Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

Hi all.

I hope someone can please help me stop my Syrian biting her way out of her cage!:o

We rehomed her from a rescue centre where apparently she used to chew the bars and cage non-stop.

After we brought her home we moved her into a Criceti 15. She has a 12" silent spinner, a platform, ladders, a wooden suspension bridge, some toilet rolls and a wooden ladder hanging from the ceiling with toys. We let her out for about 45 mins every evening.

But every single night for the last week she's climbed to the top of the cage and has bitten all the plastic away in one corner! ](*,)The hole is so big now that she can squeeze her nose right through!I'm worried she's not going to stop and she'll escape. Or she's damaging her teeth. Or she's swallowing some of the pieces of plastic.

Is she bored? Wants attention? I was thinking of adding a sand bath and maybe some more toys?

Someone also suggested wiping vinegar on there. But is that harmful for her?

Please help - She's doing it now and i'm worried I'll turn around in a min and she'll be on the sofa next to me! :p

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

i have heard of people sticking washers and bolts or a mesh covering in them to prevent escapes however personally i chose to move from a plastic cage to an aquarium as my hamster is a complete escape artist

Do you handle her on the regular as she could be doing it for your attention like *ahem* excuse me mummy i would like play time

and i don't know about vinegar sorry


Vicki

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

I think some hamsters regardless of how much you give them to do just have a habit of it, I think the best thing to do would be moving to a non barred cages.

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

If she did it for that long its probably habit now I'm afraid.

Have you tried covering the hole with wooden logs? I know some do it to stop bar chewing.

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

Thanks everybody for your advice.

I've placed a wooden drinks coaster over the corner. She hasn't climbed up there since but it could be because she's too busy making her bed and will go back up there later. We shall see :-/ Fingers crossed!!

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

Hello i have a sy. hamster and she has been biting her cage a lot, i brought her a wooden block with holes in etc but she hasnt played with it at all really, i fear she will not wear down her teeth ... she has been running a lot in her wheel and has a hanging treat stick etc.

I would like to move her to a bigger home, would this eliminate the biting? is she bored or simply wants to bite/chew but doesnt like the wooden block ?

thanks

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

rme - If a bigger cage would help or not depends on how small the current cage is. If its less than 80cm by 50cm (or has full levels that equal the same amount of space as 80cm by 50cm) then upgrading might well help :)

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

Well Cleo finally escaped!! :-O

I cleaned her cage out last night, so she had 30mins in her ball and then 10 mins of cuddles. I put in some new treats and a sand bath thinking "this will keep her occupied'
We went to bed around midnight and I could already hear her chewing the plastic. I got up at 3am to get a drink. (I always have a quick look at the girls to see what they are doing) I realised that Cleo wasn't there!! :-O and the hole was a lot bigger!
I woke my boyfriend up - he thought I was sleeptalking! lol. We started to search the flat, and there she was sitting by his trainers in the hallway!
I just scooped up and gave her lots of cuddles before taking her back home. I've selotaped the coaster over the hole and put a book on top of it!
She must have been hungry after her adventure because as soon I put her back in she started stuffing her face with museli and treats! haha!!

So what do I do now? :-/ Is there any way to repair the hole? I would love to keep her in the Criceti 15.
I know she would hate to be in a tank or a bin cage because she loves to sit on her platform watching us and poking her nose through the bars.

I'll try to upload a photo.....

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

Just realised I ned to have a photobucket account to do that :-( might try to register later.

Forgot to say - I was wondering if anyone could recomend a bar cage without plastic around the top? She bar bites a bit but not too much - and at least she wont escape again :-)

thanks in advance x

Re: Biting / chewing plastic cage
 

If bar chewing isn't an issue, I'm happy with the Mickey 2XL though Willow does manage to chew the bars still. I'm thinking about a bin cage for her if she keeps chewing, and the ikea box that people recommend comes with locks... You could mesh the lid & lock it on?