Are markers harmful?

**naturegal592** · #1 07-10-07, 06:26 am

I am building my first cage and the place I bought my coroplast only had white available. I know cavys like color, so I thought about using colorful sharpie markers and coloring designs on the inside of the plastic. If Josey chews on it will he be OK? They are non-toxic to humans.

**Percy's Mom** · #2 07-10-07, 07:56 am

Personally, I would bring color into the cage in the form of dishes, water bottles, toys, and hidies. Much safer for your pigs, and you don't have to worry about what might not hurt your pigs. What is non-toxic to humans may or may not be toxic to a smaller animal.

**GailtheGuineaPg** · #3 07-10-07, 07:57 am

I wouldn't suggest that. Sharpies have a really strong odor, and since the guinea pigs are so low to the coroplast, they would probably inhale it.

**aqh88** · #4 07-10-07, 08:44 pm

The pigs won't actually care but I would think you could use food coloring or vegetable based dyes if you really wanted to. A little paintbrush dipped in food coloring would allow some drawings or maybe nontoxic food based fingerpaints they sell for kids. It would wash off eventually when you disinfected the cage but so would marker. You could always have the fun of redecorating it again. I probably wouldn't use even markers that say nontoxic but only things that are vegetable based or considered completely edible.

**naturegal592** · #5 07-11-07, 06:11 am

Thank you for your suggestions, I have found a supplier of colored coroplast so this is no longer an issue.

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