Help with bar chewing

poohbearhamsty · 01-10-2008, 11:29 AM

My hamsters are als chewing their cage bars one more frequently most nights i dont know whether its because i put them into a box with tubes and carbord in and she gets exited or what idont know what to do i dont want to stop them playing before i go to bed but maybe thats best someone please help...........

Matty Day · 01-10-2008, 04:12 PM

add more chew toys add if the chewing dosent stop move him or her to a tank type cage with no bars may i recommend a gaber rex

poohbearhamsty · 01-12-2008, 12:45 PM

Thanks Matty day im now purchasing some wooden play toys off the internet where they can chew and play at the same time hopefully this will decrease the bar chewing at night.....

newtohamsters · 02-01-2008, 06:12 PM

hi, sorry to semi hijack,

Mine have wooden toys, but ignore them, is there anything that works to combat bar chewing?

Tabitha has dodgey teeth and I am sure Willow has damaged her mouth, like made the sides of it sore.

I just took Willow downstairs whilst I was getting the rats dinner ready, she had a little run around, filled up on corn flakes and then the second she was back in the cage empty pouches and back to her spot all four legs practically off the ground with the seriousness with which she tackles removing every scrap of paint on the corner.

I am hoping a bigger wheel will help, but please is there anything else?

NTH

newtohamsters · 02-01-2008, 06:28 PM

http://www.geocities.com/calhamassoc/QandAChew.html

I found this article - it is 1.20 in the morning and i am just worried about Tab's teeth and Willow's mouth.

I tried the blowing on the face thing, felt incrediably mean. Gave her yet another honey stick thing.

are those ideas in the article any good?

NTH

Holly · 02-02-2008, 01:42 AM

Hmmm... a bigger wheel may well help to tke their minds off it - especially if their current wheel is too small so they are avoiding it.

Unfortunately I've had no option but to move several of mine into tank-style cages with the roof bars modified slightly:

http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/vie ... php?t=2716

newtohamsters · 02-02-2008, 06:06 AM

Yeah I have one of those cages, Tabitha who has the dodgey teeth(getting them cut on Mon/tues eeeeek) went in one when I first got her - she had a bald spot on her noise that showed she chewed the bars.

In that cage she chewed the bottle and ran out of water and got soaked. Also she did "jazz hands" all around the cage and squeaked. the squeaking stopped but the jazz hands didn't and I really got the impressions she didn't like it.

I think I will get the bigger wheel and try her in that cage again.

Willow will have an extension since the bar chewing is something she has started to do recently and I read some one it could be learnt?

ooo I just had an idea, I could build Tabs a bin cage and put a wire cage extension on the top. so long as the drops between stages aren't too big would that be ok? They can both use ladders... only I have been told that they need flat space as a cage, not tall.

thanks

NTH