Is this toy/hidey safe?

[fairysari]

I found these toys in a pet supply shop near me today, and was wondering if they are actually safe for pigs?

8 In 1 Large Snack Shak Activity Log @ The Ferret Store

8 In 1 Large Snack Shak Hide Away @ The Ferret Store



It says they are edible, but they are made with alfalfa and honey, and I don't know if I want my pigs eating that - they are pretty big. But I wonder if they would want to eat the whole thing, or just chew on it occasionally? They look so cool, and the boys could use a new hidey. Has anyone tried it, or have any ideas if it's actually safe or not? Thanks!

[WEAVER]

I also say those last week and my husband begged for one like a small child wanting candy at the store. I decided though not to make the purchase. Like you, I am skeptical, the roof is so course feeling and almost pokey, that I was afriad a pig may get injured. The whole house being ediable worried me, cause look at it. . . .does it look like it may taste good??? Not even to mention the germs all over the thing from being open at the factory, the distrubuters, all the people at the pet stores, not even to mention the germs in a petstore. Call me a freek, but I was thinking of so many negatives I just could not bring myself to get one, even though I also thought they were a great size and VERY cute (they would be adorable in your camping theme must add). I think it is probably a thing that should be passed over for so many reasons, cuteness though not being one!!

p.s. Just wanted to add that alfalfa and honey definately is out of the question, even for a young pig. Honey has so much sugar in it (not saying they would eat the whole house down in one sitting, but still.) Anything made by the company 8 in 1 should not be considered ediable, at least not for our "fancy pants, spoiled piggies.

[fairysari]

Thanks for the input. At the store I was at, they had the log kind still in the boxes they were shipped in, so I wasn't too worried about germs... but I still don't want my pigs eating that, I guess.

It was so strange, the store didn't have ANY timothy hay... oh well, at least they don't sell animals.

[Caramel Cookie]

I too thought this looked like a cool item. But as I was discussing it with my husband in our local PetsMart, a lady overheard us and said that she bought one for her piggy last week and he got sick. She said she couldn't prove that it was from that, but that was the only new thing he had to eat that week. (She said he only nibbled on it a little.)

[fourbwabbys]

I saw that a little while ago. I was afraid of them chewing on it or getting injured from it. The honey also was a red flag for me.

[piggiebun]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Hi, I'm glad everyone feels the way I do about this toy...as cute as it is ALFALFA is bad, bad, bad. Bladder stones....no ALFALFA!!!!![/FONT]

[Percy's Mom]

The alfalfa is probably the least of the problems with that thing. The roof looks like it could poke someone's eye out, and the honey in it is way too high in sugar for piggies. Alfalfa in tiny amounts or for pregnant/nursing sows and babies is fine.

[Amy&Ginger]

I agree with Percy's Mom, that thing looks sharp!

[fairysari]

Maybe instead of alfalfa and honey, they should make them out of timothy and boar glue.

[Percy's Mom]

Ewwwww! That's just nasty.

[Sabriel]

FairySari, boar glue would break their poor teeth!

I wonder if I got the right cardboard and some hemp or cotton undyed string and lots of straight hay, if I could make something similar. I could dye the cardboard with food colouring to make it look like a log and rough it up with and exacto knife for the texture.

I shall have to talk to my husband when he gets home from work. Maybe we can cook something up. I know that's something my husband would beg me for too.

[Ly&Pigs]

I wonder if this idea would work. Take long thin slices of veggies such as cucumber, carrot, zucchini, squash, maybe some asparagus and some edible string and tie them all together in a round shape and then add grass hay on for roof.

I wouldn't trust any of 8-in-1's products as they are bottom of the barrel.

[Sabriel]

Depends on how quick they eat it. If they take more then a couple hours that would get icky.

You could use cavy safe sticks and tie them together though.

[fourbwabbys]

You can use celery strings as a safe rope.

[HowietheGreat]

I saw that too but was skeptical. Anything that looks really marketible (sp?) scares me.

[rshevin]

Phew. So glad everyone else agrees with me. I too saw those things recently in the store and steered clear away. They just weirded me out. Blech.