Cardboard Tubes

[themillses]

I've read conflicting things about cardboard. Some say it's fine and their chins love it, some say "pet quality" cardboard is fine but not to use commercial cardboard like toilet paper rolls because there are glues used in them which are dangerous...

But then I've seen a bunch of people selling tubes that are colored and flavored and look just like toilet paper rolls to me. Are they the same? And if not, how could you confirm that there were no unsafe glues used?

I figure wood is probably better, but figured toilet paper rolls are something that's free and available all the time and would be easy slice up and include occasionally, or just at playtime. Does anyone use them? Or would you consider them totally inappropriate?

 

[ticklechin]

I personally do not use cardboard in the cage, but I do use it during playtime. This way I can watch and make sure the chin does not make it a meal which some chins will do. Only time I use cardboard on the cage is for malo chins, they enjoy stripping it and it gives them something to do since they can't chew wood.

 

[Siany]

I have one cardboard tube at the bottom of the cage and i use cardboard tubes at playtime, they strip a little but not much (ive had one tube for about 3 years now) Mainly Dotty just likes rolling around in the one in the cage... I dont think i would use toilet cardboard just for the fact that some of the toilet rolls are scented and are stamped inside. Also the coloured tubes ive had have been coloured with food dye

 

[Lillybabe]

Personally, I would never use toilet paper rolls for any kind of animal. It's been next to your toilet and had dirty fingers on it for as long as it took you to use up the roll. I've never used cardboard with any of my chins in their cage but I've occasionally put up soda boxes or other items during playtime that my little guy liked to bounce on or run through. I'd have removed it if he'd decided to eat it. He never chewed it at all since during playtime he was way more interested in running about. With the girls, I would definitely be careful as they chew... everything. Including my sweater or sweatshirt sleeves if they can manage it. And... sometimes they attempt to chew my hair. They're very much babies still and are super avid chewers. Far as the items people sell I think these are items they get in bulk from manufacturers who make items for birds typically. This means they're far less likely to have toxic dyes and glues. Of course, you can't really guarantee anything without doing the research or making it yourself.

 

[CTChin]

I have a blind female whose greatest passion in life is destroying paper towel rolls. I only give them to her when I get rolls that do not use color or glue.

 

[LoveBug]

i don't offer cardboard in the cage, but i use tons of cardboard boxes for playtime.
they love to jump around on them and hide inside of them.

 

[jess32247]

I agree that the toilet paper tubes are dirty and the glue isn't safe for chins, I wouldn't risk letting mine chew on one. I've offered some to her for the heck of it before, but she took no interest in it. She really loved it when I filled it with her hay, but never ate any of the carboard.

I got her a big cardboard tube from the pet store a little while ago, she didn't take to that either. I'm not sure if I could trust what the petstore sells though, a lot of it is just for money. But my girl just ate the "paper" stuff on it anyway, which I guess is better then eatting the whole thing. I made a fleece tube out of it that's in her cage, so now she can't get to the actual cardboard.

 

[Roni Jasper]

I have several of the Binky Bunny cardboard mazes, tunnels and playrooms around my chin room and they really seem to enjoy running through and hiding in them. Occasionally, they'll chew, but it's more to shred than to eat.

Jasper (as seen in my avatar) loves to sit in the play tubes and just shred all the paper.