chew CHEW chew - Paw Talk

tarita2004 · #1 07-13-2006, 12:57 AM

yea yea, you know the role. well my lil brat won't quit chewing on this ONE bar on his cage....just ONE bar!??!?!?!

i washed it off...thinking there was something yummy on it or something

but that didn't help

he just chews it like it's a cob of corn and it's hitting my nerves tonite!!

what is w/this **** bar???? any suggestions??? should i put something on it to make him stop but is still safe for him?? JAGER IS MAKING MOMMY VERY IRRITATED

please let me know,
thanks,
annoyed mom,

**Sasami** · #2 07-13-2006, 01:39 AM

It sounds like he might just be bored. How big is the cage? What kinds of toys does he have? How much time does he get outside the cage? Does he have a wheel?

Have you considered getting him a friend? Maybe he's just a little lonely.

You could also offer more chew toys and see if that helps. They also sell bitter-tasting sprays at petstores that are supposed to stop them from chewing on the objects they're sprayed on.

tarita2004 · #3 07-13-2006, 01:46 AM

his cage is good sized. and he has 2 chew toys, wheel, timothy hay, food, peanuts, dust bath, water, toilet paper rolls *empty*. i play w/him in the AM before i go to work for an hr or so then i'm gone for 6 hrs at work then get home and and take care of him and let him go in his ball and etc.

friend is a no-go...his only friends in this whole town is his brothers adn sisters and they don't get along so much nemore ...

can i buy him any chew toys that are rat/gerbil/chinchilla/degu/rabbit safe? or only plain wood? he has a color wood one now. i'll grab some pix of his house really quick
and post them

tarita2004 · #4 07-13-2006, 02:02 AM

cage:
24 1/2 inches L
12 1/2 inches W
24 1/2 inches H

PLENTY big for him
Top

Bottom

Full view

Full view 2

tarita2004 · #5 07-13-2006, 02:22 AM

oh and one bar no more.....he is pickin out others to snack on

tarita2004 · #6 07-13-2006, 10:53 AM

oh and i'm also worried he's gonna hurt his teeth

Amethystbelle · #7 07-13-2006, 11:39 AM

Bar chewing normally is attention seeking behaviour. The more he chews the more attention he gets from you hence when you leave him he starts to chew again and the circle starts again. There is little you can do to stop this behaviour once they get into it fully. I would ignore him and don't give him any attention when he chews, don't even speak to him as this tends to just feed the problem reward good behaviour when he isn't chewing but when he is don't go up to him. If it has just started then hopefully you will be able to stop it before it becomes a more annoying problem He probably is a little lonely as degu's are very social creatures and live in large structured family groups in the wild. If you aren't there all the time with him he might benefit from a friend so when you are away he doesn't get lonely and this could also solve the bar chewing behaviour as he wouldn't be wanting your attention all the time. There is every chance with Jager being young he would accept another degu with careful planning and proper introductions but that is if you want to go down that route at some point

tarita2004 · #8 07-13-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	Bar chewing normally is attention seeking behaviour. The more he chews the more attention he gets from you hence when you leave him he starts to chew again and the circle starts again. There is little you can do to stop this behaviour once they get into it fully. I would ignore him and don't give him any attention when he chews, don't even speak to him as this tends to just feed the problem reward good behaviour when he isn't chewing but when he is don't go up to him. If it has just started then hopefully you will be able to stop it before it becomes a more annoying problem He probably is a little lonely as degu's are very social creatures and live in large structured family groups in the wild. If you aren't there all the time with him he might benefit from a friend so when you are away he doesn't get lonely and this could also solve the bar chewing behaviour as he wouldn't be wanting your attention all the time. There is every chance with Jager being young he would accept another degu with careful planning and proper introductions but that is if you want to go down that route at some point

I will ignore him when he does it from now on! *puts foot down authoritive-like*

hopefuly he will stop but if i have to seriously consider another....would his current cage
(cage size :
24 1/2 inches L
12 1/2 inches W
24 1/2 inches H)

be too small for two degus when they are full grown?? b/c in my apt i have no room for a bigger cage right now

let me know what you guys think

thanks everyone for all ur help thus far... keep it coming

**Sasami** · #9 07-13-2006, 08:24 PM

I think that cage would be fine for two degus

. If you got a second one I'd try a baby since it'd be much easier to introduce them.

Also I'd try getting more toys. Some my degus have and really like are wooden bird ladders, hanging bird toys, a small rubber ball, cardboard tubes and boxes, branches from the petstore for chewing, ice cream cone mineral chews, a nut knot nibbler (it keeps them busy trying to get the nut in the center), toys from wacky wabbit (they don't tend to have sugar and are also a good size for degus), fruit-flavored wood chews, and egg cartons.

Amethystbelle · #10 07-14-2006, 06:46 AM

The cage would be fine in size as long as you let them both out once a day for a good run around to burn of excess energy. The cage looks plenty big enough for a pair. I would advise getting a baby degu aswell as males tend to accept younger males easier then older ones. If you was to get another you would need to do your research on introductions, i have written a few posts on here about it as i've done it a few times and there are also articles on degutopia and the rest of the net about how to introduce correctly

By the way does your cage have a plastic base? As from the pictures it looks like it might and if Jager has started on the bars you maybe want to watch him with the base aswell as degu's chew through plastic like its not there if they get in the mood. I had a sandhouse like yours in my cage with four boys and it lasted about 2 weeks before they had completely shreaded it

tarita2004 · #11 07-14-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sasami


	I think that cage would be fine for two degus . If you got a second one I'd try a baby since it'd be much easier to introduce them. Also I'd try getting more toys. Some my degus have and really like are wooden bird ladders, hanging bird toys, a small rubber ball, cardboard tubes and boxes, branches from the petstore for chewing, ice cream cone mineral chews, a nut knot nibbler (it keeps them busy trying to get the nut in the center), toys from wacky wabbit (they don't tend to have sugar and are also a good size for degus), fruit-flavored wood chews, and egg cartons.

I'm going shopping later today to petsmart to get some stuff for him to do

i plan on hanging/putting some toys right by his fav. place to chew

And that's good to know what he can have, b/c i looked at some of the chew things and was afraid of the high sugar content possiblity

but now i know what ones are good

THANKS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	The cage would be fine in size as long as you let them both out once a day for a good run around to burn of excess energy. The cage looks plenty big enough for a pair. I would advise getting a baby degu aswell as males tend to accept younger males easier then older ones. If you was to get another you would need to do your research on introductions, i have written a few posts on here about it as i've done it a few times and there are also articles on degutopia and the rest of the net about how to introduce correctly

The only degus i'd be able to get would be one of his brothers to live w/him b/c my town and the surrounding towns don't have any degus and i called all the shelters this morning just to see if they had any and they don't even know what a degu is!??!?!!?

So would buying one of his brothers, if they still have more pups.. be okay???

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	By the way does your cage have a plastic base? As from the pictures it looks like it might and if Jager has started on the bars you maybe want to watch him with the base aswell as degu's chew through plastic like its not there if they get in the mood. I had a sandhouse like yours in my cage with four boys and it lasted about 2 weeks before they had completely shreaded it

yea, mine does have a plastic base but he can really get to the base b/c the bars block it on the inside

but that's not saying he won't beable to eventually get it, i know. if he does go to town on it i'll have to figure out a different cage...but for now mommy just crosses her fingers and hopes the plastic stays intact

Thank You Sasami & Amethystbelle (again)
i love the info that you guys and everyone else keeps coming to me!!

Amethystbelle · #12 07-14-2006, 06:15 PM

If done correctly they should be able to be introduced especially if they are still young. If you are serious about getting him a friend read up on introductions and how to do it correctly. Always beaware that there could be a chance they won't get on and have a plan to fall back on if that should be the case but normally given time and patience and hard work it works out successfully

evil_vegan · #13 07-14-2006, 08:49 PM

Oh, you live in Montana

. I was going to say that I know of 4 young males that need homes.

tarita2004 · #14 07-15-2006, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evil_vegan


	Oh, you live in Montana . I was going to say that I know of 4 young males that need homes.

i wish i could have all four of them!!! if i lived closer i def. would take one or more

thanks though

tarita2004 · #15 07-15-2006, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	If done correctly they should be able to be introduced especially if they are still young. If you are serious about getting him a friend read up on introductions and how to do it correctly. Always beaware that there could be a chance they won't get on and have a plan to fall back on if that should be the case but normally given time and patience and hard work it works out successfully

I'm going to try new toys first and see how it goes...if not i'll talk to the breeder later this week to see what he thinks