at my wits end with bar chewing

[TracyMM]

Sorry, I realise that post doesn't make sense! I should have said that I have never tried the peg remedy (didn't hear about it when I had a barred cage), so don't know if you put it inside the cage (which is why I said be careful of the metal spring) or outside (which makes more sense). It may prove to be a useful distraction.
X

[montysmum]

Good idea, thanks! I did actually put a tiny bit of lemon juice on the bars and a couple of days later he's still not chewing which is promising...although he did manage to escape his ball today so he went back in his cage a bit early (boyfriend made a massive scene about catching him, half squashed him and then got bitten hard, which served him right, but he put him back after that). He actually just started chewing on the clip that holds the cage together...I think he's just totally obsessed with escape...

[TracyMM]

Yes and so is Alfred. We put him in his playpen with lots of interesting things for him to look at or climb on/in but all he's interested in is trying to get out. He climbs up on our knees or shoulders and looks out over the barrier, and then tries to jump! It reminds me of an old Johnny cash song called The Wall -'noboby at all ever climbed that wall but I'm gonna be the first...'

Glad you are getting some respite from the bar chewing. It is truly a nightmare. Our previous hamster Harry rattled the bars so much that almost every night I had to remove the cage into another room because it woke him up so much. Harry ruined his teeth and that cost me a FORTUNE at the vets getting them cut every month. In fact I think Alfred damaged his teeth gnawing frantically on the cardboard barrier in his playpen. But not at all interested in gnawing anything in his cage. It's all about escape.
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[Gazmo]

hamsters are funny little things, they chew and chew and chew..

[ThePuzzledHamster]

I had this problem with my syrian, as a temporary thing I gave her a toilet roll between the bars and she'd enjoy chewing that to pieces. She now seems to chew the bars a lot less, but since then I have given her some new chew toys of a different variety. (loofa rather than wood). You probably already have a large variety of chews anyway.
Not really sure long-term, if she doesnt use her chews you could put some peanut butter or honey on them to encourage her to use them. It didn't work with my hammy but might with yours.

[montysmum]

Haha monty spends about three seconds in his playpen before he's scaling the sides-he doesn't go in the bath anymore because I'm pretty sure he'd find a way out. When we reminded monty of his mineral chew, all he wanted to do was gnaw on the wires coming from the back :s I can hear him crunching away in his house now, probably planning his next stunt!

[montysmum]

Originally Posted by TracyMM

Yes and so is Alfred. We put him in his playpen with lots of interesting things for him to look at or climb on/in but all he's interested in is trying to get out. He climbs up on our knees or shoulders and looks out over the barrier, and then tries to jump! It reminds me of an old Johnny cash song called The Wall -'noboby at all ever climbed that wall but I'm gonna be the first...'

Glad you are getting some respite from the bar chewing. It is truly a nightmare. Our previous hamster Harry rattled the bars so much that almost every night I had to remove the cage into another room because it woke him up so much. Harry ruined his teeth and that cost me a FORTUNE at the vets getting them cut every month. In fact I think Alfred damaged his teeth gnawing frantically on the cardboard barrier in his playpen. But not at all interested in gnawing anything in his cage. It's all about escape.
X

That is so monty's song, he used to climb on me in the bath and not out of interest in me! He obviously genuinely thinks he'll nom his way out one day...

[Bekki2308]

Glass tanks the ultimate solution. I have had my fair share of chewers, mostly rescues, and some of them literally would find any bit of bar to chew even if the entire cage was otherwise covered in shelves, cardboard threaded through the bars, perspex on parts and pegs hanging from the roof some of them just never stop!

[kimlck]

We're about to give up and put Moo in a zz2, she has removed the paint from 4 bars in her cage, i did drape a blanket over the cage when i was in there with my other hams, it worked twice before she figured out she could still see out and chew from the other side of the cage.

[hammypippy]

put orange or lemon juice on them they should soon stop it worked with mine