Yes, a hamster can break its tail. Not because of an accident, but when another rodent stresses it out and uses its back legs to try and escape. The hamster’s back legs act as shock absorbers for the tail, and if this breaks, it leaves the hamster unable to balance, leading to the inability to move very well.
A broken tail is often caused by another rodent attacking a hamster or falling onto hard surfaces or rocks, which can quickly break its tail or a limb.
In this article, I will discuss why a hamster easily breaks its tail and ways to prevent it.
Reasons Why a Hamster Breaks Its Tail
- To escape from a tight space.
- When it is threatened or feels unsafe from distracting predators.
- Injury, infection, parasites, poisoning, old age, and other health problems.
- Lack of exercise may contribute to a hamster breaking its tail.
- Due to genetics, some tails are more likely to break than others.
- The length of the tail affects how much stress it can bear and, thus, how likely it is to break.
Is It Okay for A Hamster to Lift Its Tail?
Yes, it is okay for a hamster to lift its tail, as long as it is not sick or in pain. It creates a good space for them to urinate, which is one of the main things they need to do.
A little bit of extra weight won’t harm your hamster. But if the hamster’s tail starts to drag on the ground, you should get more exercise wheels to ease that pressure because that can cause health problems for your pet.
Do Hamsters Have Stubby Tails?
Hamsters have stubby tails because they are underground animals. They do not need a tail to move around, but they do need it to grip onto things while they are running in their wheel or climbing up your arm.
Hamsters have long, thick hair and short, fluffy tails. Some hamster breeds also have long whiskers.
Most hamsters have long tails, ranging from their body size to a little larger. The Syrian hamster is a breed with an extraordinarily long tail.
Uses Of Hamster Tail
- Playing.
- Keeping close company and games for a few hours at a time.
- Hamsters feel secure when they can wrap themselves up in this soft, fuzzy coat.
- Hamsters use their tail when handling large objects, like hauling a ball up a hill.
- Hamsters use their tail when gripping slippery surfaces.
- Exercise and stimulate the brain.
- Staying warm in cold weather conditions.
- Keeping their balance when playing on thin surfaces.
- Hamsters use their tail to ask for food from humans.
- The long, thin tail is covered in bumps and wrinkly skin, which helps it grab onto things when it’s walking or running around its cage. The tail also helps hamsters to stay balanced.
- Gripping food while they eat.
- Hamsters use their tail to carry their babies.
- The tail is used as a communication tool between hamsters and humans too! A hamster can use its long, thin tail to signal that it wants something.
- It shows its emotions when it bumps or rubs against us.
- The tail ends are sensitive to touch, so hamsters use them as toys when they lick or chew on them.
- Hamsters like to groom their tails, so they must not get injured doing this. Glands in the tail secrete a slimy substance called anal gland secretion which the hamster licks and then rubs along its body to keep it clean.
Ways Of Preventing Hamsters from Breaking Their Tail
- Put a hunk of fabric in the cage and clean it every so often.
- Please provide them with chew toys or feed them vegetables or fruits high in fiber. The rodent will chew on these items, preventing the breaking of their tail.
- You can place a piece of fabric in their cages. If you try to prevent a hamster from chewing on its tail, it will chew on it more. They will also chew on the ground if there is no fabric in the cage.
- The fabric in the cage is used as a barrier between them and other objects like wires, bars, and cages so that they cannot hurt themselves or even inhale toxins.
- You can stop them by using your hands or some other barrier like a piece of t-shirt. If you don’t stop them from chewing on their tail, they will gnaw it off, and you must have this checked by a vet as soon as possible.
Hamster Tails FAQs
Do hamster tails fall off?
Yes, they do. A hamster’s tail will fall off if injured and starts to heal. The skin covering the tail heals over and creates a tadpole look, so you will not feel anything there when you get your hamster.
Hamsters will also lose their tails when shedding or molting them to grow new ones; this is the only time a hamster’s tail will fall off on its own accord. If a hamster loses its tail, it will fall off after the new one starts to grow.
At this time, you will see the same tadpole look on your hamster’s hind end as if it was injured.
There is also a rare case where the vet might pull off your hamster’s tail to relieve pressure around the spinal cord; this may happen twice when removing the tumor from the tail.
There are also two other cases where a hamster’s tail might fall on its own; this might be from the hamster being in a very good mood or maybe because the hamster was sick and was trying to get rid of some hair that it could take better care of itself. There are probably other reasons for this, but we can only speculate about them.
Do hamsters have bones in their tails?
Yes, they do! Hamsters have bones in their tails! A hamster’s tail, called caudal vertebrae, is made of seven vertebrae that could be classified as a tailbone or coccyx.
This tailbone has what scientists call boney lamina. These laminae are small areas of bone on the bone’s surface that provide the joints’ protection and strength and allow spine flexibility.
Hamster tails are covered in a thick fur coat, but occasionally you will discover a tiny bone. Let’s find out what kinds of bones are on hamster tails and how to tell if your pet is carrying an extra one.
Why are hamsters’ tails crooked?
Hamsters’ tails are crooked because they have reduced vertebrae in their spine, which leaves the tail with no choice but to curve.
The “dwarf” species of hamster have shorter bodies than other kinds and therefore don’t have a long enough spine for their hind legs to straighten out, a condition called lordosis. Short-tailed hamsters are born with crooked tails that grow thicker as they age.
The winter white dwarf’s longest-living hamster has a tail only about one and a half inches long. Hamsters are born with short tails, and their tails become more curved as they grow older.
A baby hamster’s tail appears to be bent for two reasons: their vertebrae are not yet fully developed, and as a result, the spinal vertebrae bend directly beneath the skin; this causes the tail to curve, but it also causes it to become thicker as the animal grows.
When this happens, you will notice that your hamster’s tail increases in diameter. The skin over the end of the tail can also cause it to bend; this is why a hamster will get itchy spots on its back.
The little animal has ‘ducts’ beneath its skin near these itch spots, which collect the excess ‘hairs’ that are shed when your hamster’s fur is rubbed off due to wearing its winter coat.
As it grows, these ducts become increasingly thick, eventually allowing the tail to be curved—thickness towards its base.
Final Thoughts
When the hamster is not moving, it curls its tail around so other rodents cannot grab it. The individual teeth are very strong and hard, so when the hamster is fighting for its life, it can easily crush the bones of any predator by clicking them together.
It is easy to break a tail when a hamster runs or jumps because it has less leverage, and its body slackens its joints.
The hamster’s guard hairs are very fine and thin as they are useful for stealth, but they burn easily, and injury can result if this happens. They can easily catch fire due to static electricity if they come into contact with something like a lit match or other static material.
To prevent this, they lay a special kind of fur made of very fine, thin hair and coat their bodies with it. They also clean themselves by licking their fur.
It is important to provide adequate nutrition to your hamsters, particularly those that seem most likely to break their tails. Hopefully, this article was helpful; consider the discussed tips when handling your hamster to prevent it from breaking its tail.
If you notice any problems with your hamster’s health, you should contact your vet.
