Gabber roof bar chewing!!!

[Yaffle]

Mojito has been in her new Gabber all of 24 hours and she has already found the roof bars, I'm pretty distraught as she's getting nose rub and she's demolishing the cage

Do you think I should take the shelf out? Does anyone have any ideas?

[Basia]

Welcome to my world
I've taken the shelves out but they still manage to get to the roof, even Buttercup at 8 weeks of age....

[Louby]

Cupcake is the same. She's not got any marks though. Its a REALLY annoying noise too isn't it

I bought some of the long runged wooden ladders and strapped them to the parts that she was chewing (all above the shelf) but they are not very wide, so she has managed to lean and still chew. I'm going to pick up some of the bigger ones (the ones that bend into bridges) and attach them too, if not, she is going to have to go without the shelf, which is a shame as she loves it under there. Guess i'll have to buy some more hidey hole things for her instead if it comes to that.

[Spuds Mum]

We've taken shelves out for some, used log bridges to cover the areas above the shelves, and also used tubes along the area above the shelf to give them something else to chew - all with varying amounts of success I'm afraid

[Yaffle]

It's just so annoying!

Mo didn't start bar chewing until about 2 weeks ago, she was in a wire cage up until that point and showed no interest. All of a sudden she started getting nose rub and now she just won't stop chewing! I've just cut up a cereal box and thead some cardboard through the bits she's chewing as a temporary measure, she seems intent on ruining her pretty little face though

[Spuds Mum]

hmm I have moved Topaz out of her Gabber as she was plastic chewing (especially the round hole at the top of the Gabber) and as I write now, she is nibbling at the bars of her cage, but not in the obsessive way she was with the Gabber. Im keeping a close eye on her nose!

I really like using the Chubes and fixing them to the top of the cage to give them a roof run. It is a temporary thing as eventually they can manage to chew through them, but all of mine seem to enjoy hiding in the tubes and stripping the stripy cardboard off!

[Yaffle]

maybe it runs in the family then

what are the holes in the top of the gabber for anyway?!

[Spuds Mum]

There is apparently a water bottle that fits through it but its not available here!

I think it does tend to run in families - in my limited experience - Princess and daughter are definitely the worse of my bunch!

I just had another thought talking of Princess, she loves cuttle fish chewing and we also have in the past fixed cuttle fish to the roof of the cage above the shelf - by punching two holes at eaither end of the cuttlefish and then using cable ties to fix it to the bars. They still chew but I tend to think they at least get some calcium and their teeth worn down more evenly!

The thing is I find, that you tend to fix one chewing problem and they move to another - like water bottle chewing or plastic chewing. just one of the 'charms' of having rodents I guess

[Yaffle]

Yes Minx is true to her name and is a manic bar chewer, nevermind, that's why we love them

[Matty Day]

theres no need to take the shelf out i would try this first
http://www.hamstercentral.com/forum/vie ... php?t=2669