Bars Of Cage: Clapping?

[Zuidy]

Hello everyone!

Whenever Big Sis' chews on the bars of her playpen, I clap my hands loudly. She stops, but I was wondering if this was a good way to get her to stop?

She really doesn't chew them as much as she used to, so she is getting the message. But I was still wondering if this was a good way, or what other way I could get her to stop?

[CavyMama]

I think a better option would be to find out why she is chewing on the bars. Obviously you can't ask her but if you can watch the circumstances of when she chews, it might help figure it out.

Is she bored? Add some items to her cage to stimulate her brain.

Is she hungry? Does she do it only when food is on the way?

Is it her need to chew? Does she have hay and other items in the cage to help wear her teeth down?

[pinky]

Clapping will scare her but won't break her of the bad habit. When she chews on them, take her out and hold her or give her some free range time. Don't feed her or give her a snack when she bar bites or you'll reinforce the habit. She'll associate bar biting with being rewarded. Does she wheek?

[xXMaggieXx]

Bar biting is normally associated with begging for attention. If you come running and give her attention it will re-enforce the habit Im not saying dont give her attention just dont go to her and give her it if she is biting the bars.. Others correct me if im wrong?

[CavyMama]

One of my pigs, Charlie is a bar-biter. He only does it when food is coming so it's more of a, "Come on! Hurry Up!" behavior. When he is doing it, I deliver food to the other cages first. When I come back to his cage, I wait until he stops biting the bars and THEN give the food.

[Zuidy]

I won't clap anymore.

They have Hay and everything, but nothing else to chew on but Pinecones. They don't chew on much, really. I guess I could try Apple sticks, but they are pretty expensive.

She does it out of the blue sometimes, but a lot of times when I am going to feed her too.

I will add some more things to the cage for her to mess around with. I developed my own toy, where I suspend a cardboard tube from string full of hay so she can knock it around. But I took it out when they never used it.

Gotta try it again.

Thanks all!

[foggycreekcavy]

They really don't need anything to chew on except for hay.

Some pigs are just bar chewers. It's almost impossible to break them of the habit.