# Biting cage bars and keeping me awake/waking me up!



## Clove (Apr 25, 2013)

Hi guys, so Amber (five months old) has taken to gnawing the cage bars really loudly, mainly at night and while i'm sleeping therefore waking me up, or when i'm trying to sleep. Her and her sister have a huge cage with lots of toys so I don't understand. I'm currently unemployed so I get them out over an hour each day (usually two or more) and I give them treats, cardboard boxes, etc to try and stimulate her! Her sister doesn't do this and I love her but it drives me insane when I'm trying to sleep. I know it's when she wants out because she does it and looks directly at me and sometimes does it during the day when I put her back in after she's been out. I really don't know what to do, I feel terrible because she's bored but she has a companion, a big cage and toys and I get her out before bed . I'm also partially being selfish because i'm ill at the moment and it's really affecting my sleeping. They've been in this new cage which is much bigger for maybe a month and a half now and she does it MUCH more in this cage, but it is bigger! Any suggestions would be appreciated x


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## Clove (Apr 25, 2013)

The cage ^ I also have a wheel for them but I'm forced to take this out at around 11pm as my brother can't sleep with them on it and he has exams at the moment.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I have one rat who is in fact a very skilled cage bar biter. By skilled I mean that she doesn't start biting the bars until I'm nearly asleep, to which I used to turn the lights on too and she'd give me these innocent eyes that said, "I want treats now." She's a bit of a treat monster. >.<


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

It's not that she's bored, it's that she's learned that chewing the bars gets your attention. Rats who are out 12 hours a day will still want to beg to be with you because they're rats and that's how they are. Your best option is to just totally ignore her when she does it--don't even look at her. Teach her that that behavior will not be rewarded by getting her what she wants, and she'll learn to stop doing it.


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## LeeLoo (Dec 10, 2012)

I wear ear plugs.... because I'd be a walking zombie all day, with the squeaky wheel mine has!


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## Clove (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks for the replies 
Phantom; Aha how sweet (says me ) mine aren't too food focused although they do come up to try and get into my plate/ bowl when I'm eating in my room to steal food! But they really prefer to be out ! I know that face, butter wouldn't melt ! How old is she?
Rumy; I did ignore her for weeks but that didn't seem to help ._.. I've only just started to tell her no when she does it and it stops her for a second but then kind of looks a t me innocently and then carries on e_e. You're right though, she wants attention all the time and I think it's when Violet is asleep and she's up and ready to play! She's the first rat I've had to do this so it just bemused me a bit, feel like a bad rat mom haha. I've just given them a digging box with some treats, a big piece of wood to chew on and some tissues/newspaper so hopefully that will keep her occupied until I'm deep asleep 
Leeloo; Your post made me laugh  haha what a good idea! Unfortunately I have to confiscate their wheel because it's noisy at night, but that annoys me less than the cage biting because it stays at a constant noise, whereas Amber seems to start off okay then get so loud I'm like How are you doing that, surely that isn't healthy! It's a wonder the bars are still intact! Then again they aren't really chewers (well, inside the cage on the things they SHOULD chew) so maybe she's releasing all her chewing needs on the bars? x


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

Funnily enough I'm in exactly the same situation as you haha, my 4 month old girl Ellie does literally the same thing as your rat does. Her cage mate doesn't do it either, and Ellie stares at me and she stops if I sit up in my bed to look at her. I tried ignoring her but this doesn't work. I do try getting her out as soon as she starts, tap her nose and say "NO!" and this tends to work sometimes, but other times it doesn't. Is she a very lovable rat; as in does she always come up to you when she's out and does she sit there waiting for skritches and strokes? If so she's probably doing the same thing as Ellie. It's like she has so much attention to give to me and always wants to spend time with me, but obviously it gets annoying when I have human related things to do haha!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Girl rats have too much energy... When Fuzzy Rat was a youngster I'd take her to the soccer field at bedtime and let her run the chain link fence rail around the field a few times until she got tired. And that would be after a quarter mile walk in the park that evening.

I don't keep my rats in my bedroom and they don't chew the bars at night because I'm not nearby to hear them. Really, can you blame them for wanting to get our and roam or play? It's about midnight and my girls are out in the hallway roaming about right now.


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## Moonferret (Apr 13, 2013)

I have a high energy male who does this, the only way to stop him is to wear him out before bed so I let him chas e a cat teaser until hes tired... which can last up to two hours.


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

Two hours chasing a cat teaser?! Mannnnnnn that's a long time! I've been meaning to get one of those though, next time I find one cheap I'll get it, I'm sure 3/4 of my girls would love to play with one.


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## Moonferret (Apr 13, 2013)

He LOVES it. the others dont really care for it much, they might chase it for a minuet but thats all. Its odd but he enjoys it and it burns energy (mine too though!). definitely give it ago. theyre easy to make too, just tie some feather to thread. Add a stick. Add rat. Enjoy


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## PaigeRose (Apr 12, 2013)

Have you tried maybe spraying some bitter apple or bitter cherry on her favorite chew spots? Not sure if its okay for rats but it gives a bad taste so they wont chew. Works on dogs, cats, and even people lol.


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

PaigeRose said:


> Have you tried maybe spraying some bitter apple or bitter cherry on her favorite chew spots? Not sure if its okay for rats but it gives a bad taste so they wont chew. Works on dogs, cats, and even people lol.


I haven't heard Bitter Apple mentioned in years. I didn't realize they still made it. 

Bitter Apple is safe for rats and it tastes HORRIBLE!!  It's one of the better products for preventing chewing. Some people even used it after their animals had surgery, to keep them from chewing the incision area and it works very well. My sister used it on her rat after a neuter and he never bothered his stitches. This was way before neutering rats was more common. They really did a butcher jobs back in those days. 

So, if you can find it. Give Bitter Apple a try. I checked and they have it at Petco and Petsmart.


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

I may try some bitter apple to curb Ellie's bar biting. Thanks for the heads up Kaliloca!


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

ratclaws said:


> I may try some bitter apple to curb Ellie's bar biting. Thanks for the heads up Kaliloca!


Thanks,

I never would have remembered it if PaigeRose hadn't brought it up. It really is a good product.


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## PaigeRose (Apr 12, 2013)

Yeah its sold in most pet stores  

Hah my parents got me to stop sucking my thumb as a kid this way. And we sell bitter cherry at work, my boss bet me to try it.... I dont recommend that xD


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

PaigeRose said:


> Yeah its sold in most pet stores
> 
> Hah my parents got me to stop sucking my thumb as a kid this way. And we sell bitter cherry at work, my boss bet me to try it.... I dont recommend that xD


WOW!!

Your parents were serious about stopping the thumb sucking. 

I've tasted it..... You never want to taste it. It's "REALLY" horrible.


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