Is Birch A Safe Wood?

[Nienna]

I bought a box of paint-stirring sticks and it says they are made of birch wood. I've never read anything about birch in relation to small rodents, just pine and cedar being big no-no's. Does birch also produce phenols? Is it all right for a hamster to chew on it?

[Artisans_uk]

I don't know much either, Nienna but I know that Bracken has a treat in her cage that is a ring of birch wood filled with seeds etc. Oh and Aspen had a birch log that was filled with seeds and things too.

These are the birch ring treats:-

Birchwood treats

[Nienna]

I suppose I can assume the sticks will be fine, then.
That site has really great stuff! Makes me wish I was on the right side of the pond. (Though I don't have any money anyway.)

[BrainGirl]

Birch is ok as long as it hasn't been treated with anything. If you feel comfortable identifying trees and plants you can always go out and harvest your own to save some money. Just be sure to scrub them well in hot water and bake in a slow oven (about 200-250F for an hour)

[cypher]

There are quite a few things made from birch for hams, I have some & they're fine.

[Artisans_uk]

Originally Posted by BrainGirl

Birch is ok as long as it hasn't been treated with anything. If you feel comfortable identifying trees and plants you can always go out and harvest your own to save some money. Just be sure to scrub them well in hot water and bake in a slow oven (about 200-250F for an hour)

Oven baking gives any bugs inside a crunchy texture! Hehe

Seriously though, anyone harvesting their own wood certainly need to take the precautions to kill off anything that might be living inside the wood, and let's face it, the probability that it has inhabitants is pretty high.

[Pebbles82]

Birch is a hardwood so it should be fine. It's the softwoods that are high in phenols.

[BrainGirl]

Originally Posted by Artisans_uk

Oven baking gives any bugs inside a crunchy texture! Hehe

Seriously though, anyone harvesting their own wood certainly need to take the precautions to kill off anything that might be living inside the wood, and let's face it, the probability that it has inhabitants is pretty high.

I have it on good authority that wood lice are a delicacy

[Artisans_uk]

Originally Posted by BrainGirl

I have it on good authority that wood lice are a delicacy

Haha BG - I'll take your word on that one but remember it when I'm out of other treats.