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Old 05-20-2007, 08:46 AM   #1
Jane
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Default What wood to use?

Hey

I've asked this on various forums before but never really got any answers.

If I was to make say an extra level or toys or something out of wood what type of wood do you think I should use?

I've been thinking about this for months now so thought I'd ask here. Someone suggested no soft wood and only hard wood...people on a german forum said that they use birch and poplar plywood over there, but I've not had look finding any.

Do you think it would be okay just to use any wood which hasn't been treated? I'm running out of ideas, and would love to make something for Charlie (and future ham).

Thanks
Jane
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Old 05-20-2007, 01:49 PM   #2
Animalover
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Default

WOODS THAT ARE SAFE

Cottonwood
Apple
Willow (BUT stick with Goat, Weeping or Pussy Willow)
Pear
Mulberry
Crab-apple
Hazelnut
Dogwoods
Chinese Dogwood
Horse Apple
Kiwi
Pine (kiln dried & untreated with preservatives etc)
Bamboo
Grape
Manzanita
Hawthorn (although safe thorns are best removed before use)
Magnolia
Pecan



Birch- several varieties are safe, White, grey, broadleaf, silver and common birch wood are regarded as safe to use.
But others can be quite dangerous, so if in doubt it’s best left alone. The Leaves and bark contain salicylates and substances with haemolytic properties (destroy red blood cells). Salicylate concentrations are however very low
Quince

Loquat

Medlar

Rowanberry

Larch

Chinese Gooseberry

Longan

Lychee

Magnolia

Oak (Bark is safe and is used in remedies and as a treat for various small mammals)

Alderberry (red and white)

Ribbonwood

Poplar

Aspen

Ash (be careful of the seeds as they contain small quantities of hydrogen cyanide)

Elm

Sycamore

Cottonwood

Arbutus

Sickle bush (sekelbos)

Limetree - (Tiliaceae) other names- Linden and Basswood, is regarded as a safe wood to use.


Woods that are generally regarded as unsafe

Apricot

Alder Buckworth wood (bird cherry)- fresh bark is a purgative so best avoided

Cashew

Clematis
Cedar (including litter cedar shavings)
Cherry
All Citrus woods such as orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime (and stone)
Elderberry bushes
Chestnut
Eucalyptus
Spruce
Fir
Aralia Spinosa ( Devil's walking stick or Hercules’ club)
Juniper
FRESH CUT Pine (Mainly USA,see note in safe woods)
Walnut
Rosewood
Black locust
Maple
Blackwood
Almond
Mahogany
Plum
Cherry

Rambutan


Boxwood

Box Elder

Chinese snake tree (very poisonous to humans)

Cypress

Ebony

Greenheart

Ginko

Hemlock

Hydrangea

Iroko

Hornbeam

Katon

Laurel

Maple

Myrtle

Obeche

Ramin

Rhodedendron

Satinwood

Sandlewood

Sneezewood

Teak

Wenge

Yew

Pulasan

Poison Oak

Poison Ivy

Tallow

All redwoods


OTHER TOXIC WOODS ARE MAN-MADE BOARD’S such as Chipboard, Plywood, Block board, Fibreboard (MDF), Hardboard, etc, as the glues used to bind the boards are toxic.
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Old 05-21-2007, 01:01 AM   #3
lau200
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it's best to get untreated wood incase they chew it!
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Old 05-30-2015, 08:49 AM   #4
VioletandMe
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Default Re: What wood to use?

Hi,
Violet has been really stressed with her pet shop cage, so I plan to build her a wooden cage with shelves and plastikote it. The only problem is, I plan to build it out of pine but we can't find any pine except for Scandinavian Redwood Pine. I know Redwoods have been mentioned as toxic but I was wondering if this one was safe? It looks like regular pine and I can't find an answer anywhere else.
Many thanks,
Amber
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Old 05-31-2015, 10:49 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What wood to use?

I think Rubberwood is good too - I've seen a few things made of Rubberwood including the Living World Eco Habitat. If you're just wanting to make wood items for the cage though it's probably just easier to use kiln dried untreated pine. It should be available from big hardware stores. Actually there are some quite good wood houses you can buy. The one I have comes in 3 different sizes and has no nails. I got the guinea pig sized one for Charlie and it's nicely finished and not too expensive. The Hamster sized one is quite small and probably only suitable for a dwarf.

Wooden House for Guinea Pigs, 28 × 16 × 18 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

The door is quite big so I put a bendy stick bridge over it which makes it dark inside and a bit like a mini labyrinth.

VioletandMe - if you are thinking of building a cage out of wood, I would have a look on ebay - I've seen all kinds of fairly cheap furniture made out of solid oak - sideboards and cabinets with doors, that could be converted and you'd have good hardwood at a good price. They'd probably need sanding down though to get rid of any polish.
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Old 07-12-2015, 01:12 PM   #6
Snowlover
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Default Re: What wood to use?

Hello!
I'm afraid I'm still rather unclear about some of the DIY creations and would love some help. There are SO many fantastic cages and habitats displayed here and I am inspired to try my hand at something!

I'm confused about what types of wood are OK or not, though. For example, I know pine is a big no-no (especially as bedding, but I've read that even the kiln-dried, non-treated type still contains the acid that is hazardous), yet most of the manufactured hamster houses available online or in stores are made of pine. How is this OK? Or is it?

I've seen so many awesome creations using popsicle sticks and/or IKEA Knuff boxes, but both of these are made from birch (I think), which is listed above in this thread as also being unsafe.

Finally, I've read many places about folks using Plastikote to finish their DIY creations, but is this really necessary? I know that the wood will eventually get too dirty and need to be tossed, but I've always had wooden houses that we just scrub lightly with water and a bit of dish soap or vinegar, then let dry before putting back in the cage and they seem to last long enough.

I can't seem to find anywhere a Plastikote that is labeled as "water-based", but it would seem to me that any type of finish would be potentially worse to chew on for a hammie than just the bare wood. Or is the Plastikote somehow better for chewing on than the hazardous woods of pine and birch?

At least with the help of the search engine and the experts here, I think I've figured out the safest compound for holding it all together - Elmer's, yes?

Thank you!
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Old 09-21-2017, 02:22 AM   #7
Nimal
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Default Re: What wood to use?

is casuarina wood safe for hamsters?
I am going to make bendy bridges out of that wood as i dont get it here.
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Old 09-21-2017, 03:27 AM   #8
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What wood to use?

Hi. I just answered on your other thread
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Old 02-02-2018, 01:05 PM   #9
Arnold Syrian Ham
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Default Re: What wood to use?

Thats a lengthy list. but no where can you find just planks of these safe woods? anyone care to elaborate on places to get these! Im struggling and only able to find white wood red wood, soft wood and hard wood...these woods can be made of several different woods some safe some not and no where does it state exactly what species of wood it is just the potential most common ones within that range of wood. so...how do I find these safe woods exactly?
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Old 02-03-2018, 02:22 AM   #10
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What wood to use?

Easiest option is just plain untreated pine From hardward store. Pine wood in large pieces is not an issue like pine shavings (which are shaved and have more surface area overall). If you then paint it with plastikote it helps seal it a bit and also makes it wipeable. Plastikote water based enamel paint has virtually no odour and is pet safe A couple of coats helps it to be wipe clean.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It comes in different colours too.
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