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Old 05-29-2016, 04:00 AM   #1
Sabby
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Default Syrian Bar biting

I have just got a Syrian on monday and hes is bar biting he is in a Alaska cage he has stuff to chew on but still bites on the bars can anyone recomend a cage that is not to expensive i was looking at a zoozone 2 but got told he will chew out of it if hes bar chewing please help
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Old 05-29-2016, 04:14 AM   #2
freyashamsters
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

I think Vectis Hamstery made a post on managing bar chewers:

Managing Bar Chewers

I moved Willow from a Creciti 15 (slightly smaller than the Alaska) to a Maxi Duna and she hasn't made any attempts to chew out yet so maybe it's just the size your ham isn't quite satisfied with lol!

Alternatively, if you have the space, you could get a Detolf - it's an IKEA cabinet turned on its side and makes a very long and spacious cage. A Syrian would need two wood & mesh lids to prevent escapes though:

DETOLF Glass-door cabinet, white - 43x163 cm - IKEA

Or, you might be able to get another barred cage. A Barney or Alexander (Alexander especially!) would provide quite a bit more space and took for enrichment than an Alaska. The bars are also narrower, further reducing the chance of bar chewing:

Barney Pet Cage | Great deals at zooplus!

Great deals on small pet cages at zooplus: Alexander Small Pet Cage

Finally, you could get a second-hand fish tank. A bit harder to find in the UK than the US though. If you search '4ft fish tank' into EBay then it comes up with quite a few.
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Old 05-29-2016, 05:18 AM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

Hi. Monday isn't that long. A larger cage or tank style might solve it, but before that just check there isn't something he's trying to tell you that is a problem for him in the cage.

This could be

Wheel not working (or not big enough and causing discomfort).
Water bottle not working or letting enough water out
Water bottle not reachable
Not enough substrate (3 to 4 " minimum but ideally 5 to 6" in a cage like the Alaska)
Nowhere dark to sleep or big enough to build a nest in (they need a suitable house)
Not enough nesting material (sheets of torn up white toilet paper is best - a big pile in the cage somewhere for your hammy to take).

Those are the main things I can think of that might stress a hammy enough to want to get out!

The other thing is - for the first 2 or 3 days they are best left alone to settle in, and no cleaning for the first two weeks. They need time to adjust to the environment and scent mark so they can find their way around.

So if you've made a few changes in the cage since getting him, or have been cleaning everything out regularly that will cause stress.

Bar chewing is generally a stress thing but sometimes it can become a habit. Ours isn't a bar chewer but he started doing it after a period of change (we left him somewhere for 10 days when we were on holiday) and it took a couple of weeks before he stopped.

Let us know what you think - if there could be a cause above.
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Old 05-29-2016, 05:30 AM   #4
M3gan
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

Hi! Serendipity covered nearly everything. My Syrian ham started bar chewing after I moved his cage from a desk to the ground. Little things like that can cause it. Unfortunately it became a habit and he was moved into a bigger DIY cage, and can I say the difference is phenomenal! He is more active, friendly and seeks attention. Good luck with your little ham x
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Old 05-29-2016, 06:37 AM   #5
Ceretrea
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

In my experience, bar chewing isn't boredom or stress necessarily. You might find your hamster hangs off the room of his zoozone and bar chews. The nicest thing to save his nose would be a cage with narrow bar spacing or a tank. The Barneys are great cages for that although its such a shame they only do them as 100cm cages now.

You could convert a large storage tub and use 6mm mesh but I've had determined chewers actually rip the mesh off! Thankfully only twice but even so!

The Vectis article is really useful so have a good read of that before changing his cage
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:06 AM   #6
Sabby
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Hi. Monday isn't that long. A larger cage or tank style might solve it, but before that just check there isn't something he's trying to tell you that is a problem for him in the cage.

This could be

Wheel not working (or not big enough and causing discomfort).
Water bottle not working or letting enough water out
Water bottle not reachable
Not enough substrate (3 to 4 " minimum but ideally 5 to 6" in a cage like the Alaska)
Nowhere dark to sleep or big enough to build a nest in (they need a suitable house)
Not enough nesting material (sheets of torn up white toilet paper is best - a big pile in the cage somewhere for your hammy to take).

Those are the main things I can think of that might stress a hammy enough to want to get out!

The other thing is - for the first 2 or 3 days they are best left alone to settle in, and no cleaning for the first two weeks. They need time to adjust to the environment and scent mark so they can find their way around.

So if you've made a few changes in the cage since getting him, or have been cleaning everything out regularly that will cause stress.

Bar chewing is generally a stress thing but sometimes it can become a habit. Ours isn't a bar chewer but he started doing it after a period of change (we left him somewhere for 10 days when we were on holiday) and it took a couple of weeks before he stopped.

Let us know what you think - if there could be a cause above.
Hes wheel is working and is big enough as its 28cm he can access his water bottle and it works fine i will put more substarte in and bedding and his house should be big enough as its a guines pig house
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:16 AM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

Has he been doing it ever since you got him or just started? You could put some cardboard toilet rolls in and half an egg box maybe and see if he chews those instead. You can also make little treat parcels out of toilet rolls - that might distract him a bit. This video shows how (along with other toilet roll tubes).

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...s+for+hamsters

Is the place you have the cage ok? ie not right next to window where it could get hot or draughty. No dogs nearby? Sorry I'm asking so many questions lol!
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:35 AM   #8
littlemissmandy3
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

My first girlie, Minnie, just seemed to adopt it as a habit, nothing we did worked short of moving her into a Zoozone 2, and even then we would find her hanging upside down and chewing! Using the tips that Vectis suggested minimised the amount she did it, but I think for some hammies it eventually just becomes part of them which you either have to (sadly) accept, or move them into a tank where it stops becoming a possibility x
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:44 AM   #9
flowerfairy
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

My female syrian Kashi always bar chews for a few minutes at a time each night. She is in the barney cage. She also loves to rip cardboard so i give her some to gnaw on every day!

It is just one of the things she likes to do and doesnt seem to have worn any fur away so i don't worry.

Hopefully your boy will settle down once he adjusts to his new home.
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Old 05-29-2016, 08:53 AM   #10
Sabby
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Default Re: Syrian Bar biting

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Has he been doing it ever since you got him or just started? You could put some cardboard toilet rolls in and half an egg box maybe and see if he chews those instead. You can also make little treat parcels out of toilet rolls - that might distract him a bit. This video shows how (along with other toilet roll tubes).

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...s+for+hamsters

Is the place you have the cage ok? ie not right next to window where it could get hot or draughty. No dogs nearby? Sorry I'm asking so many questions lol!
He didn't do it the first couple of days don't have any dogs or cats and he only does it for about 10-20 mins spends most of his time in the wheel he did stop last night when I opened the cage and let him sniff me after that he went back to his wheel and didn't do it again
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