Waterbottle spout gnawing... AAAGH!

HorseyMandz · 07-08-2012, 02:08 AM

For the past week or two, Minnie's been chewing the metal bit of her water bottle for long periods of time. The waterbottle is working because she gets wet when she does it, and she's got loads of other things to chew on, but the noise is sooo annoying, especially when she starts at the top and kind of slides her teeth down until she 'pings' off the end.
Why is she doing this and how can I stop it?

Pinunpich · 07-08-2012, 03:42 AM

I think it might just be a phase, as I've noticed bite marks on JJ's water bottle that he bit a long time ago and now he's stopped.

**kyrilliondaemon** · 07-08-2012, 03:45 AM

Move the bottle higher on the cage so its harder to reach, or take it out and replace with a water bowl.

Kirsty1987 · 07-08-2012, 04:53 AM

I had this problem before i thought the water bottle was working fine to as he got wet when biting it but its didn't seem to work to well when licking it so i think this was the reason for him biting it, i changed the water bottle and since then he has not been biting it, the bottle i got was for a rabbit/guinea pig cage so had a longer spout this may help

BrinHoffman · 07-09-2012, 05:21 AM

My Charlie does this too! ALL THE TIME!
So, don't worry its not just yours

libellule · 07-11-2012, 01:07 AM

Herbie does this too when he is drinking sometimes. Hamsters are a bit weird.

Lougarry · 07-11-2012, 01:14 AM

When you get your bin cage set up you might want to consider this sort of bottle holder:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Water-...1994266&sr=1-2
Little of the spout is accessible, making it harder to chew. A metal bottle holder like this cured my Bear of her chewing habit, and she didn't then resume when I stopped using it.

Charley101 · 07-11-2012, 03:43 AM

Harry and Riley used to do this and it drove me mad. Not only was the noise annoying, they would get soak themselves too! In the end I ended up using bowls. Mylo has has a bowl since he has been with me and hasn't had any problems with it at all

Gareth2010 · 07-11-2012, 07:41 AM

Both my female syrians have done this, Lily when she was little did this all the time so we bought her a water bowl, She used this for about 6 months and we decided to try her with a bottle again, She's fine with it now and never gnaws it, She has grown out of it.

We're having this problem with our young hamster Pip who is going through the gnawing stage, So it looks like we'll have to do the same!

HorseyMandz · 07-11-2012, 08:15 AM

Fab lougarry, I might do just that!

If all else fails, I'll try a water bowl but she gets bedding everywhere so... xD