Managing Bar Chewers

[Hamster_Brat]

My hamster Dahmer won't chew anything but the bars! I have given her cardboard tubes, egg boxes, logs, sticks and treats which promote chewing, and at any one time she has at least two wooden toys in her cage. She will play with these but refuses to chew anything other than the bars (or my sleeve). What can i do!!!

[flowerfairy]

The only thing that stopped my last hamster, Harvest from chewing was to put her into a huuge cage. She was fine then. It was a wooden (oh the irony) five foot double story rabbit hutch. No problems at all. She loved to run around and I would regularly change stuff around for her to keep things entertaining.

I left her bed the same and put her food and water bowls in the same place but swapped toys around and gave her two wheels for variety.

[Rsclio197]

I connected 3 cages together with tubes and she immediately stopped! They just get stressed and bored being in such a small location for period of time.

[xFluffyHamsterx]

What does anyone suggest I put on the bars to stop my hamster chewing? I've tried chew sticks, toys etc and nothing seems to work so I think if I put (something) on there he'll hopefully stop. I don't have lemon juice atm so anything else?

Thank u

[CMB]

Try different materials to chew. Like cardboard, willow, grass mats/tunnels, loafer. Whimzee dog chews are often enjoyed by hamsters.

Wood is often boring to hamsters but you can soak the wood chews in fruit juice. I would use a low sugar juice.

Nuts in the shell may be a distraction from bar chewing. You may have to make a hole in the shell to start with.

[cypher]

Cardboard often works well, they may chew that instead of the bars but at least it's harmless & cheap & easy to replace.

[flowerfairy]

Cardboard works well for my little chompster, Kashi. She also loves to have food hidden in egg boxes etc for a bit of extra challenge.

[blpriestley]

I've just got a new hamster and he's my first one in a long time. I'm just double checking. While annoying bar chewing is not bad for the hamster right? Also if he's a big bar chewer and suddenly stops and doesn't appear to be chewing anything else is this a sign of teeth problems? This hasn't occurred I just want to be prepared. My previous hamsters were in glass cages so I haven't really come across bar chewing before.

[dreamtree1234]

Thanks for this post. It is extremely informative and will be a great help as well. Thanks for all of the brilliant ideas.

[Stealers Wheel]

Good post. Ours started chewing and it was getting to be a problem. We found that we rearranged the cage, put more bits and bobs in, and a second wheel. She hasn't chewed since lol