Can Chinchillas Eat Toilet Paper Rolls? Is It Safe!
As a chinchilla owner, I know how much you care about your furry friend. Ensuring better health with enough playtime is the key to being a good chin owner. All pet animals have a specific bond with toilet paper rolls. Likewise, chinchillas also like to play with toilet paper rolls.
No, they should never eat toilet paper rolls or any cardboard materials. Swallowing toilet paper rolls can block their airway and become deadly. Also, it can create digestive issues and block the intestines. That can create panic among them and eventually lead them to death.
If you are interested to know more about why chinchillas shouldn’t eat toilet paper rolls and its consequence, read this article for further information.
Can Chinchillas Eat Toilet Paper Rolls?
Indeed they can not eat toilet paper rolls or any other cardboard materials. I know sometimes chinchillas think of weird items that may have nothing to do with their nutritional requirements.
Cardboard items and toilet paper rolls are one of them. They mostly consider them playing materials, but they might eat them out of curiosity. Eating a small amount of toilet paper rolls is not that much of an issue as long as it doesn’t block the airway.
But since you won’t know how much they might eat, it’s better to keep these items away from your naughty furry friend.
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Why Can’t Chinchillas Eat Toilet Paper Rolls? (Reasons)
Despite being one of the favorite playing materials, toilet paper rolls are completely unsafe for chinchillas. There is a high chance that your chinchilla will ingest them, which can cause many severe issues. Let’s talk more about the reasons that make toilet paper rolls unsafe for chinchillas.
Color Dye In The Toilet Paper Is Toxic
It is not an issue for regular toilet paper. However, if you have colored toilet paper, remember, it consists of toxic substances. Thus, colored toilet paper is never safe to ingest.
If your chins accidentally eat some of it, that can immediately show the consequences. You will notice their unusual behavior in them. In such a case, take it immediately to the nearest vet to check further.
Could Get the Airway Blocked
It is the most common issue when chins eat toilet paper. However, if it is in a small amount, that is fine. On the other hand, eating a large amount of toilet paper can choke the airway and lead them to panic. Usually, chinchillas get scared easily. So, you can imagine what could happen if the airway is blocked.
Cause Digestive Issues
It’s not safe to eat toilet paper for chins even without being choked. That is also not safe at all. It can lead to another health issue that is more severe. It can attack their digestive system and block the intestine with toilet paper. Thus, they will not eat or remain in a panic. In the end, it will lead them to death.
Bacteria And Germs
A toilet is one of the dirtiest places in the house. Even if you can not see the germs, they may spread all over the washroom. Thus, it will attach to the toilet paper rolls, that is for sure. Usually, you will find E. coli, salmonella-type bacteria, in the toilet. And ingesting these bacteria can cause food poisoning.
It may not be deadly, but it can leave massive damage to the health of your furry friend. So, if you want to let your chinchillas play with the toilet paper roll, never allow them to get in touch with the used toilet paper. For better hygiene regarding this, you can follow the tips below.
- You can give them fresh toilet paper just for playing purposes and monitor if they do not swallow paper.
- Kitchen towel rolls are a good alternative to toilet paper rolls
- Wash hands properly before getting close to the chinchillas’ cage or other family members.
Toilet Paper Contains Glue
Although it is not a proven fact, you should not take the risk. Some rumor says toilet paper contains toxic glue. These glues contain zinc, and it is harmful to both humans and chinchillas. However, you can check the materials information on the manufacturer’s page.
Well, you may think the first roll of toilet paper attached to the cardboard is dangerous. No, it is made of starch glue which is completely safe.
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Can Chinchillas Play with Toilet Paper Rolls?
Yes, they can without ingesting it. Some toilet paper rolls contain toxic materials, which can cause serious health hazards. Thus, you can only let them play with it under strict supervision. They may also want to play with cardboard materials like paper towels. But they could be equally dangerous if ingested, so only let them play with these items under your monitoring.
But if you run out of time, do not keep toilet paper rolls around them. Because if they find them, they will play, and there will be a high chance of ingesting some of them. And that can cause severe damage and possibly end up in death.
But can chinchillas chew on toilet paper rolls? As long as they are not ingesting it, that is not an issue at all.
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How Can You Make Toilet Paper Rolls Safe For Chinchillas?
Since they love to play with toilet paper rolls, you should not restrain them. On the contrary, you can make the toilet paper roll safe for chinchillas. Following these steps can let them play with toilet paper rolls.
- Remove all the toilet paper from the roll and leave them on the empty roll.
- Hang it somewhere near the cage, or play area.
- Make some holes in the roll so that they can roll it.
But make sure they play with them under someone’s supervision. Chewing cardboard paper rolls is better for their mental health. Playing with these kinds of objects can improve their health condition. Also, chewing cardboard can grind their teeth down.
Related Questions
Let’s see some answers to the popular questions that are related to this topic.
Is it safe for chinchillas to eat toilet paper rolls?
It is okay to chew and tear toilet paper rolls. However, eating toilet paper rolls is a serious issue for the chin’s health. Thus, you can let them play with the toilet paper but eat. Also, you should monitor them frequently to get rid of any unusual situations.
What to give chinchillas to chew on?
Chinchillas need to chew something to keep their teeth in size. And you can give them any kind of hard item that they can chew without any health hazards. You can give them tree branches, wood shavings, or cardboard to chew. However, ingesting these items is not ideal for their health.
What happens if my chinchillas eat cardboard?
It will attack their digestive system. That could choke their airway or block the intestine system. Eventually, it will lead them to death. Thus, you should let them play with cardboard under strict supervision.
Parting Wisdom
chinchillas shouldn’t eat toilet paper or any cardboard materials as they are dangerous for their health. However, they can chew these materials as long as it does not contain toxic substances and they don’t ingest them.
Perhaps it is better to chew cardboard to shorten their teeth. Also, you can make various interesting playing items from cardboard materials. Since the chinchillas love to play with cardboard and toilet paper rolls, be with them while they’re playing. So you can monitor them doing naughty things safely.
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