Anne,
 
In order to get him to stop chewing, you have to catch him in the act and
scold him.
 
My big boy Kyle was awful at chewing cloth.  When we first got him, I
didn't even know he was doing it until a long green flowered ribbon of
cloth came out of his bottom.  EW!  When I checked the bedding (which was a
mixture of old pillowcases), I found a very large hole in the middle of
the green flowered one.  We were lucky that Kyle passed all of the material
and did not wind up with a blockage.
 
The "no!" and scruffing trick didn't work.  So I would wait and watch him.
When he started to chew the cloth, I quickly sprayed a little squirt of
bitter apple right at his mouth (being VERY careful not to get his eyes).
Of course, being the stubborn little bugger he is, it took 3 or 4 shots
right in the mouth with it before he decided to stop.
 
I also switched from smooth cottony style bedding (like t-shirts and pillow
cases) to old sweatshirts.  He hasn't chewed his bedding since.  Socks
unfortunately still fall victim, but I don't put those in the cage.
 
=====
Aileen & the Herd minus one Herdling
Slinky, Kyle, Noel, Sandy, & Rootie the beagle
Missing Gizmo so much. We love you, baby.
 
Check out the Herd's website at:
 http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Zoo/7414/index.html
[Posted in FML issue 3074]