hamsters teeth problem

Question
Hi,
I have had my hamster for about 1 1/2 years and he's getting old. The problem is that he has his teeth long enough for him not to be able to eat and we can't get him to a vet. What can we do?

Answer
Hi Marianela,

    Generally chew toys,like wooden chew sticks, toilet paper rolls or even a dog biscuit, are put in the hamsters cage to help keep their teeth short, but there are some hamsters that will not chew on these things or they have  a condition called malocclusion which is an inherited misalignment of the teeth. A hamster can die from starvation with this problem, but there is also a risk that the teeth themselves will grow until they penetrate the skull, killing the hamster.
    If your hamster can not chew on the wood sticks or a dog biscuit, then his teeth need to be clipped. Since you can not get to a vet, it is up to you to try and clip them, if you are up to the challenge. It can be done with baby nail clippers. I would suggest that someone to hold the hamster and another person do the clipping. Clip just enough so that your hamster will be able to eat and chew on a wood stick or dog biscuit and get his teeth down the rest of the way on his own.
    If this is not done, then it will just be a matter of time before your hamster passes on.

Thank you for writing and best of luck