Hamster biting bars of her cage?

[newtohammys]

I originally planned on putting her into a dwarf hamster cage since it was all I had laying around but I felt bad for her so I stumped out the cash for this cage

Ferplast Duna Fun Large Hamster Cage – Next Day Delivery Ferplast Duna Fun Large Hamster Cage

I've known plenty of people enjoyed this cage and it worked for them but hamsters have always loved it.

The one thing I can attest to is it's impossible to escape but it's been 6 days since I got her and she's been biting the bars every day, sometimes she takes breaks to chew her chew toys.

I have every toy possible so idk if it's too much in her cage cluttering it up or not. I adore her but this cage biting stuff is kind of upsetting me she's my first hamster and I want her to be happy.

I was considering upgrading to the barney but I don't know if that will work. I live in Ireland so theres not many options for bin cages the largest possible bin cage is the samla bin from ikea but its not much bigger than what I have but it is starting to seem like my main option.

I can't afford a terrarium/eco habitat right now. The bars on the cages might be the issue themselves because she grew up in a tank style cage and maybe isn't used to them idk, i just don't have the cash yet to purchase a tank/terrarium/eco rn (though i do hope to in the future).

My question really is are any of these cages suitable.

The first being the samla, it's the most cost effective and bigger by a little bit than the cage she's in and it eliminates the issue of bar biting since there's no bars. She loves climbing though so she might try bite the mesh idk and I don't have the heart to remove her climbing toys.

The second being this The Grosvenor Large Rat and Hamster Cage with Shelf - Grey - Little Pet Warehouse

Or this https://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_...456&pg_id=2462

I'm still tempted by the barney but again, part of me wants no more bars on future cages.

It might be my fault she's biting them I can't seem to get a wheel to fit in while keeping the tiers in and she seems to love climbing so I don't want to sacrifice the tiers but yeah idk I feel like a bad owner I know shes going stir crazy idk why since I try give her at least 20 mins in an excercise ball and she liked running round in the bath tub. So really my issue is which one of these cage ideas is the best for her. I'm afraid if I buy another barred cage it'll be wasted again

[JLPrairie]

Unfortunately, the Ferplast cage you own right now is a lot too small for any hamster, both in height and floor space. This would probably be the cause of her bar chewing. Out of the cages you mentioned, the Zoozone or the Barney are probably your best bet or the Samla.
Which Samla bin are you talking about? There's a 30.75 by 22 inch Samla bin, and that's more than a little bigger than your other cage. Or are product sizes different in the US? I'm not from the UK so hopefully someone else will come up.

I know that if you upgrade her to one of the cages it is probable that the bar chewing will stop.
Good luck!

[Pebbles82]

So does she have a wheel at the moment or not? If she doesn't have a wheel that is probably why she is bar biting. They really need a wheel, especially at night. Assuming she does have a wheel (sorry if I've misunderstood) then it does sound like more floorspace and a bigger cage is the way to go. I've never heard of a Syrian being unhappy in an Alexander cage - (Although I believe the occasional hamster has been known to need something bigger!) And the Barney is very similar - it is very slightly lower but has a couple of inches more depth/more floorspace.

I can understand you feeling concerned about spending money on a barred cage only to find she might still be a bar chewer! The Zoozone 2 you linked is possibly a good option (the bars on top need meshing) - more floorspace and no bars. But there are owners who find hamsters chew those cages as well, especially if it isn't big enough for them (the height is limited so not so many options for shelves and levels and enrichment, although it is a good cage).

100cm tanks are expensive. If you have the space, a detolf is a good option. I've never heard of a detolf not being big enough! An intrepid chewer would have a go at the wood end pieces but that's solvable. And it does have some inner support bars.

I think before you decide I would try and work out a few things with her.

Firstly - you've only had her 6 days. She is still settling in. It's important not to change things or do clean outs in the first two weeks while they're settling in as this can make them jittery and stressed.

Secondly - bar biting can be caused by a number of things.
a) Cage stress (if they need more space)
b) Something not being right in the cage (eg no wheel or a wheel that isn't working or is too small, something that isn't accessible (eg no ladder to a shelf), a water bottle they can't reach, not enough substrate. That kind of bar biting is the hammy trying to communicate with you.
c) General stress and panic and wanting to escape - eg if the cage is in a noisy or draughty place, or a lot of cleaning out or changing things in the cage.
d) Some hamsters are big chewers.
e) Some hamsters are predisposed to bar biting, or it can become a learned habit.

So I would try and rule out a few things. Does she have a wheel and is it big enough/working? If not, sort that out (the shelves are less important but keeping one would help - in fact you could probably have more substrate if you took one of the shelves out.

Before eliminating anything else, I think I'd suggest, asking for a refund and buying the Barney! You haven't had the cage long, it's not suitable, and they're quite expensive, so getting a refund for it would enable you to buy the Barney. I think most hamsters, with that much space, don't bar chew in the Barney (and the bars are narrow 7mm ones so it's hard to do it as well). And if you are really unlucky and she does, it's an easy cage to sell on. It might depend where you got the current cage from as to whether you can get a refund.

[newtohammys]

Originally Posted by JLPrairie

Unfortunately, the Ferplast cage you own right now is a lot too small for any hamster, both in height and floor space. This would probably be the cause of her bar chewing. Out of the cages you mentioned, the Zoozone or the Barney are probably your best bet or the Samla.
Which Samla bin are you talking about? There's a 30.75 by 22 inch Samla bin, and that's more than a little bigger than your other cage. Or are product sizes different in the US? I'm not from the UK so hopefully someone else will come up.

I know that if you upgrade her to one of the cages it is probable that the bar chewing will stop.
Good luck!

I'm not entirely sure about the samla bin specifications because on the site I can only see the small ones but in store the bin i seen in person was huge so it's hard to tell if she'd be happy in that or not.

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

So does she have a wheel at the moment or not? If she doesn't have a wheel that is probably why she is bar biting. They really need a wheel, especially at night. Assuming she does have a wheel (sorry if I've misunderstood) then it does sound like more floorspace and a bigger cage is the way to go. I've never heard of a Syrian being unhappy in an Alexander cage - (Although I believe the occasional hamster has been known to need something bigger!) And the Barney is very similar - it is very slightly lower but has a couple of inches more depth/more floorspace.

I can understand you feeling concerned about spending money on a barred cage only to find she might still be a bar chewer! The Zoozone 2 you linked is possibly a good option (the bars on top need meshing) - more floorspace and no bars. But there are owners who find hamsters chew those cages as well, especially if it isn't big enough for them (the height is limited so not so many options for shelves and levels and enrichment, although it is a good cage).

100cm tanks are expensive. If you have the space, a detolf is a good option. I've never heard of a detolf not being big enough! An intrepid chewer would have a go at the wood end pieces but that's solvable. And it does have some inner support bars.

I think before you decide I would try and work out a few things with her.

Firstly - you've only had her 6 days. She is still settling in. It's important not to change things or do clean outs in the first two weeks while they're settling in as this can make them jittery and stressed.

Secondly - bar biting can be caused by a number of things.
a) Cage stress (if they need more space)
b) Something not being right in the cage (eg no wheel or a wheel that isn't working or is too small, something that isn't accessible (eg no ladder to a shelf), a water bottle they can't reach, not enough substrate. That kind of bar biting is the hammy trying to communicate with you.
c) General stress and panic and wanting to escape - eg if the cage is in a noisy or draughty place, or a lot of cleaning out or changing things in the cage.
d) Some hamsters are big chewers.
e) Some hamsters are predisposed to bar biting, or it can become a learned habit.

So I would try and rule out a few things. Does she have a wheel and is it big enough/working? If not, sort that out (the shelves are less important but keeping one would help - in fact you could probably have more substrate if you took one of the shelves out.

Before eliminating anything else, I think I'd suggest, asking for a refund and buying the Barney! You haven't had the cage long, it's not suitable, and they're quite expensive, so getting a refund for it would enable you to buy the Barney. I think most hamsters, with that much space, don't bar chew in the Barney (and the bars are narrow 7mm ones so it's hard to do it as well). And if you are really unlucky and she does, it's an easy cage to sell on. It might depend where you got the current cage from as to whether you can get a refund.

I thought hamsters needed to have their toys and stuff moved around to stimulate their mind.

The detolf is fine floor-space wise but it doesn't give her a lot of climbing oppurtunities and that seems to be what she enjoys doing the most.

As for the wheel I've been unsure as to what wheel would suit her the wooden one on zooplus is a fear for me incase she pees on it i did find a gigantic wheel it was something like 31 cm or inches I forget which, I got paid today so might order that 31 cm one online since i wont have time to get to a store anytime soon and i feel it's a lot bigger than the wooden one on zooplus.

Right now theres no wheel because i couldn't afford any wheel yet other than the cage one and sadly it doesn't spin so she just uses it to climb the cage.

So it's possible she might never stop bar chewing? in the pet store their spaces were so cramped i thought once she got in my cage she'd be happier but I guess not.

We bought it from pets at home (well my bf did) idk if he has a receipt or not so we might have to sell it on online after cleaning properly of course since I doubt they'll allow us to return it and it'd take a while to do so since he only visits two times a week since he lives in belfast and I live in dublin.

I have been spot cleaning and cleaning food from her bed while she's in the exercise ball, should I just leave her alone and only go near her for food changing/water for a few days, I thought I had to make sure she was eating all her food so thats why i checked her bed/home.

Maybe I've been disturbing her too much.

Her cage is next to the window my bf said I should put her maybe beside the radiator since it's summer and never on or even on the top bunk of my bed since he thinks she'd prefer to be higher up like she was in the store but im not sure

Yeah I found out the zoo zone needs meshing but I don't mind doing that if it stops the bar chewing because i worry about her teeth and mental state and yeah thats my worry too because she likes having the levels it seems and the whole fact it'd be hard to hang things on the lid that she'd be even able to reach because of that is also a bit off putting.

Maybe I'll go through with the barney purchase and if it doesn't work out I know at least one person around me that would possibly buy it from me (though her bf might not be happy with yet another cage and yet another oppurtunity for more hamsters haha)

Starting to feel like maybe I've been stressing her out by changing things etc.

[Drago]

To follow up on your questions for serendipity,

1. Hamsters really shouldn't have everything moved so often. They see their world by smelling and feeling so moving things essentially blinds them. It's like blindfolding a human and then moving all their furniture. It would stress and upset them so you should avoid it. Every few months or so you can move around a hut or two, but you should really avoid changing too much in general.

2. The detolf is an okay cage. It wouldn't be my first recommendation for a Syrian to be honest, but I'm just the minority that feels this way. The reason I don't like it that much is due to the fact that it really can't hold very deep bedding and it's floorspace is not quite as big as it could be for a Syrian, but again, it's better than most cages

3. Is there any way you could get the "Trixie wheel"? This wheel is good and large, but isn't too pricey if budget is the issue
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00...5tL&ref=plSrch

4. Hamsters, with large enough cages and stimulation, are much less likely to bar chew. However, it's really going to depend upon the individual

5. Spot cleaning any urine every few days is perfectly fine. However, you shouldn't clean the food in her cache. This is like a refrigerator for them, and taking it away can really upset them. With her being as antsy as she is, I wouldn't recommend leaving her alone. It sounds like she could use the exercise.

6. I wouldn't keep her cage near a radiator as it could get drafty. However, if you're 100% sure there will be no temp changes due to it, then she should be okay

Overall, I'd give her time to see settle before worrying. Upgrading and adding tons of bedding can really work wonders. It has with my bar chewers

[CMB]

The Barney cage has narrow bar spacing, which can make bar chewing harder for the hamster. It is a good height to fit a larger wheel in and has a shelf and house. The floor space is good to have toys etc.

Just having a bigger cage can help stop bar chewing. Layout may also help.

[newtohammys]

Originally Posted by Drago

To follow up on your questions for serendipity,

1. Hamsters really shouldn't have everything moved so often. They see their world by smelling and feeling so moving things essentially blinds them. It's like blindfolding a human and then moving all their furniture. It would stress and upset them so you should avoid it. Every few months or so you can move around a hut or two, but you should really avoid changing too much in general.

2. The detolf is an okay cage. It wouldn't be my first recommendation for a Syrian to be honest, but I'm just the minority that feels this way. The reason I don't like it that much is due to the fact that it really can't hold very deep bedding and it's floorspace is not quite as big as it could be for a Syrian, but again, it's better than most cages

3. Is there any way you could get the "Trixie wheel"? This wheel is good and large, but isn't too pricey if budget is the issue
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00...5tL&ref=plSrch

4. Hamsters, with large enough cages and stimulation, are much less likely to bar chew. However, it's really going to depend upon the individual

5. Spot cleaning any urine every few days is perfectly fine. However, you shouldn't clean the food in her cache. This is like a refrigerator for them, and taking it away can really upset them. With her being as antsy as she is, I wouldn't recommend leaving her alone. It sounds like she could use the exercise.

6. I wouldn't keep her cage near a radiator as it could get drafty. However, if you're 100% sure there will be no temp changes due to it, then she should be okay

Overall, I'd give her time to see settle before worrying. Upgrading and adding tons of bedding can really work wonders. It has with my bar chewers

That wheel you linked to is actually the one I seen in store though it said 31 instead of 28 on it so maybe it's a bit bigger. It is a bit pricier for the bigger i found but i don't mind stretching for a bigger wheel since i know small wheels can hurt their back and that wheels over 29 are recommended for syrians.

Thanks I'll leave her alone for a bit I think I've hovered over her cage too much especially when she bar-bites so part of me feels like she associates that behaviour with being able to get my attention.

I've tonnes of bedding in the cage. Right now its carefresh and i was worried she wasnt digging but last night she started digging loads then she took a tonne of bedding and dragged it to her house xD even though her house was already full of bedding. I'll definitely be investing in more hiding/house areas for her to enjoy.

Guess I'll try the barney and see how it goes and if that fails I'll make the samla bin cage or get someone in the US to ship me a big enough storage bin.

The temparatures in ireland are a bit crazy, summer time is a strange time, it rains for a whole day then is blasting heat for a week then feels like the arctic the next week I try my best to keep temperatures level by opening windows on hot days and keeping them all closed on cold days.

I highly considered letting someone else adopt her but I'm willing to put time and effort in for a few months and hope that eventually I'll find the perfect set up for her.