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Post by alirat22 on Jul 2, 2013 12:39:15 GMT -8
Hey guys, I just wanted to hear your guys views on something, I went to the cinema at the weekend and got a box of pick-a-mix, I've now got the empty box and my question is woulda be able to give this too Lottie to chew and hide in??
I already give her kitchen rolls, when I can, I tend to stay away from toilet rolls, I don't see any problem in given her them, I just don't feel right giving her something that been in the bathroom where people have touched when going to the toilet, I doubt it has any affect, but the thought of any germs on it.
I've read up on a website that you can give them "cardboard boxes, Kleenex boxes, empty toilet paper rolls, Kitchen paper, cork, untreated wood, untreated wicker baskets, PVC pipes, ladders, a running wheel (make sure it has a solid surface!)." But then I'm sure I read or heard somewhere to not give them too many cardboard stuff in case they ingest it; and specially stuff like newspapers and printed boxes etc.
(Just to clarify I'd never give my gerbil newspaper or line her cage with it.)
The box I'm thinking of giving her to play with is a small cinema pick-a-mix/popcorn box, completely blue with Apollo Cinemas written on each side. I think she could have lots of fun with it, but if it's going to effect her health and wellbeing I will get rid off it.
Other than that, what other things do you guys give to your gerbils to entertain them and allow to chew? Lottie's got a few wooden toys I brought specially from the pet shop and I tend to give her kitchen roll tubes. But I want to give her some different things to hide in as well as chew...
Thanks in advance.
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rhianna
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Post by rhianna on Jul 2, 2013 13:51:21 GMT -8
Usually boxes that contained food have no harmful chemicals. As long as the dye isn't directly soaked into the cardboard, I see no problem with it. I've always given my pets food boxes and they love them, they've never been harmed by them. Gerbils usually don't try to ingest the cardboard anyways (not that you should just assume they won't). Even if they do, I doubt it will harm them.
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Post by dinkalink on Jul 2, 2013 15:57:03 GMT -8
I pretty much give my gerbils every single box that I empty to play with as long as they didn't contain something like chemicals. ( i wouldn't give them a box that had cleaners in it, or like an empty dryer sheet box or anything like that). They LOVE these types of things emptied because of the holes in them: They run through the holes and have lots of fun. My gerbils haven't gotten sick from it at all yet, it should be safe since they usually don't consume but maybe just a TINY bit of the cardboard.
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Post by brightstar on Jul 3, 2013 13:21:51 GMT -8
I give my gerbils all sort of empty boxes too, I even ask people to save them for me hahaha! I never seen my gerbils eat them, just rip them into little pieces, they love it!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2013 4:19:19 GMT -8
I heard a warning some time back not to give them egg boxes as they can transmit salmonella. Not sure where I read that, but it does sound like someone making a tenuous connection. Yes eggs can contain salmonella, which is killed by cooking, but I can't see shops selling a product where the package has a chance of transmitting a disease to you when you touch it.
Anyone else heard this?
-Dave
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jul 9, 2013 4:42:38 GMT -8
I read it in a book by Donna Anastasia. She just says ' don't use cardboard that has been in the refrigerator or freezer ( which may contain food particles which can rot) especially egg cartons, which may cause salmonella.'
I personally had stopped giving egg cartons prior to reading this as I saw some white things crawling on them. ( if you hold them up to the light) . Not sure if they are linked to feathers... Who knows.
Judgement call?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2013 4:50:20 GMT -8
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Post by alirat22 on Jul 10, 2013 13:03:27 GMT -8
Yeah, I knew you cold put the cardboard things into the microwave to kill any germs,I've heard this before in my work placement, (I work with children and heard that before they use toilet roll tubes for junk modelling you should put them in the microwave to kill any germs) this being why I daren't give them to Lottie to play with and will just use kitchen roll tubes. I decided to give her the cinema pick-a-mix box and she loved it, storing food in it, chewing, hiding in it etc etc. she's had it for almost a week and still hasn't completely chewed it to shreds that she has a backlog of kitchen role tube waiting for her to destroy. I've also collected and saved a box which contain cat food pouches, which I'm guessing will be ok for her. If I find any interesting boxes, tubes I'm saving them up for her to use and destroy.
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Post by twinkietwixoreo on Jul 11, 2013 12:58:48 GMT -8
Mine always get pasta boxes, toiled paper rolls, kitchen towel rolls, pop tart packaging, capri sun cardboard boxes, cereal boxes. I have given them egg cartons before, but never had any issues.
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jul 24, 2013 9:50:13 GMT -8
Popped into Poundworld today to see if there was anything I could "convert" for the boys.
Saw 48 biodegradeable peat pots for £1. I bought them, thinking they were cardboard ( they look like tough egg boxes) . Ok. I realise now they are made from peat fibre but the boys seem to like to chew them and they won't be in the bedding for that long.
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