Do Hamsters Attract Mice? (Owner’s Guide)

Mice can be nasty for us as well as for our Hamsters. Mice are both annoying as well as dangerous, especially when we don’t know what attracts them and how to get rid of them. Could it be that our Hamster attracts mice? Or is there something else to it?

Hamsters do not attract mice. There is one in a million chance that our little one’s scent could attract a mouse to our house. Having said that, our Hamster’s uneaten food, unmaintained living environment, or poop buildup may invite mice over our home.

Cleanliness is the key if you want to prevent mice from coming near our Hamster’s cage.

Also, I can say from my personal experience that mice can be frustrating to deal with, especially when they pay a visit to our Hamster’s enclosure.

Picture Credits: Mouse, The Syrian Hamster; Instagram Handle: thehamstercalledmouse

Are Mice Dangerous To Hamsters?

There have been cases where mice have hurt the Hamsters badly.

Besides physical injury, mice also carry a danger of spreading diseases. Our Hamsters might get infected with Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia, and Salmonella.

While some of these diseases can be transmitted through their bite while others can be spread by mice droppings or their urine. The danger from these viruses are not limited to Hamsters, it can be dangerous for the owners as well.

Therefore, it is important to keep your Hamsters away from the mice. Also, in order to prevent mice infestation, let us first understand the major attractants of mice. Once we learn this, we will be able to fix the problem in no time.

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Why Do Hamsters Attract Mice?

There are numerous reasons due to which mice get attracted to Hamsters.

In the majority of the cases, mice are attracted by the living conditions of the Hamsters. The more unpleasant the cage, the more the mice.

Listed below are some of the major attractants of mice around our Hamsters.

Leftovers Or Stale Food

One of the primary attractants of mice around your Hamsters are the leftover food.

Hamsters usually leave some part of their food uneaten. This uneaten part of the food starts to smell after a few hours ( The food seems like it is fresh, it may not be).

Most of the Hamster parents fall for their little one’s charming personality and throw in extra food at once. Sometimes this happens also because owners have a busy schedule or don’t have the right information and knowledge.

If the leftovers are lying around for several hours, then it is an open invitation for some animals to come by.

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Improper Living Conditions

Another major attractants of rats towards our Hamsters is their improper living conditions. Cleansing your little one’s cage may not be the favorite part of your to-do-list but it is a must.

By now, you must have known that Hamsters are quite messy when it comes to their eating habits and surroundings.

These little creatures love to spread their food around their cage, some even hide their food deep down in their bedding. Many even spread their poop all around their cage.

These can lead to a major infestation as mice love to look for food in the dirty places or the trash, where the probability of finding something is pretty high.

Poop Buildup Of Your Hamster

Although it may sound gross to you, but Hamster poop do attract mice. Mice are attracted to all kinds of smelly things, be it undigested food remaining in the poop.

Therefore, if your Hamsters have a poop buildup in their enclosure, then there are high chances of mice being attracted to it.

Looking For A Reliable Source Of Water

During hot days, when water is limited in a particular area, mice might give a visit to our Hamster’s cage in search of water.

Although it is rare, there is always a slight possibility. Most of the time, mice come in search of food.

However, if some mouse finds a reliable source of water in your Hamster’s enclosure, then they might regularly come for it.

Looking For Nesting Spots

Being warn blooded animals, mice always look for a warm and cozy place to build their nest.

Picture Credits: Mouse, The Syrian Hamster; Instagram Handle: thehamstercalledmouse

Especially during chilling winter days, mice might find the well-insulated cage of your Hamsters as an ideal nesting spot.

How Do I Get Rid Of Mice Around My Hamsters?

Now that we have learned about the significant attractants of mice around our Hamsters, we can quickly fix this problem. Listed below are a few tips we can use to get rid of mice.

Use A Glass Enclosure For Your Hamster

You can always go for a glass enclosure or a tank for your Hamsters if they have a constant threat from mice.

It is very important to choose the correct cage for your Hamster. The cage you choose must be comfortable as well as safe for your Hamsters.

A glass cage is the best option if you always feel that your Hamster is in danger because of the mice.

Besides keeping your Hamster safe, a glass cage also holds your Hamster against chewing the bar(because there will be no bars, haha).

However, when you use a glass cage there are also few other precautions which you should always take.

If you choose a wire cage, it is very essential to check the spacing between the bars.

Place The Enclosure At A Height

Although raising the enclosure does not ensure full safety of our Hamsters, it does add to the challenge of climbing up high for food instead of being accessible on the ground.

If you are using a bin cage or a tank, try adding some additional table or support for additional height. Keeping it above the table will make it challenging for the mice to reach your Hamsters.

Get Rid Of The Leftovers

One of the major attractants of mice is leftover food lying around our Hamster’s cage. Now that we have learnt the cause, we can fix this issue by following these two simple steps:

  • Instead of serving all the fruits and vegetables at once, serve it in smaller portions (2-3 times a day).
  • Remove all the uneaten food from your Hamster’s cage within a few hours after serving.

Just by following these two steps. we can make sure that no excess food is left lying in our Hamster’s enclosure.

Use A Rat Trap

Although using a rat trap may be a traditional move, it still works great in the present. We can use the rattrap to catch those annoying mice and then leave them free somewhere far off.

You must be careful as some traps can hurt the mice as well. However, it will help you to catch them in no time.

Also, mice make our home stink and bring a lot of diseases. Therefore, it is important to track and get rid of them.

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Do Hamsters Keep Mice Away? (Busting Myths)

It is an enduring myth among many Hamster parents that their little one keeps the rat away. Also, many pet stores often recommend people to keep Hamsters in their home to keep the mice away, just to increase their sales.

However, in most cases, it does not work. Mice are pretty aggressive, and Hamsters stand no chance against them. Therefore, make sure you keep the mice away from your Hamsters.

Conclusion

Do Hamsters attracts mice? No, Hamsters do not attract mice. However, leftover food, soiled living area, and hunt for a comfortable shelter might attract mice towards your Hamster’s enclosure.

Mice are not good for our Hamsters, as they can cause a wide variety of diseases among our Hamsters. Therefore, it is recommended to keep mixe away from our Hamsters at all costs.



Mohini

Hello, I am Mohini, the founder of this blog. I am a qualified Animal Nutrition. I am here to help everyone understand their pets better.

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