Syrian Bar Biting on cage

[Maz]

I’ll link the cage cleaning tips article too - it can help settle them a bit. It sounds like the bar biting only started recently and it may settle a bit which would help him before a cage upgrade.

Hamster cage cleaning

Tips on how to clean your hamster cage and avoid causing stress to your hamster. It's best to have plenty of depth of substrate and mainly spot clean your hamster cage. Avoid disturbing your hamster's nest and hoard.

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Hank]

I have a plan now, thank you so much! Hopefully I can share some happier updates in future

 

[Maz]

To encourage him to build a nest at fooor level (once the tubes are removed) just put a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper in a heap somewhere ion the cage floor but not inside any house or tunnel. They like to forage for it and will sometimes pouch it. By next morning he will have taken some and started to build a proper nest in his chosen location. If you add something like a shoebox house (child’s shoebox might be a good size for the cage) he will almost certainly build a big nest inside it within a day or two. Or he might just build a nest under a shelf.

They try to build a nest in the tubes and get frustrated that it doesn’t work. I think the tubes skew their natural instincts. Their natural instincts are to burrow down or build a large nest and bury their hoards underneath it.

 

[Maz]

I have a plan now, thank you so much! Hopefully I can share some happier updates in future

Do keep us updated! I’d be interested to see if he settles down a bit when the tubes are removed!

 

[Maz]

Also maybe have a look at the “show us your cages” thread All sorts of inspiration on there for ideas.

 

[Maz]

I suspect the cleaning may have set him off tbh. I go about 3 to 4 months before changing the substrate and even then replace about a third of it so it smells familiar (the cleanest third). With a litter tray the rest of the cage usually stays clean and dry and occasional spot cleaning in between is all that’s needed.

 

[Maz]

With a bigger cage and more substrate it needs cleaning even less - which actually saves on substrate in the long run even though you need a lot more to fill the cage initially. A lot of people get paper based substrate and buy it in bulk so it works out cheaper as well. Hansters love Kaytee clean and cosy and Fitch as it’s soft and holds burrows.

 

[Hank]

Jasper really is a lovely name!
Male Syrians do tend to settle better than females once in a larger cage & aren’t quite demanding so he may be fine in a barred cage if it’s large enough. It’s never easy to know really but tanks can have their own disadvantages too so I’d be inclined to go for a barred cage personally.

For a Syrian the small whimzees should be fine, the xx small ones are better for dwarf hams.

Have you tried him with other veggies too, they often love broccoli, green beans, peas, red peppers among other things, I give mine a bit of veg daily.

Not other veg, but he has had some fruit, but I try not to give it too often. I'll try other veg that you have suggested, thanks

 

[Maz]

Rule of thumb is a bit of fresh veg every day but build up to it - so every third day for a week then every other day for a week eg. Then every day. But just a tiny bit - about 1cm cubed size. They absolutely love it and it’s the thing they go straight for when they wake up!

With Syrians a bit of fruit occasionally is ok as well - I substitute the veg for it some days. A blueberry or bit of apply first down well here. Or even a bit of strawberry.

Mine tend to rotate between cucumber, broccoli, carrot and a blueberry these days. Depends what you have in the fridge. Cucumber and broccoli keep for ages in the fridge. I sometimes get baby corn as well.

 

[Member ID2]

I had to add an acrylic panel to the inside of the door of a dwarf's Hamster Heaven to stop her from climbing it. That would also stop bar chewing.

 

[elusive]

While you’re deciding what to do about the cage there are a few other things that may help keep him occupied & distract him from chewing.
If you don’t already try scatter feeding, rather than using a food bowl scatter food over the substrate or hide it around the cage (if you are using a bowl keep that too for a while at least) you can also hide treats around the cage.
There’s some good ideas of things you can make from cardboard for treats & hides that might help, fun on the cheap!

Cardboard creations

This is a thread to show how many things you can make for your hamster or enclosure, out of cardboard :-) Cardboard is your friend.

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Hank]

I did try to look at acrylic panels, but wasn't sure where to get them from. Is there anything specific I should look for?
I have started to scatter feed, I think he likes that more, he has a bowl, but I don't put much in it.
The cardboard creation ideas are really good!

 

[elusive]

Beryl probably knows more about acrylic panels, you can get panels to fit certain cages from this site viking laser but they are expensive, I get acrylic cut to size for other things from simply plastics which aren’t too bad price wise.

 

[Member ID2]

I know that Ikea sells acrylic panels people use for linmons, platsas etc but i don't know how thick they are. The ones i have are about 0.5cm thick. We had panels in the shed and i have a Dremel cutting tool so i cut them to size myself, drilled a hole and bolted them on with a short bolt, a washer each side and a wing nut (B&Q).

 

[Member ID2]

simply plastics is a very handy link, thank you elusive

 

[elusive]

Simply plastics are great if you’re not too much of a DIY enthusiast! I get the clear cast acrylic cut to size with holes drilled where I want them which is really handy!

 

[Maz]

It might be better to put the money towards a new cage though Although I guess the perspex could be re-used.

 

[Member ID2]

I thought of it more as a short term quick fix.

 

[Zara]

Lots of great advice above. You mention that Jasper has a large wooden house sat on the substrate, that he had previously been sleeping in. Did you remove any of his food hoard from here when cleaning? I removed just a little from my hamsters nest (he has an open bottomed shoebox) and he moved out almost the next day I’m guessing because I’d disturbed his home. I started hiding little treats in it, to entice him back and he did move back eventually, but it took around 3 weeks.

Our male Syrian lives in the Savic hamster heaven. I also had to remove the tubes as he was sleeping in them and using them as his toilet. I think ideally he could do with something bigger but once I managed to set it up with some different levels he seemed happy and I didn’t want to disturb him with a move. If I’d found the forum first I’d have brought a different cage too.

Definitely worth checking out other forum member set ups on the “show us your cages“ thread and keep doing some scatter feeding which keeps them occupied and encourages their natural forage instincts. Maybe in the mean time weave some cardboard between the bars where he tends to bite most frequently. Look forward to hearing more about Jasper as he settles in

 

[Hank]

Everyone is being so helpful, thank you so much. I'm trying to find the right stoppers for the tunnels and I like the idea of treats in the house. I did put some cardboard through the bars and that has distracted him a bit, he's got through most of it already though. He actually seemed a bit calmer, not as frantic when chewing.