Sunday, August 2, 2009

Want to build a wood house for my rat, is Cedar safe?

I want to build a Cedar house for my rat, I know that certain types of wood are not good for them, such as pine shavings but I believe this to be because of dust particles. Does anyone know if Cedar would be OK for the house?
Answers:
Definitely NOT. Cedar wood has oils in it that make it toxic to rats. The same oils that make it smell good to us.

Both pine and cedar are very bad for rats, as bedding, shavings, or cage accessories.
it might eat at the house if you make it out of cedar, yet it wont have mites or fleas because cedar repeals pests.
As long as it is not treated lumber, it will be fine. You can treat the outside if you plan on putting the cage outside at all, but the inside should be untreated, unvarnished, and unpainted.

Just from experience with rats and ferrets- I wouldn't make a homemade cage from wood- wood tends to hold in odors and get pretty bad in a couple months, even with daily cleaning.

You could try making a wire one (you can buy rolls at Menards) or take a look at www.martinscages.com
yes it will be fine
no! ceder is not OK. my friend had a rat (notice i said "had" and not has) my friend put cedar shavings in her cage and not even a month later she died. and then i got a rat and i don't use pine or cedar( there was another type of wood but i can't remember it) my rat's still alive and I'm petting her right now, by the way her name is Ruffles you know like the brand of chips?
my point is "don't use Cedar or Pine" just for your little friends safety
No no no!! Cedar should never be used for any small animals. It contains toxins that affect the respiratory tract. Many breathing problems, lung failure, etc. that small animals suffer from are the result of owners buying cedar. I don't understand why the even sell it at the pet store.
Don't use cedar or pine, they are both known to be toxic to rodents.

As one person said, wood will get pretty foul over time. I would try to line it with something impervious if you can.

Chalice

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