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Old 03-19-2017, 12:40 PM   #1
Alibee
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Unhappy Bar chewing

Hi guys!

I don't know what to do about my hamster bar chewing, she has a fairly large cage (Savic HH) and loads of miscellaneous chew toys, dig boxes and various toys to keep her entertained and two very needy owners who give her as much attention as she wants and she still goes back to bar chewing. I've tried loads of hanging treat toys, scattering food on the floor and hiding it inside her dig box to keep her entertained but to no avail. Is her cage big enough? Does anybody have any suggestions on what to do? Thank you!
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Old 03-19-2017, 12:59 PM   #2
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Default Re: Bar chewing

Sometimes even what humans perceive as big is not big enough for hamsters.In fact,when it comes to Syrians it can even become impossible to provide a large enough habitat as they do require so much space due to natural behavior(they're not domesticated,unlike some pets,despite being bred in captivity for a decent amount of time).

While there's now a big focus on enrichment,enrichment alone isn't the way to fix a problem.It helps,but it takes a combination of larger cage sizes along with appropriate enrichment(and hiding spaces,those are crucial no matter what cage size),rather than just one or the other.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:13 PM   #3
cypher
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Default Re: Bar chewing

If she's a syrian then the HH isn't really big, I find it hard to make a good environment even for a dwarf in that cage tbh, I think you might be surprised by how much more you can get into a cage that is just that much bigger, say 100cmx50cm, I have cages that size too & find it so much easier to make a really good habitat for them with lots of interest & enrichment.
Have you looked at Zooplus? The Barney & Alexander cages are both very popular & a much better size for a syrian.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:14 PM   #4
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Default Re: Bar chewing

Thank you! I feel so awful I thought it would be big enough. I'm considering getting the ikea detolf cabinet, would that be a better option?
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:16 PM   #5
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Default Re: Bar chewing

The Detolf isn't as great as the hype makes it sound It's an excellent length but very narrow,so unless you did a double wide version I couldn't really recommend it.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:16 PM   #6
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Default Re: Bar chewing

Don't feel bad, your cage isn't tiny by any means & better than the cages many start off with!
You may do well with the Detolf as she may have got into the habit of chewing bars & even with a bigger cage it can sometimes be hard to break the habit although not always, every cage has pros & cons so it's just personal choice really.
I would agree with Amity though that the lack of depth doesn't make for the ideal space lots of people love it for their hams which seem to do well so it can work.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:23 PM   #7
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Default Re: Bar chewing

I've just ordered the Barney thank you! I've thought about a bin cage but I'm hopeless with DIY. Do many people have much success with bar chewers in bin cages? I feel like she'd just chew the mesh and/or chew herself out.
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Old 03-19-2017, 01:32 PM   #8
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Default Re: Bar chewing

It's hard to find bins big enough for syrians tbh so I think the Barney"s a goood choice.
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Old 03-19-2017, 03:40 PM   #9
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Default Re: Bar chewing

I second that the Barney sounds like a good choice As for bins and bar chewers, it can be a struggle for sure! My hamster Duncan chews every bin he's ever been housed in obsessively despite me adding stimulation and upgrading him. However, Duncan is just an interesting little guy and I don't think he reflects how all hams act in bins, in fact, most hamsters that bar chew do much better in bins. As for your worry about them chewing the mesh, you can always mesh it up higher so they cannot reach it. Hope she enjoys her new cage, post some pictures of the set up once it's all done
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Old 03-29-2017, 09:32 AM   #10
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Default Re: Bar chewing

You probably got a good suggestions and advice already, so I'm just adding a bit of my experience here.

I have Syrian hamster too, which I got it from my friend. When she first got the hamster from petco, she got that basic starting kit that came with water bottle and food bowl and stuff. It was REALLY tiny for her, and she was constantly chewing the bar no matter what I put in her cage. edible house, toys, chewable treats, whatever.. nothing attracted her attention and she was just chewing the bar every night, to the point where I couldn't sleep because of the noise.

I went out and got her a huge 40-gallon fish tank. Sorry that she now doesn't have anything but her toys and foods to chew on, but problem was solved instantly. I don't know if bigger cage would've gave me the same result, but I'm pretty satisfied with glass cage.
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