Why is my gerbil chewing on her cage?

Why is my gerbil chewing on her cage?

Gerbils very often chew their bars in order to reduce the length of their teeth. These grow constantly throughout their lives, and gerbils living in captivity may no have enough hard food or wooden ‘chews’ for their teeth to wear down naturally. This means the teeth become overgrown.

Why does my gerbil chew everything?

Why Do Gerbils Chew on Everything? Gerbils chew on things because it helps to wear down their teeth. Rodents have different teeth compared to other animals. The term rodent even comes from Latin, meaning ‘to gnaw,’ which shows how important their teeth are.

Why is my new hamster biting the cage?

Boredom – If there aren’t enough toys to play with or chew on, a hamster may begin bar chewing due to boredom. Hamsters need mental and physical stimulation just like other pets and if they are isolated to a small, rectangular cage with nothing to do they could resort to this activity.

Is chewing plastic bad for gerbils?

Gerbils Chewing on their Food Bowls Avoid allowing your pet gerbil to chew on plastic because it cannot be digested. It is almost impossible for rodents and other animals to absorb plastic through the gut. If your pet must use a food bowl, make sure it is made of ceramic or glass.

Why does my gerbil chew on the bars of its cage?

If so, it could be suffering from an issue known as bar rub. This is a condition in which the gerbil will chew the bars of their cage so much that their skin becomes partially rubbed off and their teeth become misaligned.

Is it OK to give a gerbil a gnaw?

Purchasing a special gerbil chew or gnaw and leaving it in your pets’ cage means that they always have access to something that is safe for them to chew. It will be made of a wood that doesn’t splinter easily, and it will be much better for their cheeks and teeth than chewing on metal!

What can I do about my gerbil chewing on plastic?

This can be avoided by keeping them in a nice sized fish tank. Most gerbil owners recommend using big fish tanks as they provide them with enough space to play around and no plastic edges to chew on. Just make sure to get the appropriate sized tank for how many gerbils you have.

Can you put a gerbil in a wire cage?

However, she doesn’t recommend wire cages because “gerbils can get their teeth caught on the wires, and neurotic chewers can chew their teeth to nubs on them.” Available in all plastic and plastic-and-wire combinations, these enclosures are another prevalent option for gerbil cages.

What kind of plastic can a gerbil chew on?

Gerbils usually don’t just single out plastic and chew on only that, they chew on anything they can. That being said, it still seems like plastic is one of their top choices when it comes to chewing on things. Why is that?

What should I do if I get a new gerbil?

Consult a vet before getting another gerbil to see if it is a good idea for the health and well-being of your pet. If you decide to get another gerbil, you may need to use a split cage to introduce the new gerbil to the old one before putting them into the same cage.

However, she doesn’t recommend wire cages because “gerbils can get their teeth caught on the wires, and neurotic chewers can chew their teeth to nubs on them.” Available in all plastic and plastic-and-wire combinations, these enclosures are another prevalent option for gerbil cages.

Why does my gerbil keep biting its cage bars?

Your gerbil may bite its cage bars to wear its teeth down. This affects all gerbils, and the precise genetic reason why isn’t known, according to Nature. However, bar chewing can also be a sign of nervousness and unhappiness. If your gerbil’s cage lacks enrichment, your gerbil can become bored.

How do I get my gerbil to stop chewing?

You can gently blow into your gerbil’s face as they don’t like air being blown at them. As soon as your gerbil bites you, blow a gentle puff of air into its face. Your gerbil may flinch away slightly, so this will stop it from biting in the short term.