Hamster book ! (shakes head dissaprovingly while typing)

[carefresh]

I was at a pet store yesterday having a look at all the adorable hammies...but i decided to have a quick look at a hamster care book. The book had a big paragraph about bar chewing...it actually went into all this stuff about why it's best to buy a barred cage so that your hamster to chew on the bars because it's good for them ! it then said that it's alot healthier for your hamster to chew on the bars than to chew on anything else like the chew sticks that you can get at the pet store ! I couldn't beleive that a company would publish that sort of information in a book !

[SnuggleHam]

Hmmmm, Well I don’t see how bar chewing can be all that harmful, Might make them loose fur on their nose, but I cant see how its better then giving them a chew stick??



I don’t think that publishing companies really look into books that have to do with pet information; they probably just assume the author has done their research and knows what they are talking about. Editors most likely just care that its well written and the spelling and grammar is right.



Don’t forget that people that write animal information books write from their own personal experiences and what "they" think is best.



If you looking for a good hamster cook I highly recommend "“The Hamster handbook” by Patricia Bartlett."

[carefresh]

chewing the bars frequently can cause brain damage...

[SnuggleHam]

I wasn't aware of that.. they must really be chewing hard them :P

[babyboos]

If you looking for a good hamster cook I highly recommend "“The Hamster handbook” by Patricia Bartlett."



Sorry Candace I think you mean BOOK :lol: :oops: :lol:



The continued chewing apparently knocks the brain around in their head and can cause some serious cuts on noses and sides of mouths. Furthermore the paint gets flaked off the bars, and if there is any lead in it, this is just as harmful to hamsters as it is to humans, also the bars do not provide a nice solid, even surface for grinding the teeth on, resulting in misshapen and broken teeth. I am sure I have heard more reasons.

[SnuggleHam]

OPS!!! :oops:



Ha ha "Hamster Cook" LOL!!!!!! Yes I did mean Book hehe 8)

Well close enough, I mean on the keyboard they keys go "c"-"v"-"b" Honest mistake I think...





Ahhhh haha hamster cook :oops:



Carefresh, maybe you should see if you could write the author of the book about that or something... Better yet maybe you could put together an article about the dangers or bar chewing for Hamster Central. I dont think many people would think much of bar chewing besides that is annoying in the middle of the night.



I mean I have been doing allot of research and being the forum and site admin I wasn’t aware it could cause brain damage until now.

[carefresh]

sure ! I'll start writing one, I'll have to do a bit of research though, because I don't know everything about it, and I dont know know all of the problems with bar chewing. But yes, I would love to write an article. :D

[SnuggleHam]

Oh.. ok great!!



I didn’t mean to push any of that on you, you don’t have to if you don’t want :P But I think it would make a great addition to Hamster Central.

[babyboos]

Look forward to reading it Carefresh - if anyone has any useful information/sites/books etc to help Carefresh please post here, thanks.

[carefresh]

It's ok Candace, i'd love to write an article, your not pushing it on me. :D

[Emma]

The main problems of persistent bar chewing as far as I can see are rub injuries on the nose and tooth damage, which can become a serious problem, and the reason why I would seek to remedy persitent bar gnawing. I have seen the "bar chewing causes brain damage" thing bandied about the internet but quite honestly can't quite see the logic nor have ever heard that fact from a reliable source. I would be wary about continuing to spread that around as a known fact unless you have any proof - other than that statement being repeated on countless pet owner authored websites of course!



A lot of petcare books are cr*p! My personal reccomendation is "Hamsterlopaedia" by Peter & Chris Logsdail, well-known hamster breeders in the UK, in conjunction with their longstanding vet Kate Hovers. I think it is pitched at the right level, giving detailed information without getting too technical, and on issues where there are major differences in opinion between keepers it tends to mention both sides rather than stating one opinion as gospel.

[carefresh]

Actually, i do have proof (well proof of a reliable source) I talked with the exotics vet that is near me about cage bar chewing and he comfirmed the effects, including brain damage. I also checked various vetrenarian websites that all confirmed it.

[Emma]

I'd be very interested in any links or journal references etc? I have never found any reliable sources about this.

[carefresh]

Ok theres hamsterific.com (under "care" there's an article on bar chewing) honestly i can't remember any of the vet sites, i checked too many to remember them.

[Emma]

Yes the article on hamsterific is one place I remember seeing this mentioned. The article is, as far as I can tell, written by a pet owner not a vet, and provides no evidence to back up the brain damage claim just states it as a fact. I don't mean to disrespect the author of the article when I say I don't consider it a very reliable source for evidence of this claim, I have been taught in my degree course to question even published scientific papers to evaluate whether the information they are presenting is valid or not, so I do apply that kind of thinking to issues such as this.



There are two other important reasons why persistent bar chewing should be prevented (nose rubbing injuries and tooth damage), and my opinion is that telling pet owners that their pets will get brain damage by chewing their bars is going to unneccesarily scare people.

[babyboos]

Unless proved otherwise :lol:

Looking forward to hearing the results of your research Carefresh.

[Emma]

Obviously ;) but I think evidence is the key. There are far too many myths perpetuated by people repeating something they've read on the internet.

[carefresh]

Yes, that was one of the websites that was not a vet website. I have not been telling people it will definately cause brain damage.



I said chewing the bars frequently can cause brain damage...



As you can see I said can, not will. Only at a certain level will it cause brain damage, so not definately. I will not believe information that I find on the internet imediately. I always check various sites and if the large majority (meaning at least 8 out of 10, or 4 out of 5) confirms the information I will most likely believe it. Also I did talk to the exotics vet near me who deals with hamsters.

[babyboos]

there has not been a great deal of research done on hamsters a pets unfortunately, but don't let that hold you back - who knows you may find some more reasons why it is bad - I doubt you will find anything claiming it is good, but am willing to be proved wrong :!: :oops: