Safe Woods for outdoor play area

[Pigs4me]

I have two boys in a big C & C on my dining table. (Yes, I have sacrificed my dining table to my guinea pigs. It was just holding junk mail anyway. )

We live in a condo and in the spring, summer, and early fall, we like to eat on the patio. I have a potting bench out there now in a shaded area. I have a black-thumb (serious touch-of-death with plants), so we are thinking of replacing the potting bench with a hutch so they boys could come outside with us when we eat and play cards and such. They would not live out there--this is just a fun, change-of-scenery thing for them, and we like to have them with us. They are a hoot.

My husband does wood-working, and we are wondering which woods would be safe to build with. We want something durable, but also something that would be safe if they decided to use their outdoor space as a giant chew toy. Any suggestions?

 

[Sirene]

I would like to know this too. Anyone know about safe woods for building hideys and outdoor runs for piggers?

 

[Shurrim]

I asked same questions about toys, answers I got were to use same as the ones that are safe for bedding, such aspen, kiln-dry pine.. and I've read about maple somewhere on the site. Oh and, like the chew toys, balsa would be safe.. but don't think it's good for cage. I'm not a wood specialist though.

 

[MaggieMae]

I have heard some hard woods are acceptable. They just can't be treated with anything. However, that is just what I have read, that doesn't make it correct information. I know apple branches are safe for chew blocks. Aren't most fruit trees hard wood?

If you could stabilize it I wonder if you could make one out of PVC pipe. I would think it would be chew proof and withstand weather well.

I've seen people build garden structures and shop signs using it.

 

[Shurrim]

Only with fruit trees that fruits dont have a thing inside like peaches and such (sorry missing the word, not english native speaker)

But why not a smaller C&C cage outside?

 

[Kimberly713]

Untreated plywood should do fine. We have a square pen for outside made of plywood, and my pigs have never been harmed from it.

 

[Kimberly713]

Only with fruit trees that fruits dont have a thing inside like peaches and such (sorry missing the word, not english native speaker)

Yeah as far as I know only apple tree branches are safe for guinea pigs many of the other if not all can poison them :sorry:

 

[Sirene]

None of the lumber I've seen at Lowe's etc, is kiln-dried. Any ideas on where to find kiln-dried wood, or should I just start calling lumber yards?

 

[cavyluvver]

use aspen. it can be found at lowes.