Why does my gerbil chew on the bar of her cages? I give her plenty of cardboard, and the cage is clean. She has cardboard in there now, but she just climbs onto the bars, and chews on them, and quite frankly, it drives me crazy. The sound just grates my nerves. Generally, if I say her name loudly, she will stop, and hop down, but not always. Why is she doing this???
2007-09-13 16:47:59 · 12 answers · asked by Whinnie 2 in Pets ➔ Rodents
Cardboard is not a hard enough material to keep their teeth at the level they need to be.
There are several of things you can do. Go to the pet store and get those specialty chewing sticks in the small animal aisle. They also have 'houses' and 'toys' made of wood- which is perfectly safe for gerbils.
Or personally, I use dog bones. I have ben using dog bones for my small animals for the past 11 years! And they are 100% safe. I use the regular Medium Sized Milkbones. Just the plain regular flavor. I read this once in a book about mice, and it such an inexpensive treat for them. A big box for about $3.50. Can't beat that. And I just put a new one in every time I clean the cage. It's tough and hard and perfect for them to gnaw on and leave the bars alone.
Or, you can change the cage. Get one without bars. A glass cage or an all plastic one.
Good luck with your gerbil!
2007-09-14 00:52:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you just bought her likely she is getting used to her new home.
My guinea pig spent the first 2 months or so biting constantly wanting to escape. Or your pet may just want to be close to you. It's their way of getting your attention.
I suggest buying some better chew toys and taking your gerbil out atleast once a day to let her run around a bit and play. Just set her on your bed or get a large box for her to run around it. She needs to adjust to being with you and getting used to her home.
Try buying a few treats also. Works like a charm to stop them from biting, they're too excited about a tasty treat to even think about biting the bars. Give it to her at night so she can go to bed with a full tummy.
2007-09-13 17:06:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gerbils have to chew constantly to wear their teeth down or they will have problems. Their teeth grow continuously like our hair does. The cardboard may not be "satisfying" to her. Go somewhere like Pet Supplies Plus or PetCo and see what they have for rodent chew toys, buy a variety, and see what she prefers. Change them up from time to time to prevent boredom. Fresh carrots and celery (in moderation) may help satisfy the urge too.
2007-09-13 16:56:32 · answer #3 · answered by lizzy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She chews on the bars because they are hard to chew and they grind her teeth down. Get some harder chew toys other than cardboard. If she continues to annoy you try switching her into a tank with a lid on top. But beware I had to put a rock on top of my tank because my hamster escaped luckily I found her. My hamster chews on her wooden house. Also try giving her treats with outer shells she would have to chew off. Ex. Pumpkin seeds , sunflower seeds.(get them unsalted the salt might upset her tummy)
2007-09-13 19:13:35 · answer #4 · answered by Transformed 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gerbils have to grind their teeth down or they will grow non-stop. It's just like rats- if they don't chew on something hard, their teeth with grow into their skull cavity and eventually kill them.
If you don't like it chewing on the bars- go to the pet store and see what they sell that it can chew on.
Also, cardboard isn't hard enough so that doesn't work very well to grind their teeth.
2007-09-13 17:01:20 · answer #5 · answered by Madison 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i had a pair of gerbils that chewed through absolutley everything they managed to chew threw the bottom of there plastic cage, so just a warning dont get them a plastic tank, unless it was just my 2 lol! but they like to chew stuff, i doubt they would get through the bars but they might chew them a bit. x
2016-04-04 19:56:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have kept many a gerb! they dont really like being kept in cages, they love to burrow I would recommend getting a large old fish tank,half fill it with wood shavings,add lots of loo roll tubes or kitchen roll tubes,they get very bored ,so the more toys and chews you can give to them the better:)
2007-09-14 02:56:25 · answer #7 · answered by Boo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rodents do this, because they're cutting down heir teeth this way, u should either get a new cage or put something on the walls of the cage to prevent her teeth from going into a crooked state.
2007-09-14 00:31:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I honestly dont have alot of experience in gerbils but when i did have a gerbil, she calmed down on the freaked out chewing when i got her toys. not just one toy and i would change them for something different every other day.she Loved ping pong balls! and got very relaxed when we got the big habitat thingy.
2007-09-13 17:01:45 · answer #9 · answered by idlik2b 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get hwer som0e real chew toys liek a nutriphase shew bar for hamsters/gerbils i had the same problem but now my hammies love their chewies!
2007-09-13 18:08:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋