Help! Syrian hamster driving me nuts chewing on water bottle.

[Lilbet]

I read the great post on how to stop bar chewing in hamsters and will be implementing a lot of the toy suggestions. My thing is, Lavender has started chewing on the metal part of her water bottle; she leaves the bars alone. The bottle itself is outside the cage, mostly because she used to climb it and pull it off the bars all the time. She has chew toys, but she wont touch them recently. She did manage to destroy her perch I put in though. I worry about any possible damage she could be doing to herself. She really goes to town on that metal, loud enough that I can hear it downstairs. Of course, all that shaking of the bottle makes the water leak out, so she ends up with half her face soaked and I have to throw out her wet bedding-about half the cage every day. I do think it has to do with attention, because if I'm even a little late on her usual out-of-cage exercise she "yells" at me. Is there anything I can do? Other than put in new toys and switch them out. She has me well trained, I know, all because I can't stand to hear her angry screams. But she is driving me nuts every early morning.

Background on Lavender: she's about 5 months old, has a bin cage with edible hideouts, tubes, wheel, etc., gets daily exercise outside of her cage in a large claw-foot tub and free-roaming around the apartment in a ball (I have cats, it's the best I can do in my old apartment.) She builds a massive nest every night, after I clean her cage. I found that is one way to keep her busy for half the night by destroying her previous night's work while I remove poop and uneaten food. I feel kind of mean doing it...

[TheFluffyHammies]

My Syrian hamster used to do this. I think it was all to do with attention. I don't know how to stop it though, I used to give my hamster lots of playtime every evening and after that she seemed to quiet down. Sonetimes if you put a sanitised pebble underneath the water bottle spout the water should drip onto that, and not get much on the bedding. ErinsAnimals has a good video on sanitising pebbles.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Why not replace the water bottle with a water bowl?

[sully]

My latest hamster Quinn was doing the same and really attacking it, which emptied it constantly Im not keen on water bowls but I blocked the hole where it goes and put a bowl in and he has been fine since. I had a hamster called Lavender a couple years ago.

[Lilbet]

Can I use any ceramic dish for the water? Something like her food dish? I got her some new toys too, so hopefully that will help. I also think part of the problem is she outgrew her wheel. I'm trying to find one in the local stores, but they have either the giant ones for chinchillas or too small ones that say they are for hamsters, but yeah, too small.

[Shana]

Using any small ceramic dish is fine as long as Lavender doesn't knock it over or get bedding in it. Hamsters can smell water, so she'd be able to find it, but I'd still make sure you see her drinking from it before assuming that it works for her. I tried using a bowl with one of my girls and she couldn't get the hang of it. She'd sniff the water and would end up inhaling it and sneezing. I'm guessing this isn't a typical water bowl experience, but it's worth looking out for.

Getting an appropriately sized wheel will most likely help with the water bottle chewing. If you do try a bowl, it would probably be worthwhile to try switching back to a bottle once she has a new wheel. I also live in MA and after an extensive search I ended up having to order a wheel online - good wheels aren't sold in any of the stores near me. I'd suggest buying either a Carolina Storm wheel or a Wodent wheel online.

[Lilbet]

Thanks! I'll look into those. She has a flying saucer right now, but I haven't seen her use it in a while. She used to run and run for hours on it. I asked the store employees if they knew where I could find an appropriate sized one and they had no clue, so I appreciate your advice!

[Thin Lizzy]

Have you checked to see the bottle is working properly? There could be a problem with the spout and through frustration she's taking it out on the bottle.
Also I find using cardboard by putting it through the cage bars and holding the bottle in place stops them trying to move it. They chew at the cardboard instead.
This has worked for my youngest.

[Lilbet]

She still drinks out of it, so I think it's working fine. Her chewing on it reminds me of a cartoon character eating corn on the cob. She starts at the top and gnaws her way down. I'll try the cardboard too. I did put in a giant chewable, corn husk ball thing, that is honestly the best description I can give, in tonight and she has been very quiet.

Her newest weird thing involves her getting high, I think. I let her out in her ball in my living room and I have gas radiators for heating in my apartment. After running around for a little while she stops at the spigot of the radiator and stays there for a long time. I thought it was weird and picked the ball up to place it somewhere else, thinking she got stuck like she does under the bathtub. She then weaves and wobbles all over the place, slowly working her way back to the radiator. When I realized what was happening I very quickly took her out of the room and let her out of the ball to get fresh air. Looks like I'm going to have to block that off, crazy hamster.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

For any bottle sipper tube chewers I suggest buying a Lixit bottle. These hang from a wire(like a paper clip) and work in Bin cages just fine. The sipper is straight up and down and the cap is chew resistant and so far in almost 20 years of raising hamsters I have not had a sipper tube chewer not quit that habit. These bottles also work fantastic for those naughty bottle destructive Hamsters too as they are round at the sipper end and the cap is hard plastic which also is round so no edges to chew on. I use the 6 oz size with my Syrians but if you feel better with and 8 oz they come in that size as well.

Here's a link to what I am talking about
Lixit Lixit Aquarium Cage Water Bottle