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Post by Jaiye on Oct 6, 2010 18:59:50 GMT
I have recently made a new cage mesh covering from paper mache (flour and water paste!) with a newspaper base - to make it more interesting - covered in kitchen roll.
Silly me did not think to think that they will try and rip the kitchen roll up as that is usually their bedding XP
So yeah.... Been in the cage 10mins, while they are supposed to be running free and they have already chewed through the top layers of kitchen roll...
Is newspaper bad for them if they take a fancy to that as well? Just curious =)
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 6, 2010 20:38:32 GMT
I have also noticed they are not just chewing through the kitchen roll layers, they are eating them =S Checked the ingredients of the flour and there isn't that much of anything in it really so should be ok, but is it ok for them to eat kitchen roll?
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 7, 2010 7:44:48 GMT
Am guessing the 17 views and no replies means that people don't know or its fine =)
They were still alive and their normal happy selves this morning so guess its ok!
I'll post a picture tonight.
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Post by emz on Oct 7, 2010 11:05:29 GMT
I was tired last night and assumed someone else would reply but I will now.
There is two views on it. 1: Don't use newspaper as the ink on the paper can be toxic when ingested. 2: That the above is a myth and it is fine.
You need to decide if it is a myth or if you think the ink on the paper could be an issue. It's like a lot of degu things, conflicting views and you have to make your own decision based on research lol.
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 7, 2010 17:10:02 GMT
Hope you were tired for good rather than bad reasons!
And fair enough! They are still alive and seem to stop chewing when they reach the newspaper so must be fine =) Will keep peoples updated if anything bad happens!
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 7, 2010 20:07:46 GMT
The creation! Now has a few holes (you can see one of them eating it in the photo!) and half the side wall is gone now.
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Post by emz on Oct 7, 2010 20:51:52 GMT
Lol they'll chew anything. ;D
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 7, 2010 20:54:22 GMT
They will indeed ^____^ Though flour and water covered kitchen paper shouldnt taste good enough to eat o.o
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 8, 2010 5:22:30 GMT
True! But . . . there is no accounting for the taste of degus! They love leather and painted skirting after all. LOL! I would avoid using printed/inked paper, personally. But I think it is pretty easy to get the "end of roll" bits that are left from printing newspapers and such. They are usually cheap, and newspapers are usually quite happy to sell them. Maybe you can grab some of those for use? Something that your "craft" reminds me of is an idea that came to me after Smux was talking about using paper mache. Since they will quite clearly eat it . . . as evidenced by yours . . . why not add some timothy hay, and maybe some sunny seeds or other just eatables, to the mix and make destructable toys from it? Or wrap it around empty rolls from toilet tissue? Or whatever creative thing takes you? I tend to think it could be excellent thing for breaking boredom and enticing good chewing. Could actually be a superior way to get treats of a different kind together for our little loves. Hmmm . . . . glucose/fructose/molassas/cane sugar free . . . . I might just have to give this a go in my kitchen!
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Post by Jaiye on Oct 8, 2010 7:55:29 GMT
That sounds like an awesome idea! Kills time for me to create the toys with added treats - though the flour and water seems to be enough of a treat for Thai especially o.o - and then kills time with them so they stop destroying things they're not supposed to!
Maybe its a way to keep them from being interested in jumping the fence..... *Schemes* Will be giving that a go next week! Kitchen roll is cheap and cheerful and it doesn't use much flour which is cheap anyways! And the destroyed toys won't make much mess as they eat the mess! XP
Thanks for the idea! ^____^
PS: It was the mention of paper mache by Smux that inspired me to do this! Thank you Smux!
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