# Chewers! Help!!



## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

I have a couple girls who just LOVE to chew anything and everything I put in the cage. Lining the cage with fleece is nearly impossible because they tear it to shreds the second I put it in. I've tried velcroing it and tying it but they still manage to chew it up. I have plenty of chews and toys in there for them...which they chew as well, but it still doesnt curb their chewing. They just don't stop!

The fleece is easily replaceable, but my main issue is the fact that they chew their hammocks and tubes...anything made of fleece just gets shredded! I even bought this really nice BIG corner sleeper hut made of fleece that covered nearly half of the floor of their cage...I spen't like $25 on it and it was just a pile of shreds the next morning.

I assume it has something to do with the fact that they don't get much exercise. I put a wheel in their cage when I first got them. I tried my best to make them use it, but they want nothing to do with it! I've tried some interactive toys to keep their minds busy, but they still prefer to CHEW!

Anyone have any advice? Or know of any durable hammocks? Maybe ones made of something other than fleece?


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## Urithrand (Feb 12, 2008)

How old are they? Have they always done this, or is it a recent thing? Have you checked their mouths thoroughly? If they're chewing excessively it might be a sign that their teeth are getting a bit long, and if they're aiming for the softer, fleecy materials instead of the rougher chew stuff you've given them it could indicate soreness in the mouth.

Alternatively it might be that you've just got a pair of chew-crazy girls


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## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

They are 8 and 10 months, and yeah it started when I first got them but has gotten worse over time. It's almost like they do it on purpose just to laugh at me while I clean up their mess haha. I had one of them at the vet the other day and he said her teeth looked good, so hopefully thats true for both of them. 

I almost feel like they chew their fleece up to make it more comfortable? I only use fleece for bedding because one of my girls is really sensitive to dust and it seems to be the only thing that works for her. I really don't know what to do anymore. I want to put so many comfortable things in their cage but I feel like it's a waste cuz their just gonna destroy it. I kept some of the shredded hammocks and stuff in there because they still use them and like them, but it's just such an eye sore :/.


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## Urithrand (Feb 12, 2008)

It might be that your girls are natural nesters and are chewing up their fleece because they want to make their own beds? Maybe you could try to give them bits of soft paper to tear up instead and see if this solves the problem


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## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

Yeah I have tried cutting up a bunch of little strips of fleece and putting it on the floor for them to use as nesting, but they decided they wanted to use it as litter instead and brought every little piece into their litter box LOL! They are hysterical. Thanks for the input though, I'm gonna try using shredded paper or try buying some of that recycled paper bedding


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

I have five rats and one is a chewer like you described. My chewer is 18 months old and I recently decided to stop providing hammocks because the next day they're on the bottom of the cage. Instead, I have a plastic fish tank toy (belongs to my son) that is wider at the base with a narrower opening that I put fleece inside of. Now my chewer sleeps there.

In addition to my rat chewing up fleece in her cage, she has also destroyed dozens of my t-shirts that I wear around the house. She chews the heck out of the neck opening and chews holes in the sides and front. It's frustrating especially when I wear a nice new pajama top that gets destroyed in a matter of ten minutes. I should know better to change my clothing when handling _her_.

My rat has wooden chew toys and is provided with paper towel tubes but she only nibbles on them here and there since she gets more satisfaction out of chewing her hammocks. You'd think a rat would learn if they chew their beds that they will end up on the cage bottom. It is funny to watch her try to climb back in her ripped beds - duhhhhh!


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## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

HAHAHA oh man one of my girls does the same thing to my shirts. She's the more dominant of the two, and I always assumed she was the big chewer. She'll stand at the cage door, lean onto my chest and try to drag my shirt into the cage. I have little bite holes all over the necklines! She is quite violent about it too. She grabs and grabs very fast and forcefully. I'm amazed by how strong she is!

Oh and she does it with my hair too. She'd drag my whole head into the cage if I didnt stop her!


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## JapaneseDolly (Nov 14, 2013)

Chewing everything is such a girl rat behavior lol my boys are far too lazy to destroy anything lol


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## smopey (Feb 3, 2012)

I stopped buying hammocks real quick once I learned how fast they can destroy one. Now I just make my own. It's super easy and you can get a bunch of hammocks out of a yard or blanket of fleece. And then it's not so bad when they destroy it. My girls like to chew the straps the most so I just use big safety pins to attach the hammock to their cage. They eventually chew around the safety pin and take down half of their hammock.. but then I just stick the safety pin through a non-chewed spot and hang it back up! I can usually get a couple weeks out of a hammock that way. 

When I make my hammocks, I hide all the seams and make sure there aren't any loose threads sticking out. I think that entices them to rip it up!


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

I noticed that my girls will shred anything in their cage if they don't get enough free time out. Maybe try giving them an extra hour or more outside the cage. They probably just have too much energy and don't know what to do with it so they take it out on the fleece. My girls get a minimum of 3 hours a night, even if I can't spend it with them. And if I cut that short by even half an hour, I'll wake up to their cage in shambles.


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## tigerstripesk8 (Jan 24, 2014)

My boys chew up the cardboard boxes I put in there for them, but show no interest in the plastic igloo etc. Watson chews on the bars occasionally to get my attention, though, if I've put him up to get homework done. Less so now that he's got Coal and Onyx to hang out with. Have you tried doing treat traps to help keep them entertained?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Some just chew to chew. It's not really oh they must be bored (cage bars) or oh their teeth must be too long (misconception rats don't overgrow teeth unless there's an underlying issue). 

I have eleven rats they've taken to destroying everything haha. They get five hours out a day two with me three without live in a DCN and get a huge bedroom to themselves for free range (outfitted to be interesting for them!). Due to chewing, several electronics are now without cords and are nothing but a lamp is left in the room. The lamp will even be taken out soon because they have chewed the plug (always unplugged when rats out) and it now shocks you when you plug it in. 

I now only use cardboard boxes from mail or soda as hide houses; they've a whicker one from a while ago as well as a wood one that are soon to be scraped. Their hammocks are going to be replaced soon due to excessive "remodifying" and I will probably buy space pods to get rid of hammocks eventually. I use puppy pads and weight them throughout, as well as double layer. Inside their houses, I stuff fleece and puppy pad scraps as well as in their hammocks. as neatly as possible because they only seem to care if they are neat not in a similar state to what they make!

The only possible connection I've found to more destruction from them now than before would be temperature due to season. 


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## evander (Jun 30, 2013)

My girls have destroyed many hammocks & cubes - now they sleep in pods I get from amazon and in the colder months I line them with fleece. 

My boys are not chewers so far.


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## MimiSkye (Feb 3, 2014)

Thanks! Yeah that seems to make some sense I feel like the more time I spend with them outside the more they just sleep when they're in the cage.


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## Mball77 (Jul 3, 2013)

I give my boys shelled nuts (walnuts, almond, hazel) and chicken bones to keep their teeth in check. This is normally when I'm offering a peace meal if i have to put them back in the cage early. I also give them brown packing paper to shred and rearrange as they wish along with paper towels. I noticed they like to arrange the cage the way they want it so I let them have it. We got rid of our hammocks a long time ago, it started getting dangerous when Loki would chew the straps while Nimbus was sleeping in it. My boyfriend rigged a plastic basket that we put a shoe box in a hang it up top into place with wire. They cuddle together in it, have to replace the shoe box about once a month.


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## agirl65 (Oct 7, 2013)

My girls do the same things! They literally chew EVERYTHING I put in there. I give them lots of activities in the cage and free time out so I know they aren't bored. They're trying to become escape artists and chew the plastic part around the edge of the top of the cage. Time for a new cage soon!!


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## sharon1971 (Feb 17, 2014)

One of my new girls is a chewer,i put a new hanging bed in 2 days ago and she has ripped all the insides out and the new fleece i put on a shelf has been chewed off over night...Im now looking at hanging some plastic tubs or suitable containers for them to sleep in


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