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Dog crate shelf U/D MDF poisonous?!?

L

Lib_n_bunny

Wise Old Thumper
Hiya, I've got a 36" dog crate for a mini lop and a medium lop, and I'm looking at adding a shelf to it to increase the floor space. I've looked at the sticky in the reference section:
shelf1.jpg


(I kno the instructions are for a 42" crate)
I just wanted to ask, what's the hole at the front of the shelf for? i.e. the one at the back is at the top of the ramp. Sorry if this is a stupid question!
 
Last edited:
racheld69 said:
:wave: do you mean the hole so the rabbit can get onto the shelf at the top of the ramp?
Click to expand...

No, sorry, I mustn't have explained properly :oops: in the picture you can see a squareish hole towards the back that's at the top of the ramp - that's the one so the rabbit can get onto the shelf. Then, at the front, where the open door is, there's a curved hole. That's the one that I want to know why it's there and if it's necessary.

Thanks! :)
 
Ah right, okay, that's great!

Ooh, while we're on the topic, my dad's making it and wants to know what to seal the wood with, he says it'll get manky without some kind of coating. Anyone either got a suggestion, or had their shelf a long time without it going manky? He reckons anything that says child safe should be fine?
 
Apparently MDF is constructed with glues that when worn down to a dust (i.e. either by sawing, chewing) is poisonous to inhale. My fiance's an engineer and that's what they told him at college. Surely this means it's not safe for use with bunnies? :shock:
 
Lots of people line their wood hutches and shelves with linoleum instead of sealing them, but only if you can keep the edges from being chewed, which with this kind of shelf would be difficult, I'd think. Fitting it with a blanket or carpet tacked down is another idea and can be put over the edges after sealing or putting down linoleum. Expect to need to remove and clean it periodically, so don't make it too permanantly fixed on.
 
I've used the design on here for my rabbit, to be honest the only thing he's chewed are the wooden batons that hold up the shelf and shown no interest in the MDF whatsoever - and he normally chews everything in sight!
 
I was told by someone on here that mdf is poisonous. I've taken the precaution of covering the shelf with some pine slats but I've not noticed any ill effects and they've had it for two years. I learnt in woodwork class that it's when it's released as a dust it's harmful to lungs. Hence you're supposed to wear a mask when sawing it.

I don't have any coating on my shelf. They're not so expensive that they can't be replaced I guess.

I think the front hole is for aesthetics. I followed it for the first shelf, but for the second I covered the top up completely.
 
MDF dust is dangerous to humans when inhaled, I believe it is linked to the developement of cancerous cells. I dont know what effects it would have on a rabbit or it ingested though :?
 
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