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Old 04-17-2022, 06:46 AM   #11
cloudy
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

Quote:
Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams View Post
Hamster chews, at least ones not made with harmful paints which almost definitely exist considering how little safety regulations there often are with pet products let alone ones for small animals, would be dyed using synthetic food dyes. It may not be ideal for those wanting to stick to more natural substances(like myself) in general but it's a lot better than risking a hamster ingesting things like plastic from "non toxic" acrylic paints and such!

The Protek Tough Coat for example doesn't give a thorough ingredients list, however it does state it's water based acrylic. While that wouldn't necessarily be a problem with hamsters that don't chew on their cage, there is always the risk of ingestion with any plastic based product(including other popular waterproofing methods used here). It's definitely something to keep in mind for hamster safety, plus coatings can and often will inevitably chip to varying degrees which again adds to the risk of ingestion of plastics in particular.

One huge thing I would always say though - baby or general "pet safe" do NOT automatically equate to 100% hamster safe. Different species have different safety issues with certain substances and hamsters are no exception, especially when we think about things humans very commonly consume for example of which there are plenty that would be harmful to hamsters whether unhealthy or even outright toxic to them. Plus, I've seen a seemingly endless variety of "pet safe" products which very often have huge safety issues so just because something is marketed as pet safe doesn't mean it really is.
Thank you for sharing this with me. It is very difficult to find hamster safe things it seems. Which wood sealant do you use if you are painting a wooden enclosure?
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:08 AM   #12
Ria P
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

It's a shame that manufacturers of wooden hamster cages don't give people the option to purchase a made to measure, plastic tray insert.
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:10 AM   #13
cloudy
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
It's a shame that manufacturers of wooden hamster cages don't give people the option to purchase a made to measure, plastic tray insert.
That would be a good idea. I am going to order this:
Pet-Safe Wood Sealer

The company use it along with their wooden cages.
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:15 AM   #14
Ria P
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by cloudy View Post
That would be a good idea. I am going to order this:
Pet-Safe Wood Sealer

The company use it along with their wooden cages.
That sounds like a safe bet to me.
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:16 AM   #15
cloudy
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
That sounds like a safe bet to me.
Thank you, Ria.
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:23 AM   #16
Ria P
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

Has your enclosure arrived?

I'm so looking forward to see it once all set up and ready for your new family member to move in.
And then to meet your new friend!

I think the whole forum is getting excited with you.
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Old 04-17-2022, 07:27 AM   #17
cloudy
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
Has your enclosure arrived?

I'm so looking forward to see it once all set up and ready for your new family member to move in.
And then to meet your new friend!

I think the whole forum is getting excited with you.
That is so sweet of you to say! Thank you so much. It is due on Friday. I cannot wait too. I am really nervous about how to set everything up and will be asking for lots of advice. Hehe.
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Old 04-17-2022, 05:19 PM   #18
sushi_78
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

I use Mod Podge sometimes. It takes 4 or 5 coats and then needs a couple of weeks to cure, so it's not as convenient as Plastikote but it is cheaper.

I've also used a clear toy-safe varnish and a couple of toy-safe gloss paints. I suppose everyone has different risk thresholds but I looked into each one and couldn't find any cause for concern. Paints always have safety data sheets available which give information the ingredients and potential toxicity. I don't believe there's actually anything unique about Plastikote that makes it safe, it's just popular (and overpriced).
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Old 04-18-2022, 02:31 AM   #19
cloudy
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by sushi_78 View Post
I use Mod Podge sometimes. It takes 4 or 5 coats and then needs a couple of weeks to cure, so it's not as convenient as Plastikote but it is cheaper.

I've also used a clear toy-safe varnish and a couple of toy-safe gloss paints. I suppose everyone has different risk thresholds but I looked into each one and couldn't find any cause for concern. Paints always have safety data sheets available which give information the ingredients and potential toxicity. I don't believe there's actually anything unique about Plastikote that makes it safe, it's just popular (and overpriced).
Thank you for sharing that. I agree plastikote is over priced.
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Old 04-18-2022, 12:20 PM   #20
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Safe wood sealant

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Originally Posted by cloudy View Post
That would be a good idea. I am going to order this:
Pet-Safe Wood Sealer

The company use it along with their wooden cages.
That looks an interesting option I would still test it on something first. When it says low VOC and water based that doesn't mean it won't stink to high heaven! I've had some issues with paints for the house like that. When they are low VOC they can sometimes have a lot more ammonia in (ended up with a wall smelling of cat pee! I had to scrub it all off again, seal it and paint it with something else).

I agree you need to be careful what to use. There have been varying views about using Cuprinol garden shades as well - and it is acrylic - have used it on our fence - it has a kind of plasticky feel afterwards. It's probably ok as long as it isn't chewed - but that's what we don't know - unless it's something that can't easily be chewed like a flat base.

When I first joined here, people used to use the spray on plastikote for larger items (needs to be done outdoors though or you'll end up with it on everything). That then needs time for the smell to wear off.

The small pots of plastikote do work out expensive if you need to cover a large area but one pot does go quite a long way. Four pots would only be about £16 and should give two coats on a vary large area.

What is it you're painting?
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