Dangerous Toys

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CarnivalPiggy

CarnivalPiggy

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Does anyone know about any dangerous toys? I've seen piggies can hurt with a few but can't remember any specific ones. This can also apply to things like types of hay racks etc. I want to avoid anything that can hurt my three :)
 
Well, the big thing is no harnesses/leeshes, and no exercise wheels or balls. Both can cause serious back issues, I'm convinced you know this already, but new members reading the thread may not :) :)

Anything that they can get their heads stuck in, and toys with sharp edges. I know I'm not being very specific about brands.

Some loofa toys are sold in a ring-shape and have been found to be a hazard, but cutting them in half solves this.

Toilet rolls are considered safe BUT many members would advise to cut it lengthways so that any pig poking their heads into it cannot get stuck. I always feel better about cutting mine.

I thoroughly recommend against any tubes that are 10-11 cm in diameter. Many of these will be advertised as suitable for pigs, but honestly they are only suitable for babies. Last time I introduced a baby I placed a 10cm wide plastic bendy tube in the introduction pen, for a safe place to go for the baby should she feel threatened, thinking no other pig would even try to follow her. I was wrong, and one of my smaller adult pigs got completely stuck in there. I had to literally cut her free.

Really tubes should be at least 16 cm wide for most adult pigs to run through comfortably, in my experience anyhow

Hidies with straw or wooden bottoms are lovely at first but can get manky quickly. If you cannot cut the bottom off these you end up wasting your money quickly. Not a safety issue though unless you leave a manky thing in the cage for ages! :)

The golden rules are:
1) It should be safe/non toxic to gnaw
2) Large enough for a pig to fit it's entire body through easily, or have gaps small enough for all the pigs to not squeeze more than their noses through
3) Should have smooth edges, nothing sharp
4) If it's to be walked on should have a comfortable surface, and one that can be cleaned.

Sorry no brands, but I hope it helps you to judge :)
 
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You are right to ask this . I'm afraid there's no such thing as a 100% safe toy and toy manufacturers devolve their responsibility by stating their product should only be used under supervision . Here are some links I am aware of ...


Hay/veggie Balls - Warning.



Hay Rack Warning


I am also aware a member reported their guinea got their head stuck in one of the rings of a loofah toy like this ... ( NOT necessarily from P@H )

Loofah and Ball Chew | Pets At Home

and, as Critter has already stated, the way around this is to cut the ring.

I will also add that you need to make sure their hay is safe too...
Check Your Hay - Fungal Warning
 
I've heard of those! I don't live near a range store but I'll try and see if I can get it from somewhere else :D
 
I always feel each handful of hay for thick stalks as I pull it out the bag. A few weeks ago I got one of these stuck in my finger. The hay is Wiltshire Meadow Hay from The Range, I wrote to the manufacturer and got no reply, I won't be buying that hay again as there was a lot of this in it and I had to look through every handful very carefully as it could have caused a nasty injury to a guinea pig. I know they can't monitor every plant growing in their fields but just felt this wasn't right.IMG_7467.webp
 
piggieminder said:
I always feel each handful of hay for thick stalks as I pull it out the bag. A few weeks ago I got one of these stuck in my finger. The hay is Wiltshire Meadow Hay from The Range, I wrote to the manufacturer and got no reply, I won't be buying that hay again as there was a lot of this in it and I had to look through every handful very carefully as it could have caused a nasty injury to a guinea pig. I know they can't monitor every plant growing in their fields but just felt this wasn't right.View attachment 35088
Click to expand...


Bleah.... Looks like vanilla bean but from the picture I have a bad feeling it's not
 
I once found chicken bones and feathers in a bag of hay, I recon it had been part of a wing, perhaps a victim to a fox. Anyhow it had got gathered in with the hay!
P1110046v1.webp

I'm not sure what those pods are @piggieminder though.
 
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I have never found my pigs to show any interest in toys , the only thing they get any plesure out of are the snuggle pockets l have in each cage .
manifactured toys ,:hmm:to riscy :hmm:
 
I generally don't buy toys for any of my piggies. I have found that making your own is as good as anything, toilet roll tubes stuffed with hay, cardboard boxes turned upside down with holes cut in either side for access also fleece tunnels make good safe toys too or even cardboard tubes off carpets x
 
Critter said:
I once found chicken bones and feathers in a bag of hay, I recon it had been part of a wing, perhaps a victim to a fox. Anyhow it had got gathered in with the hay!
View attachment 35107

I'm not sure what those pods are @piggieminder though.
Click to expand...
That's really horrible, I know they can't help what gets picked up in the field but it makes you wonder what could be in the hay.
 
Critter said:
I once found chicken bones and feathers in a bag of hay, I recon it had been part of a wing, perhaps a victim to a fox. Anyhow it had got gathered in with the hay!
View attachment 35107

I'm not sure what those pods are @piggieminder though.
Click to expand...

I think a chicken died when he gotten the hay cutting machine and the bones and feathers got through the cutting machine and into one of the bags were it was packaged put in the store and then you got it and then you found them.
 
I would hate to find bones in my hay! It would really put me off putting my hand in the bag! And thank you for the heads up on the hay from the range! I buy there's as a 'inbetween' hay when I run low on my hay for pets hay. I'll keep an eye out in the future
 
The hay came from a local farm and they have a deal in our local small pet shop. It is lovely, fresh and green and soft but I don't use it anymore after finding more than one 'thing' in it. I think the chicken remains were as @piggieminder says, picked up from the field, due to looking like the flesh had been eaten.
 
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