[Cyrix]

We have a Double Critter Nation with the closely spaced bars. Recently when I feed Nibbles through the cage bars, he has been accidentally clamping his teeth around a bar and thinking that he's got his teeth on the treat. He'll pull as hard as he can while I'm screaming at him to stop and trying to bop him on the nose. He hasn't hurt himself yet, but I'm scared he's going to snap his teeth. I know they grow back, but I imagine that would be incredibly painful and then we'd have to feed him baby food for weeks.

Is this a realistic danger? Is it possible a rat could snap his teeth off from trying to pull on something too hard?

 

[mimsy]

I've had a few cage chewers and none have broke their teeth from it. I think the worry is pretty low. There is a better chance of them breaking due to a fall.

Not feeding through the bars can take that worry away though. Just open the door and then hand the snack over.

 

[LilCritter]

You may want to stop feeding him through the cage bars. They can mistake fingers and bars for the food... the fingers being the worse part of it all - particularly with grabby rats.

 

[Cyrix]

Well, chewing on the bars is a bit different that trying to pull them inside the cage with your teeth. Anyway, opening the cage to feed him is fine enough; I meant to retitle the thread but the page spazzed out and submitted when I tried to edit the title.

I've never had problems with them mistaking fingers for food - they are always very gentle with us. I'm more concerned about him hurting himself than hurting me.