be able to tell if the one you are looking at is just acting as normal for a hamster, or is generally … The two sets are separated by a large gap, called the diastema. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to determine if their hamster’s teeth are becoming too long or not. The reason for providing toys that your hamster to gnaw on is to keep its teeth trimmed, if there is not enough suitable material to chew on there is a chance their teeth can grow uneven or too long. They generally cost around $2. Between 10 and 14 days, hamster pups voluntarily become mobile. This could be a build up of dirt or tartar. He does have things to chew on in his cage, but he won't. Toys This is when you are most likely to see the real personality of a hamster. Adult teeth. How can you tell if your guinea pig is not feeling too well? Sometimes, hamsters with really bad teeth even have teeth that are pointing straight into the roof of their mouths. I just had to cut some of his nails because they were overgrown and now I’m worried about whether his teeth are ok. A wheel is an essential component of any hamster cage. Cheek teeth – premolars and molars are harder to see. If one incisor becomes damaged, the other can keep growing - eventually may stop them eating. But, your hamster's teeth are too long if: The incisors (the front teeth) force your hamster's mouth open ; The lower incisors grow past the upper incisors; Your hamster can't open his jaws to get around something small (like a peanut) 3. The incisors, or front teeth, of your hamster, are the easiest to identify when they become overgrown. They will usually grow so long that they begin to curve and stick out between the lips. Then start back onto fresh foods slowly so that your hamster can slowly adjust to the dietary change. And my parents wont take him to the vet because they said it wil cost hundreds of dollers! These extra teeth are sometimes called supernumerary teeth. What do I do when my dwarf hamster's top tooth chips off? I actually never felt any pain from the wisdom tooth. The bottom teeth in the picture should not be allowed to grow any longer. they chew cardboard, & salt & mineral things when i tickle them under the chin they open their mouths a bit and i can see their teeth but how do you know when they are too long? These teeth may periodically require tooth trims if your hamster doesn't wear them down himself. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. as a hamster gnaws on … ive tried wooden toys but they dont chew them Your hamster wheel keeps your hamster healthy and happy, as it allows them to get much-needed exercise. Top 5 Ways To Stop Bleeding After A Tooth Extraction. If they are getting too long, it’s important to know how to cut them back to size. For example, if your hamster’s teeth are overgrown the vet may need to trim them down to ease its pain. But how long is too long? If your hamster seems to have trouble eating, or if he doesn’t eat like he used to, his teeth may be too long. Observe the hamster with someone you know it likes, usually the person who handles it the most and meets little or no resistance when doing so. The affected pet will have a hard time eating which can lead to a case of hamster anorexia. The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Care should be taken not to clip the teeth too short which will cause pain and possible trauma to the teeth. Malocculusion of hamster teeth can be caused by a congenital defect or a chipped or damaged tooth caused by gnawing on metal or hard materials or a hamster that has a diet low in calcium. The picture shows a hamster's teeth clearly. I had one of my top wisdom teeth pulled at the same time that I had four other teeth pulled for braces. The hamster should be taken to the vet for a trimming. When a permanent tooth starts coming in, the roots of the baby tooth dissolve until it is loose enough to fall out painlessly and with very little blood.. It becomes clear that the pet owner is seeing the hamster gradually dying of natural causes. Overgrown molars need to be clipped with special long handled clippers, often with the hamster sedated. All hamsters like to retreat to a safe place and depending on the type of material hamster hideouts are made from they can priced anywhere between $5-$12. He has two wood toys, a … They keep growing. X Hamsters can start to eat solids at 10 days old, Ramsey says. This is the ideal method of trimming molars, but some owners may have financial constraints that restrict them from anesthetizing or sedating their exotic pets. Older hamsters tend to have teeth that break and grow crooked, so it’s a good idea to feed them soft foods like scrambled eggs and bread. A hamster lives one human year on average for every 14 days of its life. The teeth have very long roots, Dr. Bannon says, and pulling a tooth can break a root, leaving part behind and leading to an infection. Once they get too long they can become stuck on things, or worse yet, grow into the gums or roof of your hamster's mouth. To cut the hamster's teeth, hold the hamster by a good scruff of neck forcing the hamster to 'smile' and ensuring that the hamster remains still. I'm just wondering how you can tell if a hamsters teeth are too long? American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Diagnose-Hamster-Dental-Problems-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Diagnose-Hamster-Dental-Problems-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Diagnose-Hamster-Dental-Problems-Step-1.jpg\/aid7725557-v4-728px-Diagnose-Hamster-Dental-Problems-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"