alleyj
Member
Ever tried WARE Willow Branch balls? Gerbil crack!
Posts: 73
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Post by alleyj on May 15, 2015 19:45:37 GMT -8
I cut up a t shirt to make it more airy for summer and I have some leftover small scraps of fabric. Would this be okay to give to my girls to nest with, or is it not safe for them incase they try to eat it or something?
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Post by betty on May 16, 2015 5:05:34 GMT -8
If the threads are fine - then I find that the threads in the material can get caught - especially if a few have started to come away but are still attached to the main part. I have seen gerbils getting their legs and arms (temporarily) caught in these and they are difficult to chew in half if too thin.
If the threads are larger and/or more natural fibres then they should be fine as they will be chewed apart more easily.
I personally wouldn't use a tee-shirt for bedding - but others might think it is ok if they haven't had any problems yet themselves.
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keldamouse
Member
rest in peace my dear lovely Leela youre in our hearts
Posts: 374
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Post by keldamouse on May 18, 2015 9:33:18 GMT -8
I wouldn't risk anything with fibers. I guess if it was down to almost dust it would be okay but then it would be too, well dusty. I just worry about the threads getting stuck in their teeth, around their feet and in their throat. Maybe you could make a mini-crazy quilt with the scraps for them to snuggle on when they are sitting on your shoulder or out romping around while you are watching and/or in their playpen area? They might like the feel of the different fabric textures but I don't think any fabric is safe when they aren't being supervised.
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Post by qtoffer on May 19, 2015 4:50:28 GMT -8
I wouldn't put fabrics of any kind in the gerbil cage - the concern is strangulation of limbs and toes caused by loose threads. However, scraps of 100% cotton would be a fun toy for out-of-tank supervised playtime. Gerbils will chew up and shred fabric - like cardboard, they don't eat it, but could conceivably consume small particles by accident. That's why I wouldn't recommend giving then synthetic fabrics like nylon or polyester to play with. Synthetic fabrics are essentially finely spun plastic. Stick with 100% cotton during supervised playtime only.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Eowyn (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper Goldberry (F) 11/12/2011 - 20 gallon with 20 gallon topper -------------------------------------------------------------- RIP Maire 11/6/2008 - 4/6/2011; Eithne 11/6/2008 - 10/10/2011 Lori 5/2/2011 - 7/24/2013; Mo 5/2/2011 - 1/14/2014; Carly 5/2/2011 - 5/21/2014 Arwen 11/12/2011 - 2/8/2015
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