Cardboard

[cindyv3737]

I had read that it was ok to give a chin cardboard to play with. I filled a cardboard tube with hay and gave it to Shelly. She really loved pulling the hay out. I took it away from her when she started to eat the tube and not the hay. Is this an ok toy to give to her?

 

[brekai722]

The Chube tubes are hard cardboard and those are safe so I would think if it is natural colored it would be fine. Others probably know more. I some times give toilet paper rolls for toys.

 

[cindyv3737]

What I gave her was a toilet paper roll. I made sure there was no glue or anything else on it. She looking like my dog when I stuff his kong full of food. :hilarious:

 

[TheNobleFight]

Cindy all cardboard (even toliet paper tubes) have binding agents on them... Most of the binding agents for cardboard are water soluble and non toxic.

I give mine hay in TP tubes all the time especially if moving them in carriers.
I think with all things that are indigestible, you need to moderate it, and make sure they are not eating too much. Many people on this forum give cardboard tubes and boxes to their chins and have not complained of problems.

 

[Terbear24]

I also have done that before and have just let them destroy the TP tube! I figure it is something to keep them entertained!

 

[shubbles]

Done that also, he didn't get the hang of it.

 

[starleomach]

I use paper towel tubes, tiolet paper tubes, tissue boxes, coke boxes they have a blast and usually just shred the paper

 

[AZChins]

The toilet paper tubes I am iffy on because of where they have been.

Other than that...my chins get all the paperboard boxes and things here. I only wish that I had more of them, but we only have two people in the house and I just don't make THAT many boxes for them. I was thinking of asking people to save their cereal boxes and things for me. I could probably go through 100 of them a day... until I have those I just use little brown paper bags for the chins to chew and destroy (and pee on.)

 

[mishellyshel]

i put hay in toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes, gift wrap tubes (these are great, usually no glue!) i get real thick tubes from work that they love. but i do need be careful because some have an obvious glue line, especially some of the cheap paper towels.
my chins favorite is the "capri sun" or roaring water boxes that the juice pouches come in. i have my scrapbook group at church saving them for me, as my kids cant drink them fast enough!

 

[AZChins]

So...Michelle, it isn't weird to ask people to save their boxes? LOL Maybe I will start asking people to do it for me.

 

[mishellyshel]

i just tell them i do chinchilla rescue and that they love to have a place to hide.
then of course, they say what is a chinchilla??? and i whip out my phone and go into my whole history of chins!
most people would rather help than recycle........LOL!!!!

 

[AZChins]

There ya go! I'll ask my neighbors to save them for me. One of the families nearby has three boys...I am sure they go through tons of cereal!

 

[cindyv3737]

Great idea!!! I'm going to ask people to save tubes for me too!!! Last night she found a box that I was going to throw away and she took a nap in it. I was worried when I had no clue where she was. She stuck her head out when I called her. The box is now hers.

 

[WEFA_in_Me]

I was goiing to wait until I got my liners in to put ChieChie in his new FN, but my boyfriend really wanted him to be in it now. So I cut up the box the FN came in to the correct size for now so hes not chewing on the plastic. He is loving shredding it! Also I saw the perfect box to make a castle play house with at work, and I figure it's safe since it was used to handle human food. Some of the openings are already in the rounded turret shape where the handles to the bannana box are.

 

[suzi1780]

I have been using a box from a 12 can thing of soda during playtime, just make the front hole bigger and make another hole in the back, chins LOVE to run through those things! Last night Ruby also decided it was a good place to nap.

 

[Kawaii_Hedgie_Chin_Love]

Most chins don't actually eat the cardboard anway, they just shred it up and drop it to the floor of their cage.

 

[blacksettingsun]

Be verrry careful of boxes with coloring on them (soda boxes, cereal boxes, etc.). While most dyes used in those boxes is now soy-based (as is the case with newspaper), it is probably safe, but I never wanted to risk the chance. I actually used to call the companies to see what the ink was made from to be sure that it was safe. I found out that most cereal boxes were not made from chin-friendly ingredients, but most pop boxes are safe. As with anything, if you notice them ingesting too much of it at any one time, take it away and let them have a break. My chins really did like it when I cut up paper towel or toilet paper rolls, into sections about 1/4" thick. That way I knew they weren't overdoing it in ingesting the material.

 

[cindyv3737]

I love the idea of cutting the tubes. All I've ever given her to play with is tp rolls. I keep her away from anything with colors. However, knowing that pop boxes are ok I might save one for her.

 

[Chibigirl]

Any cardboard near my chin she shreds a piece off of and then runs with the pieces back into her cage and starts eating them. I just decided to not give her cardboard since I didn't think she should be eating it like that. Everyone else says that their chins just shred it, I guess mine is an odd one?

 

[Dust Fly]

I usually give Sierra the paper towel roll when she's out playing it helps distract her from chewing things she's not supposed to. I would be careful of giving things with ink printing on them though.