Is the center of an ice pack dangerous?

[SDCavy]

I just realized that my girls ate through the plastic in the ice pack that I gave them, and they ate some of the filling! It says non-toxic on it, but Im sure this can't be good! Although they both ate breakfast fine. I don't think this is an emergency, but is there anything else that I should watch out for? :-(

[Jane_G]

I doubt there's anything in there that's dangerous, but to be safe, I'd call either the Poison Control or the vet.

[Ly&Pigs]

It's never a good idea to put any type of soft plastics in the cage. If your girls ate a lot of the plastic itself, that could cause an obstruction in the bowel.

[devilfish79]

You can always try frozen water bottles wrapped in hand towels. That's what I'm currently using. My males just lay on or near the bottle and my adult female nibbles a bit at the cap (because she figured out how to undo the hand-towel wrap) but then just goes about her business. She's a chewer though too, so I had to use something other than a cold pack.

Maybe just give frozen water bottles a try next time.

Cheers.

[i-love-nev]

Originally Posted by SDCavy

I just realized that my girls ate through the plastic in the ice pack that I gave them, and they ate some of the filling! It says non-toxic on it, but Im sure this can't be good! Although they both ate breakfast fine. I don't think this is an emergency, but is there anything else that I should watch out for? :-(

As said there is probably nothing in there that could be toxic. If you use an ice-pack in the future you could wrap it in a few sheets of newspaper then a hand towel. or a frozen water bottle/piggy popsicles.

[Ziggy&Herald]

Sorry to sound so uninformed, but why are you using ice packs? Is it just to keep the piggies cool?

[devilfish79]

Originally Posted by Ziggy&Herald

Sorry to sound so uninformed, but why are you using ice packs? Is it just to keep the piggies cool?

I use frozen water bottles to keep my piggies cool, yes. Piggies can overheat really easily (another reason NOT to keep them outside for extended periods of time) and once that happens, the piggy's health can deteriorate rapidly.

[Ziggy&Herald]

Oh, do you only do it while they spend time outdoors? Mine never go out, too many coyotes in my area for me to chance. I would assume because they spend all their time soaking up the AC, they wouldn't need ice packs. Thanks for you answer to my apparently silly question.

[PrayerWarrior]

Originally Posted by Ziggy&Herald

Oh, do you only do it while they spend time outdoors? Mine never go out, too many coyotes in my area for me to chance. I would assume because they spend all their time soaking up the AC, they wouldn't need ice packs. Thanks for you answer to my apparently silly question.

[FONT=Georgia]Not silly, I'm wondering the same thing. [/FONT]

[devilfish79]

Originally Posted by Ziggy&Herald

Oh, do you only do it while they spend time outdoors? Mine never go out, too many coyotes in my area for me to chance. I would assume because they spend all their time soaking up the AC, they wouldn't need ice packs. Thanks for you answer to my apparently silly question.

My piggies do not get to go outside unless they're carried by me and we're on our way to the vet. I currently live in an apartment and I only wish I had AC. We're all relying on an oscillating fan, an open window and the frozen bottles for the piggies.

Your piggies are spoiled if they have AC.