Can Spiders Harm Hamsters? Let's Discover -

Last updated on January 29th, 2023 at 07:53 pm

Spiders are every day in our homes, so you may be worried about how dangerous they are for hamsters, whether they can hurt them and whether they are a threat to your pets.

Can Spiders Harm Hamsters?

Spiders are not a great threat to hamsters, but we still have to be careful because they can cause stress and infections by biting our pets. Larger spiders can bite hamsters and injure them, while small spiders are not dangerous for hamsters because they cannot penetrate their skin.

Spiders usually run away from hamsters because our pets are much bigger than them. If hamsters see a spider in their cage, they can easily eat it.

In today’s article, you will find out if spiders are dangerous for hamsters, if they can bite our pets and how to keep spiders away from their cage.

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Do hamsters attract spiders?

No, hamsters are not attracted to spiders, they are attracted to heat, and they appear in warm places in our home. Although there are spiders in homes, they very rarely come into contact with hamsters.

The spiders are not interested in coming to the hamsters because they are not useful, they are interested in the food, and the food of the hamsters does not satisfy their needs at all.

Spiders can appear in the hamster cage if you feed your pets with insects, then larger spiders can come. Since hamsters mostly eat dead insects, it is not food to attract spiders, they like to eat live insects or if they have just died.

Spiders hunt live insects with their distinctive webs and then eat them.

Is my hamster afraid of spiders?

No, hamsters are not afraid of spiders, it’s more the other way around, that is, the spider is afraid of hamsters.

Indeed, the nature of hamsters as prey animals is always suspicious of everything in their environment, so it is with spiders, but in reality, they are not afraid of them.

On the other hand, spiders are afraid of hamsters and because they have excellent natural survival instincts they see anything bigger than them and hamsters as a threat.

Spiders are cautious and they will make a web as close as possible to your pet, in a dark corner or some other similar place where it is harder to notice them.

How harmful are spiders to hamsters?

Spiders, especially small ones, do not pose a threat to hamsters, they are too small and cannot pierce your pet’s skin with their jaws.

Bigger spiders are a little different story, they have stronger jaws and can cause pain to hamsters if they bite them. If bigger spiders bite the hamsters, your pet will feel unpleasant pain and get upset.

The biggest problem from this kind of bite is causing stress, which affects the health of the hamsters. When hamsters are under stress, they are susceptible to illness and the appearance of various diseases, such as the wet tail, which is dangerous for their lives.

A wet tail if not treated immediately can kill the hamster in a few days, so stress from spiders can be a serious threat to their health.

Can spiders bite hamsters?

It depends, smaller spiders will not bite the hamster, while larger spiders may.

Most spiders are harmless and will not bite the hamster, but some spiders may. Small spiders have very small fangs and cannot penetrate the hamster’s skin.

Larger spiders have fangs that can pierce the hamster’s skin, which is not good for your pet as spiders are poisonous and can cause problems.

We must emphasize that spiders bite if they feel threatened by the environment, in our case, it is the hamster.

When spiders bite a hamster their toxins enter the hamster’s body and can cause problems such as gastrointestinal damage and infection in your pet’s mouth.

When spiders bite a hamster, your pet may be lethargic, stop eating, and have pain and swelling in the places where they were bitten.

If hamsters are bitten by spiders, they will be in pain and hide in their hiding places and it will be difficult to notice if there is a problem with your pet. Hamsters are taught to always hide their pain because they think that predators will catch them more easily.

If you notice that the hamsters have any health problems and you notice spiders near them, you should immediately take them to a veterinarian to examine them.

Can my hamster eat spiders?

Yes, hamsters can eat spiders, although this happens very rarely, usually, they don’t even notice small spiders because they have poor eyesight.

Hamsters in the wild eat insects and small animals such as:

lizards
frogs

mealworms
crickets

Hamsters at home do not need to eat insects because they have pellets, seeds, vegetables, and fruits. Hamsters do not need to eat spiders or other insects in addition to the food we give them.

Spiders contain certain proteins for hamsters, but still, the danger of infections and diseases exists, so it is best not to eat them at all.

Can hamsters attack and kill spiders?

Hamsters’ natural behavior allows them to eat insects when they are in the wild, so if they get into a situation they can kill and eat the spiders.

Since hamsters are much bigger than spiders, they can easily be handled, they will kill and eat them simply by stepping on them.

In general, hamsters rarely kill spiders because they rarely come into contact with each other.

Hamsters are usually prey, but in this situation, with spiders, it is the other way around, your pet is the predator and the spider is the prey.

What to do to not have spiders in the cage of hamsters?

Although spiders do not pose a great threat to hamsters, it is still not bad to be able to prevent them from getting to their cage. Spiders are most active at the beginning of autumn because then the male spiders come out to mate.

That’s why we’re going to suggest some measures and ways prevent spiders from getting into your pet’s cage.

Close doors and windows well

Spiders are experts for being too good at finding a way into your home. It’s best to close all doors and windows as they enter through them.

Remove the spider webs

When the spiders form webs near the hamster cage they will attract your pet’s attention and disturb him.

If the web is in the path where the hamsters move they will have to hunt the spiders which is not good for them, so remove the webs as soon as you see them.

Use spider repellents

Use natural repellents that are very effective for dealing with spiders, such as essential oils of lavender, tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and others.

You only need to be careful where you place them, they should not come into contact with the hamsters.

You can also try placing conkers in certain places where spiders usually enter such as doors and windows because conkers with their toxic chemical prevent them from entering your home.

Homemade spider repellent

You can also make your own anti-spider by using lemon and mixing it with water. You can also dry the peel of this fruit, grind it and place it as a powder in several places in your home as protection against spiders.

Use diatomaceous earth

A very effective way to prevent spiders from getting into a hamster’s cage is to place diatomaceous earth around their cage.

The advantage of this powder is that it is not dangerous for your hamster, but it is deadly for spiders because it destroys their exoskeletons.

Frequently asked questions

Can ants kill hamsters?

Ants are very dangerous for hamsters, even though they are smaller than them, they can injure and even kill the hamster. Ants come for food and if the hamster does not bother them, they will not attack the hamster.

Does having a hamster attract bugs?

No, hamsters do not attract bugs. Hamsters do not attract other small animals such as mice, rats, or bugs. Food is the main reason that attracts other bugs to their cage.

Conclusion

Spiders are generally not a problem for hamsters, although their bites can cause certain problems such as stress and disease.

Hamsters are stronger than spiders and can be easily dealt with, although they rarely come into contact with each other.

Hamsters are not attracted to spiders, because spiders do not benefit much from the food of our pets.

In any case, we need to be careful that they do not come into the cage of the hamsters because they will disturb them and it can be an unpleasant experience for our pets.