# Eating Hammocks



## spanky (Nov 7, 2007)

Self explanitory from the subject line,
Any way to make them stop?
Will this hurt them?
They like them so I'd hate to take them away.


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## Katie_Renee (Nov 12, 2007)

MINE ARE DOING IT TOO!


They are tearing the little fuzzes out of the hammoc.....


but they love it so much!


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Mine arent real big chewers and Ive had the same hammock for almost a year. The little bits that are missing/eaten(?) have never bothered them. Sometimes I will use old floor mat towels (or hand towels) instead of buying hammocks (cheaper). They are just the right size and I clip them up with zipties. I just keep my eyes on any loose strings. 
-----OT I cant remember who wrote about the correct spelling of Lose and Loose but I just found myself sitting here trying to remember if I was writing it correctly.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

They probably aren't eating them... more tearing them into teeny little pieces.  That, I don't know how to stop.


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## ratrover (Nov 17, 2007)

well that happens to me but when that happens i make a new one maybe out of a stronger material


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

my girls dont like hammocks at all, but they chew the crap out of their fleece blankies. instead of hammocks, i use wicker planter baskets and hang them from the top of the cages. i put one in the smaller cage that houses cirrus, nimbus & spazz the other day, lined it with blankies and put the girls in. they thought it was a new chew toy...


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## ratrover (Nov 17, 2007)

for a chew toy go to a store and buy a toy that is on sale last year i bought a snow man and they chewed it to death


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## yonksgirl (Apr 23, 2007)

Mine make their toys the way they want them! LOL! They a chewers unless I change their cage up at least everyother day, then they are too preocc.with exploring their "new" cage. Try that and see if it helps....it almost seems like a boardom thing at least with my ratties.


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## reachthestars (Feb 27, 2007)

My rats have been know to completely destroy a pocket hammock within a week of it going in their cage. Nothing is worse than pulling a BRAND NEW hammock out of a cage a week later to fine the bottom lining totally gone and a few new air holes as well.

There's no way to prevent it from happening, it's an edible product unfortunately. What I do is sew ALOT so I always have new stuff to replace the old, chewed things. But I also am very picky about what goes in my cage, and won't use a hammock until it can no longer hold them.

Another thing I do is donate all my chewed hammocks to my local rat rescue (after a good wash). They're not pretty, but they can help make a difficult rat's life just a little better.


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## Pomperella (Jun 4, 2007)

mine get to a point where they are unrecognisable. i use some hanging material igloos and the girls rip them to pieces take all the stuffing out and use it as extra bedding. i try to put as much bedding as possible but it doesn't help. they have ruined really expensive items so i have to now make my own. donating to the rat shelter is a good idea though if i ever have some left in half decent condition!


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## ratrover (Nov 17, 2007)

my rats dont chew on the chew toys i buy them they chose on my furniture and stuff during free range any suggestions for chews?


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## spanky (Nov 7, 2007)

Well, atleast I'm not the only one.
I guess I'll just have to replace them once in a while.


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## JoshDeMott2010 (Aug 25, 2007)

Find a liquid thats harmless but nasty tasting if u r successfull at this u might be able to spray things in free roam area that they tend to chew!

In the cage u shouldnt spray anything nasty because its there space!

If they decide to ruin something in there cage its there house and there doin! i let mine demolish there items and then after its cast to the side and forgotten about i add a new one! my male ratties arent chewers after they figure out how much they like an item! if they are curious or dont have anything better to do they will chew an item that isnt of use to them and then throw it to the side or use is as bedding! =) 

Id suggest being happy with there decisions and let them destroy the item then dont resupply them with the item till the chewed item sits useless for awhile the rats might regret there doings after they notice the hammocks are gone! when they arent happy with there doings throw in a new hammock!!!!  hope my blabbering helped =)


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Ummm...rats don't learn that way at all, so all that blabbering was pointless. 

Rats naturally chew. You cannot stop them, and there's no point taking things away from them. Let them chew something to ribbons, just like we have a comfy pair of jeans, they "rat-ify" their beds, their liners, their cage, etc. LOL

They don't think of chewing, they just do it. I have a whole Horde of plastic chewers, liner-chewer's, etc. Your best bet is to figure out how to make things more cheaply so you can replace them when the sight offends your sensibilities. :lol:


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## JoshDeMott2010 (Aug 25, 2007)

yea u r probably right.... im just trying to think of simple ideas but urs is a good oen too..


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