How to encourage chewing?

[evel_lin]

Monkey nuts or walnuts that are in the shell but have been cracked slightly so she can smell the yumminess inside?

[RedSky]

I've got a similar problem, mine don't chew. I have tried the nut with a whole in but they just ignore it. I'll try to fruit and peanut butter ideas. Thanks

[Zebbie]

To be honest I've never found a hamster that really wants to chew the coloured shaped 'chew sticks' you can buy in pet stores.

I use corn-on-the-cob cores after they have been finished with by humans (avocado stones also go down well), have wooden houses and toys to furnish the cage (these get chewed and replaced once they are thoroughly destroyed) and provide cardboard boxes made of thick corrugated card/shoe boxes. Cardboard boxes and tubes seem to be destroyed by chewing fairly promptly but it takes a week of solid gnawing work to really vaporise an entire shoe box from the inside, by which time their teeth are pretty blunted.

I also have a shed antler which I sometimes put in a cage as a mineral 'chew', but I think that is actually a bit too hard to feel satisfying to chew and they don't tend to make much impact on it overall.

[RedSky]

Mine have all of the above. Toilet rolls get replaces because they either wee in them or dig thought the bottom (you can hear claws scratching away). One of mine just walks around them, wont even go through them. They have wooden houses and hay and dog treats to chew but they have been in about a month (dogs treats replaced) and so far no teeth marks that I can see.

[The Hamster's family]

Originally Posted by RedSky

Mine have all of the above. Toilet rolls get replaces because they either wee in them or dig thought the bottom (you can hear claws scratching away). One of mine just walks around them, wont even go through them. They have wooden houses and hay and dog treats to chew but they have been in about a month (dogs treats replaced) and so far no teeth marks that I can see.

Did you try Dentastix ??? All my hammies chewed on them, even the Minis !!!

[JinjaMakes]

Originally Posted by The Hamster's family

Did you try Dentastix ??? All my hammies chewed on them, even the Minis !!!

Do you mean dog dentastix?

[The Hamster's family]

Originally Posted by JinjaMakes

Do you mean dog dentastix?

Yeah ! Those X form chews for dogs... =)

[JinjaMakes]

Ooh. I'll get some. Thanks.

Found some in Poundland!