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Post by chocolove2 on Jan 17, 2014 5:25:22 GMT -8
I'm confused about what paper and cardboard is OK for gerbils. We've been giving them toilet rolls and the cardboard drink holder you get when you get a few coffees from take-out places. But I've heard people warn against coloured toilet paper but then say that cereal boxes (which are coloured) is fine. Or newsprint is OK but not shredded household papers. And I saw a warning against toilet paper made from recycled materials, but most of our cereal boxes are at least partly made from recycled materials. So I'm confused as to what is OK, what is not, what the general guidelines are, etc. Help please! Thanks!
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 17, 2014 9:20:52 GMT -8
Personally for me, I used any type pf cardboard box. Empty tissue boxes, cereal or poptart boxes etc. The type of boxes I don't use are any type of cardboard boxes that have been in a freezer or refrigerator because I am worried about chemicals that may have seeped into the cardboard while in the freezer or refrigerator.
With most boxes there are going to be sections where there has been "glue" on them to hold the box together, I just cut it off or cut around it so it is safer for my baby.
I have never seen colored toilet paper before o.O I don't give my gerbil newprint mainly because some newspapers use a cheaper type of ink and it can easily rub off when you are even reading the newspaper so I personally avoid it all together.
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 17, 2014 12:11:49 GMT -8
I have never seen colored toilet paper before o.O I give loo rolls, and other cardboard rolls, the flaps of nice clean Unprinted cardboard boxes . I now freeze them to counter against mites etc. I don't give egg boxes ( there are threads on here discussing these). I never gave food boxes eg cereal until I read on here that it was ok, except for it it had contained frozen food , so I gave but...... Now I have a new rule. I don't give anything coloured to them purely because it is harder to see blood, either from a fight, porphyrins from eyes , or perhaps from chewing of a lump. So red /pink cardboard is definitely out. Also, red cardboard bits gives you a fright as you think something is wrong when you see the bits. Doctor Digby: surely as you live in the States they must sell coloured loo roll there? ? I've seen all that super mega choice that you have in your stores. Way more than the UK offers. In the UK we have all colours, specially to match your bathroom colour scheme! We have embossed, and triple layers,and even embossed puppies! I stick to white for any potential ink problems and my new non colour rule.
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 17, 2014 12:15:04 GMT -8
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 17, 2014 12:23:14 GMT -8
Well I am sure that we do sell them I just have never seen them ahahaha. The only loo paper I use is white I have seen colored nose tissues before that were like a light green, blue, purple, peach and pinkish color but never colored toilet rolls LOL I don't use any of them because I have a fear they will stain your skin when you use them and then you will have a multicolored nose hahah
I think I am safer when it comes to the "blood and fighting" aspects because I have a lone gerbil and I notice any blood on Digby right away because it is usually when she scratches her eye by accident or when she chews a nail off and she is bleeding where the nail was and in those instances I immediately know because Digby will squeak every time because that is the only time she tends to make noise.
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 17, 2014 12:24:49 GMT -8
lmfao that is just brand packaging all the toilet paper is white. some have lotion or are "stronger" than others or are "softer" but the color is always white.
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 17, 2014 12:46:47 GMT -8
Just given the boys some treats etc and suddenly dawned on me that you may have been referring to the actual cardboard toilet roll! In which case, no , never coloured. So hurried to post but see you have clarified. How odd. I am sure you will notice now if on sale.
Funny what you say about coloured nose tissues. These were freely available here donkeys years ago but now are impossible to find. Someone mentioned this to me as when they were a kid, they used to make things out of the coloured tissues and wanted to do so for their own kids but couldn't find any. So I looked .... And no, none.
Yes, one gerbil is easier to inspect or notice when things are wrong. Sometimes when gerbs are asleep you don't want to interrupt them but you may see clues in the nest paper if something has happened .
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 17, 2014 12:56:39 GMT -8
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 17, 2014 13:00:47 GMT -8
Link not work and can't edit it.
If you are really intrigued, google "the star your granny's coloured toilet paper is cool again"
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 17, 2014 15:08:53 GMT -8
omfg. why WHY DOES THE WORLD EVEN NEED THIS.
BUT BACK TO THE MATTER AT HAND, What are your thoughts on colored bedding then? Me, I don't trust it. I mean I know "they wouldn't make it if it wasn't safe for small animals" but yeah I am still wary of it.
The same thing with scented bedding. I would think that would cause respiratory problems.
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Post by chocolove2 on Jan 18, 2014 4:36:32 GMT -8
Hah, you guys are cracking me up about the coloured loo paper!! I'm in Canada - have to say I don't really notice it much in the grocery stores, but I always buy the same brand so go straight for that anyhow. But I know I've seen it before so I know it does exist! So one vote for coloured cardboard boxes being OK and one vote against, because of the colour making it hard to see injuries issue. I think I'll try it and see if the colours cause problems in that way for us or not. I'm still wondering about recycled material though. Any thoughts? Thanks!
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 18, 2014 5:52:12 GMT -8
recycled material is fine. everything now a days is going to be recycled even the loo rolls you give them. so yeah you are good on that front.
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Post by streetwisegerbil on Jan 18, 2014 13:10:33 GMT -8
I've never noticed coloured bedding ( not being one to frequent large pet stores, me) so I googled it and jeepers, I had the same reaction as you did to the suggestion of coloured loo roll ! Ie I Never knew it existed ! It seems to be one particular manufacturer which dominates this coloured bedding market. No.. No . No . No. For the same reasons given previously. And no, I wouldn't buy any scented bedding. Who knows what reaction it may cause biologically to the furries or olfactory wise. Their sense of smell is I think, the overriding means of how they interpret their world, make sense of friend or foe, food or not and scented bedding surely must interfere in some way. Also, it would mask to us any unusual or bad pongs. If you can suddenly smell something bad, you would investigate and do something about it quickly.
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Doctor Digby
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Post by Doctor Digby on Jan 18, 2014 17:34:56 GMT -8
Yeah I thought the exact same thing when I saw scented beddings for the first time.
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Post by chocolove2 on Jan 19, 2014 3:27:30 GMT -8
Thanks! Good point about the toilet rolls also being made of recycled materials - hadn't thought of that! I'm sure there's good health reasons to not go with coloured bedding, but also, I really don't like how it looks! And the natural stuff is cheaper!
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