Lots of bar chewing

chopsthewombat · 11-23-2016, 04:23 PM

i've had Chops since May this year; i've never been good at handling or taming hamsters but i do get him out in his ball and when i'm changing the cage i put the mesh top over him so he can run about a little more free. he's a little more accustomed to me since i give him treats through the bars and he's more comfortable approaching me when i put new things into his cage although he hasn't been handled.

i'm not really sure why he won't stop chewing his bars... i don't think there was really a time when he didn't. He's also started at some of the plastic he can reach right by the top. i know his cage is big enough, he has a wheel and a flying saucer, toilet rolls and a packet of wooden chew toys... whenever i take him out in the ball he's super hyped up by the time i put him back. sometimes when he's out in his ball he seems really anxious, constantly grooming or just turning in the ball and not walking in it.

right when i got his chew toys he seemed to do really well, he didn't chew the bars for a whole night- but then it seemingly resumed. i'm not sure what to do to try and stop it. anything i put on the ledge, he pushes off- the flying saucer, his food bowl. he seemingly only goes up there to chew on everything.

despite not being confident enough to handle him i do interact every time he's up. i'll go and talk to him or rub his belly. i'm not really sure what to try

InkyPen · 11-23-2016, 04:45 PM

To be honest, he sounds bored.

How big is his cage in cm / inches? Often bar chewing is a reaction to being in a cage that is too small. There are lots of people out there who think that all hamster cages sold in pet shops are suitably sized (my partner was one, before I reeducated him!). What hamster species is he e.g. Syrian, Roborovski...?

Is there a particular reason why you don't feel confident enough to handle him? Perhaps you could start by putting him in a plastic storage box, then letting him crawl over your hands, and then slowly work up to more handling with the storage box as a 'safety net' in case he tries to leap out of your hands.

It would probably also be helpful to introduce some additional toys. They don't have to be expensive, but it's likely that he'll appreciate some variety, and perhaps some different textures to chew on. These don't have to be expensive - for instance, there are lots of DIY ideas here Hamster toys and accessories from recycled household items thread and there are some other inexpensive suppliers - for instance, when I went into Wilko (UK shop - I'm not sure where you're from) I was surprised by how good their hamster toys were, for less than £3

Ultimately, if you can't get him to stop bar chewing, it's probably going to be better to move him to a cage that doesn't have bars e.g. a tank, bin cage or similar.

chopsthewombat · 11-23-2016, 04:59 PM

at first i had him in a cage suitable for a dwarf since that's what i'd had for years but after seeing the recommended measurements i got a bigger one for him. his cage is 38cm deep, 68cm wide and 38cm high. it's got a little upper level as well, which is where he keeps going.

He's a little banded syrian, and i'm generally worried i'll get anxious and hurt him or he'll take a nip at me if i try to handle him. generally my sister would progress from gloves to handling them with her bare hands.

after i made the thread, i put some more rolls in there and cut them into curves to try and hang onto the bars but he takes them off and starts chewing them. also sprinkled some more treats amongst the bedding. i think the issue with his chew toys is he thinks theyre food, and puts them with his stash. although he has taken one into his main little nest and chewed it a great deal. i read in a couple places that glass tanks are good if nothing else works. i think i just need to get him more things but i'm worried about having it too crowded.

thank you for the tips on getting up to a handling stage. he's like my child and it would be lovely to finally muster up the courage to give him a cuddle

AmityvilleHams · 11-23-2016, 06:30 PM

Try more things first.If that doesn't work,then definitely try a bigger cage.You could have a bin cage instead of having to buy a very expensive new cage,and you can even expand these as needed by removing sides and attaching bins together that way.They can be made with no mesh to chew if you position the mesh just right,so this can be just as good an option as a tank while allowing it to be much larger and a lot less fragile and less heavy.

velma · 11-24-2016, 04:05 AM

I've not had a problem with chewing myself as I use tank style cages (because we have cats) but it must be annoying and worrying. Can he run comfortably and straight backed in his wheel? If the wheels a bit small or a bit stiff they can get frustrated. I think scatter feeding can help them with more to do. Gradually start scattering some of the food that would go in his bowl around his cage and increase how much you scatter. You can bury some under aome substrate. It wil make him forage. I've found with mine when it comes to chews it's a case of finding the things they like. Some just get ignored. So have a little experiment with favourites. And you can make some cheap toys like wrapping some food in a little loo roll or using the tubes with food or a treat in and the ends pushed in. Check the DIY section. I also think that others have found ignoring the chewing helps too. Easier said than done I know but you don't want to reward the bad behaviour as you're teaching him to chew. Good luck!

cypher · 11-24-2016, 05:28 AM

It does sound as though he's getting a bit frustrated & maybe bored in the cage & his wheel behaviour sounds as though he's anxious in there & not happy.
Could you make a safe play pen or play area & let him have time out in that? If you don't want to handle him he will probably climb into a tube or box or you could just use the ball to transport him. Him may feel happier out in a play pen with lots of things in it to explore.
It is best to ignore chewing if you can & only give him attention or treats when he's not chewing.
Dog biscuits (check ingredients to be sure they're safe) are good to chew on, I use Biscrok for mine & most hams love to chew antos/whimzee dog chews so those might help.
For other ideas have a read through this thread.
Managing Bar Chewers

CMB · 11-24-2016, 07:40 AM

Your cage could be a bit small, especially if your Syrian hamster is big. Some Syrians grow a lot more than others.

A flying saucer takes up a large space in the cage and could be taken out to make room for something else in the cage as long as the wheel is big enough for your hamster to use with it's back straight.

Try adjusting the cage layout and toys/chews first and see if that makes a difference. If you think your hamster would be happier in a bigger cage. Look at the zoo plus website. They have larger cages for sale at good prices..

chopsthewombat · 11-24-2016, 12:46 PM

i've started adding and building things for him- since there arent any empty boxes at hand i made him one and stuffed it full of tissues and treats. i also tied long coils of cardboard tube from the top and that keeps him busy.

he was doing real well, getting really into the new tissue-treat box until i went over to see his progress, and he came to the corner and started to nibble on the bars but only very lightly.

not sure if he's made the connection between chewing the bars and me responding.

chopsthewombat · 11-24-2016, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cypher

It does sound as though he's getting a bit frustrated & maybe bored in the cage & his wheel behaviour sounds as though he's anxious in there & not happy.
[-]
It is best to ignore chewing if you can & only give him attention or treats when he's not chewing.
Dog biscuits (check ingredients to be sure they're safe) are good to chew on, I use Biscrok for mine & most hams love to chew antos/whimzee dog chews so those might help.

he only sits occassionally in the ball, he's fine with his wheels. he'll go into the ball of his own accord and on some days, he takes a little longer to warm up. other days he's off running down the hall and then running back to wherever i'm sitting and giving many sniffs

i thought it might be the new ball, since he's gone through 2 others. the first was a flimsy plastic and he unscrewed the side. the second broke and this one is bigger and fully clear so i assume he can see things a bit nicer too

chopsthewombat · 11-24-2016, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

Try more things first.If that doesn't work,then definitely try a bigger cage.You could have a bin cage instead of having to buy a very expensive new cage,and you can even expand these as needed by removing sides and attaching bins together that way.They can be made with no mesh to chew if you position the mesh just right,so this can be just as good an option as a tank while allowing it to be much larger and a lot less fragile and less heavy.

i had a look at bin cages and i just worry he'll chew the plastic up and get out