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!