Can Chinchillas Eat Cardboard? You Should Know This Right Away!
Chinchillas are very fun-loving and crazy pets. They always love to play with stuff around. They find cardboard interesting because it’s tearable and easily carriable. However, when they chew it, they both knowingly and unknowingly eat it, which is a red flag for your pet.
The answer is No, chinchillas are not supposed to eat cardboard. Although cardboard appears to be a fairly safe and common object, it is not. A toxic substance called phthalate is present in cardboard. Additionally, if your pet consumes it, it will experience a number of health problems. This might, however, result in the death of your pet.
Fortunately, there are many items out there that cardboard can be used to replace. Your pet will enjoy it and feel secure around them.
Can Chinchillas Eat Cardboard?
The simple truth is that chinchillas cannot consume cardboard. First off, cardboard is not food of any kind. Second, if your chinchilla consumes cardboard for any reason, it will have a negative impact on its health.
Since chinchillas enjoy playing with cardboard, many of us put cardboard or similar types of the board inside the cage. They may bite it, chew it, or even swallow it. But cardboard contains a number of toxic materials.
So eating cardboard will not only interfere with their digestion but also make them sick. There have been numerous instances of chinchillas choking on cardboard while playing with it. So, this is dangerous for their health.
It’s not like you can’t give your pet rodents cardboard. In fact, you can, but you must ensure that they are not eating it anyway. Otherwise, your chinchillas may develop a number of health issues.
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Is Cardboard Safe For Chinchillas?
Different ways exist in which cardboard poses a threat. With cardboard nearby, your pet rodent won’t be secure. Let us explain how something so basic could endanger your chinchillas.
Cardboard
● The toxic materials
There is multiple research that shows that cardboard has a significant amount of phthalate in it. And you know phthalates are a dangerous material. As a result, when you give your chinchillas cardboard to chew on, you are actually putting them in danger. The main cause is that they frequently consume it after chewing.
● Eating too much cardboard
Your chinchillas begin devouring everything nearby when they become extremely hungry. They won’t hesitate to start eating cardboard if it’s present in their cage. They will first tear the cardboard into small pieces, which they will then eat until they are full.
It creates a huge digestion issue as well. There have been many instances where chinchillas have experienced diarrhea or become severely ill after consuming cardboard.
● Choking
Chinchillas choking on food is similar to how humans choke while eating. Your chinchillas have a higher risk of choking if they are chewing cardboard. The cause is that they will occasionally try to swallow it while thinking of it as food but will want to spit it out if it seems too difficult.
They occasionally choke while chewing it, and the outcome will be disastrous. Therefore, it is best to refrain from giving your chinchillas cardboard toys. Give them actual toys instead of cardboard; that would be preferable.
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Can Chinchillas Chew Cardboard?
Undoubtedly, chinchillas are big fans of cardboard. Sometimes they love cardboard more than those actual toys. So playing with cardboard is excellent. But things get complicated when they chew or swallow it while playing.
To be honest, chewing cardboard only won’t make them sick. But the problem is that they frequently forget to spit it out. Some chinchillas intentionally eat it thinking of food. As a result, even though chewing cardboard won’t make them sick, it will still lead them to more serious issues. The reason is that if they consume it as food, it will cause a digestibility issue.
As you can see, chewing does not directly harm chinchillas, but choking risks increase if this behavior persists. So you should never let them play with cardboard, even though they like it the most. Besides, you should never give them anything related to cardboard-like paper, plastics, foam, toilet paper rolls, or bubble wrap.
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Are There Any Better Alternatives To Cardboard as a Chew Toy?
Yes, you can replace it with less dangerous stuff. For instance, chewable rubber is one of the kinds that you can give your chinchillas.
Rubber chew toys are actually intended for use by animals. Especially birds, bunnies, and other related pet animals. This chewable rubber won’t tear off, and it’s safe to play with.
Get him a nest box as an alternative to a cardboard box if your chinchillas enjoy playing hide and seek with that. It is safe to use these nest boxes since they are made from wood. Even though it’s for birds, you can use it to play with your beloved rodent.
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Related Questions
You can learn more about the topic of chinchillas eating cardboard from the following frequently asked questions and their answers.
Is it okay to put cardboard in my chinchilla’s cage?
It’s been suggested not to put cardboard in chinchillas’ cages. However, if you really want to, make sure the cardboard is free of any toxic substances. Check in particular to see if there are any phthalates present.
However, it’s preferable to give them toys rather than put cardboard in their cage.
Are toilet paper rolls harmful to chinchillas as well?
Yes, a toilet paper roll is a type of cardboard as well. Additionally, the manufacturer uses a variety of toxic fragrances in them. So it will be a bad idea to give your chinchillas toilet paper rolls for playing. In the end, they will chew, eat and eat it.
What happens if my chinchilla eats cardboard?
When chinchillas consume cardboard, they get sick. They will have issues with food digestion. Your chinchillas may become intoxicated and end up dying if the cardboard is toxic.
The Bottom Line
We believe now you understand can chinchillas eat cardboard or not. It is undoubtedly true that pets find cardboard to be entertaining. They tear it, chew it, move it and even hide behind it. But the reality is that there are some risks.
Cardboard consists of some toxic materials called phthalate. It is also not properly digestible. Even though it’s entertaining, the owner should take great care of this. It would be better if you stop giving your chinchillas cardboard toys.
You should stop giving them paper, tissue paper rolls, foam, and chewable and rippable clothing in addition to cardboard. Because cardboard is hazardous, eating it poses a serious risk.
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