Discouraging unwanted behaviour?

[lisaraby]

Hello folks!

Indie and I have been getting along fairly well! She loves being out of her cage when I am home and she loves chewing on anything and everything she can find - including my phone and the remote control, which she believes belong to her. I've taken to hiding my phone when I'm at home, but I'm a supply teacher and use it to get jobs, so I can't feasibly put it away. I'm scared of her cracking the screen (even though it has a big case on it) and hurting herself.

Is there a way to discourage her phone biting behaviour? I've tried redirecting her attention, moving her, giving her something else to chew on, and nothing. As soon as I get her away from the phone, if it's within sight (or if it's charging, she'll follow the charger to it!) she will hunt it out and chew away. She's started doing this with my computer too, pulling the keys off the keyboard, especially when I'm working on it! I's really like to nip this behaviour in the bud (pardon the pun!).

Thanks for your suggestions, in advance!

Here's a picture of Indie trying to figure out the outdoors and watching snow fall - so you can get an idea of how sweet she can be when she wants to be!

 

[sunnysmom]

I think all you can do is try to redirect her. Does she have a play stand that she can play on when she's out? When they want to chew something, they can be pretty relentless about it.

 

[TikiMyn]

Try getting her attention when she is chewing on something ‘bad’, as soon as she stops, reward her BIG time with the thing she loves most, a special treat, attention, cuddles, whatever.
Also, if you offer her a toy when she is chewing something unallowed, be secretive about it and really excited. If she shows interested reward her big time again. You have to try to make it more rewarding for her to not chew on ‘bad’ stuff.
Like sunnysmom said, does she have a playstand? I have several small playstands that can be put wherever I am and those are filled with toys. Also, my boys are best distracted with a foraging opportunity. An easy example Is Some food wrapped into a coffee filter.

 

[lisaraby]

Thanks folks! She does have a play stand and tons of table toys to play with - cat toys are actually her favourite, they're little wicker balls with a bell inside that she absolutely loves to destroy. The only thing I'm trying to stay away from is distracting her with food - does she interpret that as a reward, or is it actually a distraction?

 

[TikiMyn]

You could offer food on the other side if the table, and when she leaves your stuff alone reward her vocally. I would offer her an foraging opportunity a bit away from you stuff rather then ‘free’ food, it keeps her busy for longer!