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Old 02-22-2019, 02:45 AM   #1
Charliestar
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Question Chewed through plastic cage!

Morning,

I’ve just gotten up and found that Peaches my hamster has chewed a hold through the corner of her zoo zone cage! I’ve onlt had her in it a week so can’t afford to switch her into a new cage as would only want to upgrade to a tank. I’m trying to find a solution that will essentially block the corner from her access so che can’t make an escape.

Before anyone blames me she has plenty of chews, toys and accessories to keep her entertained so I don’t know why she’s doing this. Any suggestions on how to further secure the cage or Male that corner in accessible so she can’t chew anymore?

Thank you,
Charlie
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Old 02-22-2019, 03:04 AM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

No-one is going to blame you Some hamsters are very chewy hamsters and I have heard of them chewing through Zoozone bases before. Is it the Zoozone 1 or 2? It does sound like she isn't happy with the cage though and yes any upgrade would need to be glass probably. There are ways of repairing it - there's a thread on here, by Vectis I think. I'll have a look or maybe someone else will link it!
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Old 02-22-2019, 03:08 AM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Here it is. Do you have a photo of the hole? It may be possible just to block it off rather than do a full repair. Meanwhile have a look on ebay for second hand fish tanks in your area - you can often get an old one very cheap - but they may need a lot of cleaning up.

Mending a chewed cage

Alternatively - a detolf would be a fairly cheap glass option if you have the space for it.
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Old 02-22-2019, 03:14 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Just checked and it's the Zoozone 2 which is a good size But you've only had her a week. She will still be a bit stressed after just a week. It's usually recommended to leave them alone completely for 2 or 3 days and not to clean out or change anything in the cage for the first two weeks. To allow them to settle and adjust. Even if you've done all those things, she could still be a bit stressed and active. Hamsters do tend to try and escape before they're tame and when nervous.

She may still settle in the Zoozone if you can block the hole, but she may need more height than the cage can give, for more enrichment. Do you have a photo of the set up? Does she have somewhere dark to hide in there, plenty of substrate, and a shelf or platform? They can feel a bit exposed otherwise. Even so it sounds like she is a chewer!
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Old 02-22-2019, 04:42 PM   #5
Charliestar
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Thank you so much for the support! I’m going to look for fixing solutions first since cages are expensive options. I currently attached a small mesh sheet around the corner and will see how that goes over night. I’ve also ordered some plastic repair patches as recommend in the thread linked.

Her catch set up is as follows as the picture isn’t too clear:
> log cabin house which she’s nesting in
> the carrier she came in as another hide
> wheel
> tunnels
> bridge
> several smaller chew toys

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Old 02-23-2019, 02:30 AM   #6
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

It looks very nice. She may be feeling a bit exposed in the middle of the cage. Maybe you could attach a grass hammock to the underside of the bars? It will lift up when you open the lid. And it'll make it feel safer underneath the hammock in the middle of the cage. Another toy I find good for giving overhead cover (and a large tunnel) is the cork logs. Rodipet make one that is just the right size. The reptile ones are very long. But it'snot cheap ordering from there due to the cost of the postage - unless you order other things from there usually. The postage is the same whether it's one item or a big box of items. The grass hammock may be the cheaperoption but both would be good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Ham...=grass+hammock

https://www.rodipet.co.uk/accessorie...-diameter.html

If you had both she could climb up the side of the cork log to get into the hammock. If you only get one I'd get the hammock - and try and hang it low enough that she can climb in - it'll add interest and enrichment and she may chew that instead.

It sounds like she is feeling a bit nervous and trying to escape. Adding new things goes down ok and doesn't stress them, but moving things around, cage cleans and taking things away can stress them out. So avoid doing any cleaning until she's settled in well.

Can I ask what the fluffy stuff is on top of the substrate? Hard to tell. If it's fluffy bedding it needs to come out as that is dangerous.
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Old 02-23-2019, 02:53 AM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

I think the other thing is, the substrate needs to be deeper - you'll need to keep it lower at the wheel end, but the rest of the cage you could have it at least 4 inches deep - it does a couple of things - makes them feel more secure and she can dig in it and burrow in it and bury things in it. Also she's less likely to find the base of the cage easily.

If you have a bendy stick bridge I would put it over her house entrance, to make a tunnel entrance - that makes the house darker inside and it'll also make a ramp up to the house roof. If you had the grass hammock in the middle she could probably easily climb into it from the house roof

They are lovely and light those cages, but the hamster may feel a bit in the spotlight and not very secure with a lot of open space in the middle and above. With deeper substrte they oftne push it around and built mountains and get things how they want.

I used to have substrate "sloping" up away from the wheel so it was deeper in the rest of the cage.

Also a big pile of nesting material somewhere in the cage helps - they need to build a really large nest to keep warm and constantly keep adding to it, especially this time of year.

Torn up strips of plain white toilet paper are best and safe if pouched or chewed. A big pile of that - maybe at the front of the cage - will also fill things up a bit and she can forage for it and take it to her nest. Don't put it in the house, they like to sort thatout themselves. When the pile goes down, add some more. If she has any fluffy bedding at all it needs taking out asap.

Having said that, normally it is best to leave their nest alone (unless it's fluffy bedding!). And just spot clean the pee area in the cage. The more substrate you have in, the less often it needs cleaning out. Clean outs really stress them so it's best to only do partial cleans and not too often. With the deeper substrate, the bottom half on most of the cage stays clean and dry. It takes quite a lot of substrate at first, but works out cheaper in the long run. Because you can go weeks without needing to change the substrate. And when you do, replace the clean half and mix it in with the new, so it still smells familiar.

By partial cleans it means - mainly just spot clean. Then do the substrate change one week, but don't clean anything else. Do the wheel a different week, and any toys a different week again. So something always smells familiar.

One thing that will make a hamster want to escape is - too much disturbance, cleaning, and anyone invading the house and stealing their nest and hoard! The nest and hoard can be left for ages, as long as they're not pee'd on. If they are pee'd on (they tend to grow out of doing that) then you have to replace it, try and leave a bit of old dry hoard and always put new food back in exactly the same place, and replace the hoard. They get very anxious about their hoard and nest. Likewise if you have to remove a pee'd on nest, try and keep a bit of old dry nest to leave behind so it still smells familiar. They will rebuild it from the pile of toilet paper strips.

The key is to let her settle in and feel secure and in control of her habitat, without too much disturbance. No cleaning at all for the first two weeks. Just spot clean the pee once a week (ie take a handful of wet substrate out and replace it with a handful of new and mix it in). You may need to start from scratch with the two week settling in period if you've done a cage clean.

Using a litter tray is brilliant. You put it where they have chosen theirpee spot (often a corner of the cage) and they use it. Have linked a corner potty I find good. You put Chinchilla bathing sand in it. Then just empty it every 5 days or so and the rest of the cage stays clean.

With a litter tray and deeper substrate, I go 2 months or more without doing a substrate change. And then the hamster gradually adjusts to it and gets used to it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hamster-cor...=hamster+potty

Chinchilla bathing sand (must be sand, not dust)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Pet...a+bathing+sand

Some people use childrens play sand from Argos - must be sterilised sand.

Pringles tubes also make good floor tunnels - wiped out that is. Toilet rolls - better to slit them down the side so they expand.

If you wanted a new floor toy I really like this trio of balls - although I only use one of them - the hyacinth one. I find the wicker one a bit sharp and pointy. The sisal one I keep to unravel and use as sisal string for attaching things (eg a hammock!).

The hyacinth one is nice and soft - and you can stick pumpkin seeds under the folds - they spend ages trying to get the pumpkin seeds out. Sunflower seeds would do too. Might distract her a bit more.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rosewood-Bo...=trio+of+balls

Basically - fill the cage up a bit more with toys and substrate and a bit of overhead cover.
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Old 02-23-2019, 05:06 AM   #8
alpacassei
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Serendipity gave good advice! I never thought of unraveling the sisal balls for the string, i have so many because theyre the only ones my hamsters dont like!

Hopefully she’ll settle down soon but dont worry about anyone blaming you, female Syrians are notorious chewers!
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Old 02-23-2019, 02:36 PM   #9
Charliestar
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Wow thanks so much for all the tips! I will for sure try a hammock with her! I picked up another hide for her today that offers her some more dark space! I thought the substrate needed to be a little deeper so I'll add that when I do the first cage clean.

Thought I'd share a picture of how I've secured the cage for time being until the plastic patches arrive!


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Old 02-23-2019, 03:22 PM   #10
Charlie82
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Default Re: Chewed through plastic cage!

Sorry to be a pain but can someone tell me how to start a new thread on this website please? Thank you
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