Always at the cage door?

[Grumbles]

When nighttime arrives and my chin goes to the door of her cage and will bite it and shake it, which as you can imagine can get very annoying at night as you can hear it everywheeeeeere.

She will also go to the corner below the door and dig at it and gnaw, as if she's trying to get out.

She is still a baby, three months, and was recently purchased (last weekend).

I try to take her out from playtime in the bathroom for at least 30 minutes each night but she still does this constantly.

She doesn't have a wheel yet (budget problems) but will as soon as possible.

Anybody have any idea why she's doing this or if there's anything I can do to help her?

Thanks! :dance3:

 

[emily.j.roth]

My baby chin did that too for about a month when I first got her. Sometimes it just seems like they're bored, or they really want out to play. Does she have wood to chew on to keep her occupied? If you want to try and discourage her from doing it, some people on here suggest blowing on the chins face lightly (they don't like that) and she'll at least stop the behavior for the time being, and hopefully you can eventually condition her to stop doing it. With my chin it was just a matter of waiting until he felt more comfortable with her surroundings, and now she only does it when she's really restless.

 

[Grumbles]

She has a wonderful little toy up on another level with lava bites, apple sticks, pine cubes, and a little bell.

But I think once she gets a wheel that'll help, as for now I'll just stick to bearing with it. :S

Thanks!

 

[IslandDreamer322]

We have a boy who will do this when the other chins are out at playtime and he is stuck watching. Our chins do not all get along so they each have individual playtimes!! He does it to get my attention!

 

[jmdebb]

My Noel always WANTS OUT of her cage. No matter how long she is out for playtime, she even has a wheel and other things, but alway sits by the door as if to say 'i don't want to live in this cage'. i feel so bad for her when i look at her. But unfornately we can't let these animals run around our houses for hours like other animals. I wish i could chin proof a whole bedroom for them to live in :hmm: so they wouldn't have to be caged at all..

 

[BellaBella]

Some chins are just crazy bar chewers. My Kiwi has been doing this since I got her as a baby. I tried the blowing in her face - she didn't like it, but she kept on chewing at the bars. I tried giving her a new stick- she'll take it and fling it down and keep chewing on the bars. I tried giving her scratchies through the bars - she bit me! (the only time she EVER bites) In Kiwi's case, the only thing I can do is ignore her, and she will eventually stop.

She has worn down the powdercoating on the bars of her FN to bare metal in her usual chew spot.

 

[Sasha]

Scoot used to do that when I first got him. It's been years now but he hasn't done it in a very long time. The only time my chins will do the cage biting/trying to get their heads through the cage bars is when they know I have a treat. I'm sure in time your chin will stop that behavior. In the meantime just make sure there's a lot of toys and other things to occupy the chin. Playtimes too if you've had the chin for over a week.

 

[littleprinterty]

mine just started doing this recently and he has all his toys, different levels to jumb on, a tube, and wheel and he still does this but once he figured out that i was ignoring him he will finally quit

 

[Newt]

yeah hard as it is to do, when they're chewing and shaking the cage bars you just have to ignore them.
Going up to them and giving them attention/a treat/more playout is like rewarding them for the bar-chewing, and just reinforces that behaviour.

They will stop eventually, though you might need ear-plugs to sleep for a while!!