Cage Chewer

[ArmyWife]

I'm looking for some advice on my one chin is chews his FN 182 every night. No matter how many toys, lava rocks, wood blocks, etc I put in, he continues to chew on his cage. How can I prevent this from happening? I'm really concerned that this could harm his teeth.

 

[andreya]

When I had a FN my chins always chewed the bars. I am probably going to get disbarred for saying this but I hated that cage. lol

 

[ArmyWife]

any suggestions???

 

[Shooper]

Is it a certain area or just random places that he chews? If is it a certain area, I would put a house, bed, shelf or something there that would keep him from getting to it. Sometimes I think they do things just to make us crazy!!
:hair:

 

[Kialana]

Mine chews on his bars for attention. I put a hanging toy in his usual chewing place. It dissuaded him for a bit (he was very annoyed with me) then he decided it would be more fun to pull it all the way back then make it crash into the bars which makes an even louder noise.

If I ignore him, even if I'm in the same room, he gives up after awhile then ends up sulking in his tube. I think he has it in his head that if he makes enough noise, I'll let him out of the cage. He has yet to learn that it doesn't work that way nor will he ever get out by chewing on the bars.

 

[Carleigh]

Before I had my FN, I had one of those collapsible cages. In that cage, he decided to try chewing the bars for attention. Without realizing the consequences for my actions, I would give him the attention he craved. After I learned to sleep through the chewing of the bars, he learned to SHAKE THE ENTIRE CAGE! It was so loud I wanted to die. He had food, water, hay, toys, everything he needs, and it was always between 2-3 am, and I had school at 6! When he moved up in the world into his FN, it became silent compared to the noise he used to make. I didn't even realize that he was chewing them until I felt the bars. SIGH! Anyway, back on topic, he is doing it for attention. My chinchillas have no problems with their teeth, so I wouldn't be concerned with it. I've tried specifically ignoring him when he does chew the bars to try to un-learn that chewing does not equal attention, but the opposite.

 

[ArmyWife]

He usually does it all night long but luckily my sleep meds kick in! I'm surprised it's for attention since he tends to always hide in his tube and never come out to greet us. I guess we'll just have to ignore it!

 

[ArmyWife]

So my fiance picked him up today and noticed there's a chunk of fur missing on his face from chewing on the bars. He has the "rat" face so he can fit more of his face through the bars and it rubs his fur off. ARGH DARN CHIN!!!

 

[ArmyWife]

Is it normal to lose fur around the face from chewing on the cage so much? I'm concerned that it could be something with his health.

 

[mim0saBones]

Maybe if you put something bad-tasting on the bars? I don't know if this would work for chinchillas, but some moms put vinegar on children's toys to get the kids to stop sucking on them. I know vinegar is non-toxic for chinchillas, as some people use it as a cage cleaner.