What types of balls are safe?

[GuineasGalore]

I wanted to get my friend's new guinea pig a toy ball, but i want to know what kind would be safe, (bouncy ball, tennis ball ect.)?
Also what other types of colourful toys that could be found around the house are good for guinea pigs (yes she already has a toilet paper tube and paperbag)?

 

[GuineasGalore]

oh and adding on to that, what kind of materials are safe for a guinea pig (plastic, metal, wood etc.)

 

[MetallichicA]

Poppy used to love her ping-pong ball. It's light enough that she can push it around, and it doesn't get grungry. I haven't had it in there since we got the new pigs though. Don't know about any other types. I think a tennis ball *might* be bad because of the covering - they may chew on it and get fibers caught in their mouths. Not sure on that one.

 

[GuineasGalore]

how about bouncy balls?
but can guinea pigs chew through ping pong balls?

 

[loves2travel]

ooooooh, id like to know. are those bouncy rubber balls safe?

 

[MetallichicA]

No, their teeth just graze off of ping pong balls, they're too hard.

I would think the bouncy balls would be toxic, or at least dangerous to their digestive system if they took a bite out of them.

 

[loves2travel]

yeah, the balls are kind of easy to disect. ive done it with my fingernails when i was feeling fidgety and anxious. i bet they could disect it with their teeth. i wont give them a bouncy ball.

 

[GuineasGalore]

how about golf balls?

 

[MetallichicA]

Golf balls would work great, I'd think!

 

[loves2travel]

i asked that question on another thread and the answer was no because the gloss finish might include toxic chemicals.

 

[MetallichicA]

Hmm, good point.... would they really try eating it that much, if it's hard though? Mine would probably give up once they realized they couldn't get their teeth in it.

 

[Sierra]

I am wondering about the golf balls as well.

 

[bunnyluv17]

I think those plastic wiffle balls would be safe, the white ones with holes in them. And I think they come in different sizes.

 

[Furkidsmommy]

The plastic golf balls work well, also consider balls with bells in them about the same size and designed for cats. You should with any toy check it regularly for damage to insure the piggies do not ingest anything. I only use toys with bells in for floor time so that way they cannot get into trouble when I am not there.

 

[Treen]

Mine love twig balls best of all and they're made for small pets to nibble on, so perfectly safe (broken link removed). I stuff hay in to the little gaps and they have hours of fun pulling out the hay and chewing on the twigs!

 

[GuineasGalore]

humm. i have a round basket like that without any paint on it (just some dyed colour around the edges) can i use that then?

 

[Emily F.]

Oskar has a tennis ball...but he never ever uses it...LoL

 

[Starbucks]

i wouldnt recommend golf balls because like mentioned above, they are painted with who knows what. also, they have a plastic coating on them and can actually be chewed into quite easily. anytime you use a soft plastic with guinea pigs it can be dangerous.

stick to hard plastics and wood objects made from untreated wood.

 

[ice_on_fire]

tennis balls will be good and some piggies LOVE balls with bells in them.. you can hang them and sometimes they will play with it.. ^^

 

[Treen]

humm. i have a round basket like that without any paint on it (just some dyed colour around the edges) can i use that then?

I wouldn't, unless you know for sure it's not been treated in any way and know that any dyes used are safe to be ingested. The stuff made for animals (which includes baskets) is just made from untreated willow twigs. In things made for humans (which will more likely be made to last), it may have been given some kind of preservative even if you can't see it.