Constant bar chewing

[CallumPhillip01]

I got my first hamster misty (Syrian) at the start of april this year and she has been fine up to roughly a week ago but now she has this thing for constantly chewing the bars of her cage in the same 2 spots. She is in the Alexander Cage and has everything she could possiblyt want in the cage (wheel that's 11 inches diameter, multiple houses, deep substrate, sand bath, tubes, multiple chews...) so I think this is a habit and not a sign of boredom or too small of a wheel or cage.

Last night I tried the lemon juice trick on the bars of the cage to get her to stop but she just waits 10 minutes for the lemon to dry and starts biting again. I tried the method of lightly blowing on her nose while she does it to maker her stop but she just starts again as soon as I get back into bed.

I really don't want to have to put her in a tank or bin cage because my mum spent so much money on this cage for me (£70).

She gets out of her cage every night for 30 minutes in her hamster ball or playpen cage. What should I do to make her stop this habit???

[SabreRose]

My former bar chewing Syrian is doing great in the Alexander. Though she didn't go straight from her cage that she was chewing to the Alexander. She was in a bin Cage for a couple of months and I was so scared to move her into the Alexander in case she started chewing but she was fine.
I think it's a good idea to move your Syrian into a bin cage temporarily to help break the habit of bar chewing. And then move back in.

[Millie]

It's so frustrating!

Both my hamsters, Maisie and Lula are both in Alaska cages with more than enough toys and suitable wheels etc. I've found a method which has really helped for me though!
I just cut up a toilet roll tube (or any other thin cardboard) into strips and weaving them in and out of the bars where she likes to chew. This prevents them actually getting their teeth around the bars and therefore they eventually lose interest!

Another method I saw on facebook was genius! I'll insert a picture below, but basically if you can get hold of the smaller Whimzee stix they fit onto the bars perfectly. The lady who done this on facebook said that her hamster soon stopped when it was bored of the Whimzee.



I found that weaving cardboard worked really well for me but I would definitely give the Whimzee's a try if it doesn't work for you.

[CallumPhillip01]

Thanks for the quick replies! I will try the cardboard trick tonight and update you tomorrow on the situation.

[Millie]

Great! I hope it goes well

[CallumPhillip01]

Okay so It's been a couple of days now, sorry about that btw, and I seemed to have solved my problem. The only access Misty had to the 2nd floor of her cage wasa through one of those tubes that come with pet shop cages like rotastak etc.. And it occured to me that she could be getting stuck up there becase she knows she wont fit back down the tube very easily (she is a large syrian) and that she was biting the cage to either get off the second floor or to get my attention for me to place her back on the gound floor where her bed is. So I removed the tube and added a ramp instead and now the bar chewing has only happened once since I posted the last reply and it was only for a couple of seconds too.
Thanks.

[flowerfairy]

Oh great update. So glad she has stopped chewing.

[Drago]

Good news she's discontinued her bad habit! Hope all continues going well