Newspaper eating Pigs!

[LMichelleL]

Newspaper eating Pigs!

Hi!
I line my piggy's cage with newspaper before I put down the carefreash, which is a pretty thick layer.
But my pigs in the corners push aside the bedding and tear the newspaper, I thought they were just playing with it but I saw one eat it the other day. So I think they are eating it as well!!
Is it bad for them??
They have had newspaper since I got them two months ago and having been tearing it since then and they are healthy my friend is a vet and checked them! she said she couldnt see any problems from it but im still nervous!
I make sure there is no colour, and there are many layers so it doesnt bother me (pee still doesnt leak through).
The newspaper makes it so much easier to clean the cage, I really dont want to stop using it! but if its harmful to them I will!
Please let me know if it is harmful!!
and if it is any suggestions for other materials, or something to stop them from doing this would be helpful!
Thanks!

 

[cavytopia]

Re: Newspaper eating Pigs!

My piggies also like newspaper. They mostly just chew on it but will sometimes eat bits of it.

As the newspaper ink is soy based it won't hurt the piggies. You might check with your local newspaper printing office to see what kind of ink they use.

My son's teacher, who has had many guinea pigs over the years, said that one of her piggies was chewing newspaper and she asked her vet about it. She said that the vet told her it wouldn't hurt the piggie (our local paper uses soy based ink) and that it gave him something else to chew on (this is of course in addition to his daily hay).