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What twigs/wood are safe for your Super Furry Animals to chew?

7 replies

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/04/2012 01:51

I'm anticipating what's safe for rabbits might not be ok for GPs. Or rats, mice, chinchillas.

I've got a pear tree. (they pick at the dead fallen leaves. Survived that)
Neighbours have a weeping willow.

GP1 has deemed the Willow basket hedgehog house is safe to chew.
It might not harm him. I might. It cost me £16.

Only kidding, pet

So, anyone give their animals twigs?

OP posts:
sashh · 17/04/2012 07:31

Chinchillas are fine with willow or any fruit tree. Wooden spoons are also ueful for chewing as they are made from non toxic wood.

KRITIQ · 17/04/2012 11:37

I think any fruit tree is probably okay. I've bought various wood toys, including those for parrots, which they chew like there's no tomorrow, and there haven't been any problems. I think the only ones to worry about are the "grass hut" type things that have a wire frame underneath. It's not so much that they hurt their teeth, but the wire can poke out and hurt them.

EightPairsOfHands · 17/04/2012 11:52

Have consulted with expert DD of 14 years who has GPs and fancy mice:

Best is willow (any type) - contains natural anti-oxidants and bark can be stripped, chewed and eaten. It also contains a natural painkiller that can help pets who are looking a bit off-colour.
Apple, pear or plum can also be used.
Hazel - same as willow but not loaded with anti-oxidants or painkiller.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/04/2012 19:18

After trawling through umpteem sites:

Most reckon fruit tree wood is ok if the fruit does not contain a stone.
So that rules out peach, cherry,plum.
But doesn't explain why.

DD and I held the GP 1&2 under the Weeping Willow and let them scoff a few leaves. GP2 has been eyeing up the leaves as we wa;led by so he eagerley wired in.
But after his violent temper after eating too much coriander, we only let them have 3 or 4 leaves.

(Tree is my neighbours and it's massive. GP2 may charge Tree Surgeon Rates and clear it) Grin

OP posts:
KRITIQ · 23/04/2012 23:43

Piggies are such entrepreneurs, aren't they? :)

After cutting back the apple tree, I gave my boys some of the twigs last November, but they didn't seem that interested. Mind you, the tree was planted in memory of one of their predecessors, so they might have thought it was a bit like canibalism!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 24/04/2012 17:18

So when you eat those apples KRITIQ you are actually eating the GP which has been absorbed via the roots into the tree Shock

Do they taste like chicken at all? Wink

We had many little brown paper recycling bags in my parents garden with the remains of a little GP who's soul has gone to The Rainbow Bridge. One year we had a fabulous crop of dandelions over "Snowy". Mum didn't want to pick them for the pigs. The pigs had no such reservations and got tucked in!

OP posts:
Chopstheduck · 26/04/2012 13:24

Apples or pears are best. Apparently kiwi are ok too! Though I bought my buns a lovely bundle of kiwi twigs that they rejected in favour of my supposedly rabbit deterring Ceanothus!

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