HATES being in cage! Need advice!

[Kbroset]

I posted this about a week ago

-Oliver has a bald spot on his nose. I know it’s from him tying to get out of his cage. It’s the cage from Henry’s so I think the bar spacing isn’t too big. He gets out of his cage for at least 3-4 hours a day during the week and all day on the weekends. He eats Henry’s blocks and green veggies, sometimes a small piece of corn and a piece of fruit. And he gets sticks and pine cones and anything else from outside that they like to chew on. He has several stuffed animals two hammocks several sticks to run on and a few platforms. What else can I do to make him not do this? And when he’s out of his cage he has a big room with two nesting boxes two cat trees with rope and braided fleece hanging so he can swing and several other things to climb on. He can literally play and run around as much as he wants.-

I tried the no bite and it doesn’t phase him at all. I don’t know what else to do about him hating when he’s in his cage. Is this a problem other people have?? What else can I do? I feel bad every time it’s bedtime.

[Diggie's Friend]

First, if he is allowed to stash nuts around the house he is going to want access to them to retrieve them and defend the space he has stored them in, so remove them.

If you feed him other than outside his cage stop doing so. While he is eating do not pet, or play with him while he is eating as this makes him feel more secure about having control over his food.

To support a calmer mind you can lower the ratio of Ca:Mg in his diet by increasing magnesium in the form of Magnesium Citrate. Research in rats has also found that having a closer (Ca:Mg) ratio than is provided by most rodent block diets (save for Envigo HT 2016 that already has a closer ratio), increases bone density, bone compression strength, and calcium bone retention. It also better supports long term kidney health, and supports the safer elimination of the anti-nutrient known as oxalate.

https://www.amazon.com/Frontier-Magn.../dp/B000UYC3MY

To add magnesium, it is needful to do so slowly as this allows the bowel to adjust to the increase. Begin by adding 1/64 Tsp. of this source, adding it to the AM meal, either in organic plain yogurt, or baked squash. Then after 3 days increase it again by increasing the measure to double that of the first, adding 1/64 Tsp. to the AM meal, and the same for the PM meal daily. Again wait 3 more days looking to see if his stool begins to soften just a bit; if it does then reduce the magnesium by the same amount as it was increased. If not, then continue to add 1/64 Tsp. measure to his diet and check to see if the stool softens after 3 to 4 days. Repeat this still the stool softens, then immediately, even if that is mid day, reduce the total measure by 1/64 Tsp. and again wait to see if it firms up after 3 to 4 days. If his stool doesn't firm up well enough, reduce it once again by 1/64 Tsp. and again wait to see if it firms up after 3 to 4 days.

[Mel1959]

Have you tried completely covering his cage when you put him in it to see if he’ll settle down?

[Kbroset]

Have you tried completely covering his cage when you put him in it to see if he’ll settle down?

Why didn’t I think of that? I’m going to try it tonight. I guess it wouldn’t bother me so bad but I hate his little nose is like that. And the weather is about to be great here so I’m going to start putting him in his outside cage during the day. Maybe that will help.

[Kbroset]

Okay I tried covering his cage and as of right now he’s been chewing and trying to get out for a hour. I don’t know what else to do. Any suggestion would be great.

[EmilyGhetto]

You said he has nesting boxes in the room. Does he have one inside his cage? He should have a main nesting box where he sleeps (in your case inside the cage). Just a thought...

[Diggie's Friend]

Cage wire chewing can results in having a very negative impact upon his incisors as he matures; so though the following may seem a bit negative, if it stops him from chewing on the cage wire, then you are doing him a big favorite doing it.

Get a new (unused) plastic spray bottle from one of the home supply stores, and fill it with pure water; set it on sprinkle, then stand back far enough to give him just a light sprinkle (not high pressure). Don't continue to do it over and over, as you don't want to soak him.

If the sprinkle fails to move him away from the cage wire, then add 1 part ACV to 3 parts water to the bottle and again give him just a bit of a sprinkle, but this time only on his hind end, avoiding his face. If anything, it should keep him busy while he cleans himself up, and perhaps may cause him to think twice before chewing on the cage soon afterwards.