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nillabear3

New member
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
1
so i’ve been seeing that people are using cardboard on the bottoms of their cages and i’m just curious if that’s okay for them ? bc i know they love to nibble on everything.


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Most chins just like to shred cardboard not actually eat it, but if your's is one that eats it it's not safe. If they swallow it it can cause a gut blockage. Also make sure it's just plain cardboard (or cardboard with food coloring or soy ink at most) not the glossy stuff or anything with unknown glue.
 
Mine all eat cardboard. Excessive amounts can cause intestinal problems and even death. Glues may be questionable as well. Some may not eat as much of it but I really don't see a reason to throw in cardboard they will chew up within minutes to hours. The local hardware stores will cut boards for us and then it just takes a clamp and some nontoxic wood glue to make pretty much whatever you like.

If you are using cardboard as a cage liner it will get destroyed and it will quickly gain wet spots on the top where they will stand on it. You would need something on top of the cardboard to reduce them reaching it and provide a dry layer. It again becomes pointless over other options. Cardboard just doesn't hold up to a chinchilla for any purpose except short lived entertainment.
 
My chin seems to take her time shredding the cardboard tubes I left in her cage, I’m not sure if she’s been eating it or not, but the large “chew-nel” (thick cardboard tube lined with hay) I got from the pet store has lasted over a month in her cage with some shredding on the ends but otherwise still intact.
 
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