Sisal fibers?

[jordanln97]

My dad bought a nest-like hiding spot for the chinchillas, but I don't want to give it to them yet because I don't know if sisal is safe. It doesn't look like its been bleached.

 

[liewwan]

I have heard many debate over sisal rope. Some say it's good, some say it's dangerous, due to multiple resources giving negative feed backs on it, I personally stay away from it.

 

[ChinnyMom]

please post a photo of this 'nest' that your dad got. that'll help us determine if it is safe or not.

 

[AZChins]

Sisal is safe, I use it with most of my chins. It has a fairly stiff fiber requiring the chins to chew it up before it can be swallowed so it won't cause blockages or problems.

 

[jordanln97]

Sorry I didn't reply at a decent time. Thank you all for the helpful information! I'll try to post a picture but I've had difficulties with it before.

 

[Stormcrow]

I use sisal for everything; I tie hay together with it that I hang up in the cage so they can't pee on it... They are smart you know, they found out that the rope needs to be chewed for the hay to come down wich makes it easier to eat for them, but after a few nibbles they get tired of the sisal and return to the hay...

I used it to keep together their cardboard houses, hang stuff up, even made them little toys with a branch of wood with some rope around it. They like it, they nibble it but don't eat it

The rope I bought comes from a handymanstore, so it wan't really "made" for pets but they use it without probs for about 3 months now

 

[ChinnyMom]

sisal from a hardware store is not safe for chins. it has been treated with chemicals to keep it from fraying while in use, and those chemicals are dangerous for chins. you'll find that sisal that is treated like this will smell like kerosene, etc. yuck.

Stormcrow, remove all of that sisal from your cage asap.

 

[melbur10]

As far as I've ever heard and known sisal comes natural and oiled at the hardwear store, if you have natural then it should be fine...

 

[AZChins]

There are other placed to buy the natural sisal rope that is unoiled and untreated.... http://www.cabirdnerds.com/rs038.html is one place to consider.

 

[Stormcrow]

sisal from a hardware store is not safe for chins. it has been treated with chemicals to keep it from fraying while in use, and those chemicals are dangerous for chins. you'll find that sisal that is treated like this will smell like kerosene, etc. yuck.

Stormcrow, remove all of that sisal from your cage asap.

Thanks for the advice, but as I said, everything goes well here.
No probs with the chins concerning the sisal

 

[jordanln97]

Mine came from Kaytee and doesn't really smell like kerosene. What do you all think?

 

[Mystic]

Generally I stay away from Kaytee products, but usually its their wood products and such. I would say that the sisal rope would be okay for your chinchilla as long as its the natural colors that sisal should be. I don't like purchasing "dyed" products from the pet stores because you never know what they put in it.