Bar Chewing?

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kitkat1

kitkat1

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So recently my pigs have been chewing their cage bars when I walk into to the room. They only do this because they are hungry and want my attention, (I am positive because they don't do it when I'm not in the room. It's not because of boredom. When I turn off the light they instantly stop) but I don't want the paint to chip off and have them accidentally ingest it! :no: They will only stop when I give them a treat, but I don't want it to become a habit for them. Is there anything I could do to make them stop?:ple:
 
Dito, though l think l am my own worse enamy , a cople of Boars have cottoned on the the fact that l carnt say no to them.
 
What size is your cage? Are the bar chewing ones on their own or in pairs+? Sometimes guinea pigs want a huge cage and are bored/angry or they want a friend to keep them company.

If your answer was no to those two questions (as I assume) then it's most likely to gain your attention (or even to grind down teeth) and they've become greedy and want their food NOW. You could possibly try giving them a new chewtoy to keep them entertained so they wont bite the bars as that's bad behaviour. Get a large chewtoy like one of those snack shacks (if they have them supplied at your petstore) as that keeps my guinea pig entertained! I also believe there's some sprays you can get at petstores that make the bars taste unappealing and they'll associate bar chewing with a terrible taste. I think lemon juice rubbed on the bars would work?

You'll want to solve this ASAP as they could seriously harm their teeth, nevermind chewing off paint.
 
Seven said:
What size is your cage? Are the bar chewing ones on their own or in pairs+? Sometimes guinea pigs want a huge cage and are bored/angry or they want a friend to keep them company.

If your answer was no to those two questions (as I assume) then it's most likely to gain your attention (or even to grind down teeth) and they've become greedy and want their food NOW. You could possibly try giving them a new chewtoy to keep them entertained so they wont bite the bars as that's bad behaviour. Get a large chewtoy like one of those snack shacks (if they have them supplied at your petstore) as that keeps my guinea pig entertained! I also believe there's some sprays you can get at petstores that make the bars taste unappealing and they'll associate bar chewing with a terrible taste. I think lemon juice rubbed on the bars would work?

You'll want to solve this ASAP as they could seriously harm their teeth, nevermind chewing off paint.
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Thank you. I do think that they are trying to get my attention. It's just my one piggy, the other one doesn't do it at all. Once I give them food, he immediately stops. :)
 
Bluey does this too, usually at feed time, and Theo wedges his nose through the bars and sort of waggles his open mouth/tongue at me - I must try to get a picture! - Lettie is a good girl and just does 'the bowl dance' which involves high speed circles (always to the left!lol!) around her bowl, karate kicking her bed/hay/bedding/pee pad etc all over the place!

We have minimised this by hanging loo roll tubes stuffed with hay, and we put some of their veggies in there too, Theo loves it, Bluey cheats and steals off T when he has done all the hard work! haha! x
 
My piggie used to do that too. Can you get some new toys, maybe preventing boredom would be helpful. Also if it continues maybe get a cage with stronger bars.
 
You can buy chew-stopper sprays that are safe for small animals :) They taste really bitter, so when the pig chews the bars that you have sprayed it helps break the habit! Don't spray it while the pigs are in the cage though c:
 
l find it helps if l have all there food _treets ready before l go into the pigroom,

and at snuggle time l get the pig l am going to snuggle out as quickly as possibale and take him_her out side the pig room
 
I wonder if you could buy a spray for pets that tastes awful but is not harmful? You could spray it on the bars to stop them from chewing it. Let me know if there is one, that would be handy! :nod:
 
Ginuea pigs che the bars because they could have toothache. Or they just want you to talk to them, playwwith thm. :) I've had piggies now since I was 17. And mine used to do it and when I'd give thm attention and play. They'd stop and just do there thing. It's nothing to worry yourself about :) ♥♥♡★☆♡♥♥
 
My girls do this. Especially at night. Grrr. For a while I thought maybe they hated the cage but then when having some floor time and they are on the outside they chew it then. They aren't too old (just over 2 months). They seem to be eating hay and veg fine so not sure they have dental probs?
 
Elbie said:
My girls do this. Especially at night. Grrr. For a while I thought maybe they hated the cage but then when having some floor time and they are on the outside they chew it then. They aren't too old (just over 2 months). They seem to be eating hay and veg fine so not sure they have dental probs?
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It will just be attention If they are eating normally.
 
gizzy said:
l,m sure some of mime do it to get atention
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It is more likely it's attention if you don't give them attention and they can see you. Then they'll assume you don't want to play. Even if it' just holding tthem for a while. :) mine are both 22 weeks old. Brothers. Mine do it and I took them the vets (to my auntie) & she said there healthy.
 
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