Kleenex boxes=safe hidey houses?

[SnickersD]

I'm still a new piggie owner and was wondering if it was safe to use a Kleenex box as a hidey house? (It does have a print on it, but no glue really from what I could tell) We recently expanded their cage (again) and now have room for more houses and I thought it may be a quick, cheap, solution. They love chewing on the paper towel rolls so I thought this to may be safe for them, however I just wanted to check and make sure. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Duffinvt]

I don't think it is a problem unless they really start eating a lot of it ! Maybe you could find comparable size boxes without the print? Like regular corrugated boxes? If you can provide an apple branch (without any kind of chemical on it) they might like that to chew on. I have trees of my own, so I know they are safe. Don't use other branches as some are not safe (pitted fruit - like peach-branches are not safe). Apple is !

 

[tiffers]

If you can provide an apple branch (without any kind of chemical on it) they might like that to chew on. I have trees of my own, so I know they are safe. Don't use other branches as some are not safe (pitted fruit - like peach-branches are not safe). Apple is !

I know that this is off topic to the Kleenex topic, but I was told on GL last night not to use Apple Branches/Sticks...I threw them all away last night, but wasn't told anything other than throwing them away because they're bad...

I'm confused... :sorry:

 

[blackarrow]

Apple branches are fine. The person may have been thinking of pitted fruit branches. Branches of course do not replace the need for hay.

 

[Duffinvt]

I would only use apple branches that I knew the source. So, I use from my own trees, but would not buy store bought. Yes, hay needs to be available 24 hrs. per day. My branches are just so the pigs can nibble on something other than their hideys !

 

[tiffers]

Thank you, blackarrow and duffinvt. I had said they were apple branches/sticks, but they said to throw them out. My two definitely always have hay; what else can they have to chew on since what I had I threw out after my advice yesterday? (I should probably not ask that here since this thread has nothing to do with that...)

 

[C. Cole-Chakotay]

My girl mostly ignores any chew toys except for her hay. She loves the stuff! I have some wooden blocks made specially for small pets. She will nibble on them once in a while. She will sometimes also nibble on her chube, but hay is her main nibble choice.

 

[blackarrow]

Hay is sufficient, but my boars also enjoy cardboard toilet paper rolls on occasion, which is fine.

 

[thebeachdreamer]

I use kleenex boxes and my girls LOVE them! I am a teacher and I have 10 co-workers that bring me their tissue boxes when they are empty. I have tons saved up now thanks to the cold season that has just hit us.

I think they are awesome hay holders (especially when they color coordinate...yep, I am a guinea pig geek...lol). I pre-stuff them and keep them stacked in a storage tub and pull out as needed. As long as they have hay my girls haven't shown any interest in eating them. If I were to notice that they had nibbled it I would just chunk that one!

They love to crawl in them so I do 2 at a time. I have some very cute pictures of them sticking their heads out while eating....too cute!

 

[tiffers]

I think they are awesome hay holders (especially when they color coordinate...yep, I am a guinea pig geek...lol). I pre-stuff them and keep them stacked in a storage tub and pull out as needed.

This is a really neat idea! One of my pigs, Loofah, is scared of the paper bag, I think. So, a tissue box may be another thing I can stuff hay into for her. My newest pig loves the paper sack, in fact...half the time I only see her butt because she spends lots of time in the bag enjoying the hay. lol

 

[PiggyKat]

My pigs love these too! Just make sure you take any plastic off it(I know they use some to hold the tissue in!). 2 of my pigs like to chew and 2 don't. I think it depends on the pig. They haven't had any issues with chewing on the boxes and I put hay in it for them!

 

[trexgorawrrrrr]

The only thing I suggest is maybe taking it out or changing it after pee has built up. This is why I kind of think those chubes are a waste of money. They're fine for the pigs to play with, it's just that they pee and poop in there, and then it needs to be thrown away.

 

[tiffers]

This is why I kind of think those chubes are a waste of money. They're fine for the pigs to play with, it's just that they pee and poop in there, and then it needs to be thrown away.

Loofah had one of those plastic ferret ones. She LOVED it, and we washed it in the dishwasher with all the other pet stuff when washing day came. But, I started noticing little holes in it from her chewing on it, so I threw it out. We have long boxes at work, and sometimes I bring them home for tubes...but, otherwise, my girls don't have tubes.

 

[Kiwi2]

I tried to use them for hidey houses but my piggies didnt like it. I filled them with hay and they absolutly loved them! It should be safe for them though they will chew it alot so you will have to change them out every once in a while!

 

[SnickersD]

thebeachdreamer- Awesome idea! I didn't even think of using them as hay holders! I bet Waffles would love that (so he can hide and eat at the same time ). My boys liked it at first (as a hidey house) but they nibbled on it quite a bit and went pee in it so I had to toss it. Thanks everyone for the advice and tips! I'm off to hunt for empty tissue boxes now hahaha!