Stop The Madness!!!

[sn0wball]

My hamsters INCESSANTLY chew on their cages. I'm going mad. :eek: I've tried everything from giving them chew toys, Dog biscuits, even blowing their faces when they did it. I take them out of the cage so much it's inconvenient and let them run around in their balls till they're completely pooped. My old hamster just recently started even though he's almost 2 years old! Also he always falls asleep immediately when i put him in the cage after exercise, do you think he's sick? at least he stops chewing unlike the younger guy... what should I do???

[JessicaReed]

The Risk
Bar chewing can cause brain damage, cracked teeth, missing teeth, and maloclusion. Cracked and missing teeth are very painful and maloclusion (crooked teeth) usually results in death if serious enough because it keeps them from eating properly. Brain damage keeps them from doing regular things. This can also lead to a coma.

Prevention
You can buy bitter apple and bitter orange spray at your local pet store. It tastes nasty, so usually they stop chewing at the bars. If you don't want to buy that $4.95 bottle, then you can just spritz white vinegar over the bars. This is totally safe because white vinegar is one of the main ingredients in the bitter sprays. Sometimes the chewing is such a bad habit, they can't stop, even with the spritzing. The last option is to get a barless cage. A tank is the bes option. Hopefully you won't mind to spend a lil' more on your baby, and hopefully you will.

Conclusion
Your baby is in danger of pain and death, so you should get a barless cage if the spritz doesn't help. You can get a barless cage at your local Wal*Mart or pet store. But if you are thinking, "This girl must be nuts if she expects me to go out and buy a brand new cage for my hamster," I'm not nuts. You shouldn't have pets if you are not prepared to make changes in your lifestyle. Now, if you need a budget plan or anything, just ask me. Hope I helped. :) -Jessica

[sn0wball]

Hey thanks a lot for that. I don't wanna put vinegar cuz it smells terrible and I think Toby wouldn't be too happy about it. I think I'll just go with a barless cage, but aquariums are too heavy and I went to the pet shop and all the plastic cages there are TINY!!! The biggest one I can find is this revolutions thing that looks pretty ridiculous and impractical. Why don't they just make big plastic cages? Can you reccomend a cage? I want to buy the lixit one but nowhere sells em. thanks for the advice

[LilSnooPydOG]

By a big plastic bin and drill holes in it. Cheapest cage and very roomy for your ham. :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p9af244edee3e1acf1b9cdb43c5519abf/f938209f.jpg

But I've never heard of them getting brain damage from chewing on the bars...all my hamsters have done it and never had any problems.

[JessicaReed]

LOL, I was just about to suggest a bin but you beat me to it! Damn! LOL!

Well, you really should visit http://www.hamsterific.com because it is a lot of advice and stuff in it. Make sure you visit the forum, too! I am Level27Girl on it, a mod, and am not on too much since I have been busy. Hope this helps! -Jessica :)

[JessicaReed]

CAGE BAR CHEWING
http://www.hamsterific.com/CageBarChewing.cfm

HOUSING
http://www.hamsterific.com/HomesAndHabitats.cfm

FORUM
http://www.hamsterific.com/BBS/

BTW, please excuse the 'spam'. I personally wouldn't say it was spam since it's a good, resourceful site and I don't own it. :) But hey, that's just me.

[sn0wball]

Ok so after much research, I want to buy my hammies the Lixit Hamster Habitat, (it looks like a plastic bin) The only problem is EVERY website I go to just transfers me to the Petsmart site and it says they're OUT OF STOCK. Not only that, there seems to be no scheduled reorder. Does anyone know where to get these cages? My local store doesn't carry them...

[TiaMaria]

E-Bay?! LOL

[Zouave]

Thirty gallon Sterilite bins are excellent for hamsters; it is unlikely they can ever find a way to climb out. I leave the top on half of it, over the wheel and waterbottle (that they might climb out on).

[sn0wball]

I have a large sweater box I tried to make it into a cage for Rupert. But he isn't used to it he just digs up all his bedding and thinks of it as aplay pen not a home. How do you teach them that it's their new home???

[Zouave]

Leave their food dish, wheel, and water bottle in it?

[sn0wball]

I did that, but he still treats it like a playpen. He'll explore, dig, and then bury all his food and water, and then look for me to lift him out after he's bored. I guess i'll try the bitter apple thing, although they don't seem to carry it at my local pet club...