Ideas for the well-known issue of bar chewing?

[Inky104]

Hey,

So I adopted a hammy just over a week ago (5th) and he ('Cosmos') seems to be settling in well. He is four months old and was moved to the adoption program as nobody had 'picked him' in the pet shop and he's been moved at least 6 times within his little life.

I was told that:
-He wasn't friendly
-He screamed a lot
-He was a bar chewer

However through his time with me he has been nervous but not at all unfriendly and screamed only once on his first day (think all the little guy needed was some TLC). He's letting me stroke him now and has started to even walk on my hand (impressive progress considering he's had a rough start).

Anyhow, the latter (bar chewing) is something he's still doing. He hasn't been doing it too often as had spent the majority of his time in his wheel (having not had one before I adopted him). I've given him PLENTY of things to chew on and have tried the usual e.g. placing them near his 'favourite chew site' but he still chews on the bars.

Just wondering if anyone has any bright ideas please or whether I should just leave him be at the minute and let him settle in first?

*NB He is in an RSPCA recommended cage with plenty of room and toys to stimulate him.

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Drago]

How large is his cage? Unfortunately, the RSPCA recommended size is (usually) quite small for a syrian. A cage of at least 450 sq in is recommended, but syrians tend to fare best in cages with floorspace of 1,000+ sq in. Could you perhaps provide a photo of the setup so we can suggest ways to set it up that may help?

Likely, the chewing now is due to a change in environment. Let him settle for a bit longer, and if the behavior hasn't stopped, you may wish to look into environmental factors that could be causing it. Best wishes, and congrats on the little guy

[cypher]

There are many reasons for bar chewing, the cage may still be too small even if it's RSPCA recommended, it is early days so he's still settling in & may stop in the mean time ignore it as much as possible, paying attention when he does it can reinforce the habit & make things worse, you could try putting cardboard through or over the bars if he chews in one particular area.
Have you tried whimzee dog chews? This is the most popular chew with most hams, the toothbrush one is best.
For more ideas on how to distract him have a look here.
Managing Bar Chewers

[Pebbles82]

There are many reasons for bar chewing and one of them is that whatever started it, it has become a habit. If it’s been a habit for a long time it may be hard to break but a larger cage could help a lot. Hamsters vary in how much space they need. For some no cage is big enough. Others are happy in an 80 x 50 cage. I would suggest an upgrade but probably best if it is a tank style cage or diy cage in case it is an ingrained habit. That’s where it gets tricky as glass tanks are expensive and heavy. There is a good Perspex cage that is 100cm. The maxi duna multi but it isn’t as tall as something like the Barney and Alexander cages so not as much room for levels and enrichment. It would still be a good option though if you put a platform in it. A Zoozone 2 is the same size and cheaper but has wide bars on top that need meshing. I personally think the maxi duna is a better shape and nicer and the lid is supposed to have a better opening mechanism. Amazon or Porton aqua pet sell it for about £90. Pet planet sell the Zoozone 2 for about £50. If you sell your current cage it would help pay for one

[Inky104]

Hey,

Thanks for the feedback guys. He's currently in a cage 80 X 50 X 50 but he also has a bin cage to explore as the adoption had to go through before the bank holiday and his cage hadn't yet arrived. He seems to be doing alright he spends about 20-30 minutes bar chewing at the minute which isn't horrendous but certainly not ideal. I'm hoping to give him a couple of weeks to settle and then I think I'll access again and if he's still doing it look at other housing options.

He's my 7th hammy and only one previously had been a bar chewer so I just wanted to check in with the lovely people on this forum.

I'm considering getting some more treats that hang on the bars so I could put them where he's currently chewing. Anyone got any recommendations?

Thanks,

[BethandLil]

Hey Inky,
It could be a short lived behaviour due to the stresses of moving home/owners.

I weave toilet paper tubes between the bars and also cut them into rings and hang them in the corners. I also use wooden pegs and have loofahs tied to the edges too

Good luck !