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Building a hutch- What wood can I use?- Still don't know!

T

toffeepudding

Banned
If i was to make something for my rabbit what wood would be appropriate if he could chew it. What is safe? I want to make a second level in my wire cage and i few other toy things.

Also what is safe to put them together. Nails? Screws? Nothing wrong with them?
 
Any untreated wood is safe for rabbits to chew. Nails and screws are both safe as well. When I built my runs I used untreated pine and some screws to hold the frame together.

Hope to have helped!
 
toffeepudding said:
Any specifics? I'm a DIY DUMMY. I wanted to use MDF but i heard somewhere that it wasn't safe is this true?
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Our dog crate shelf is made out of MDF, my dad suggested we use this as it won't harm the buns if they chew it - my dad is a carpenter so I trust him! We try to use screws rather than nails as they're safer and more secure.

My O/H and my dad had a shelf making workshop whilst we were home over christmas :D , we now have three new shelves to a slightly different design (one for use, one spare and one for Lee/Cord :D ) and a new way to attach the ramp. :D Very lucky buns!
 
Just make sure the wood has not got old paint on it or it is leaded paint. I'm not sure about the leaded bit because i read it some where.

Is there an info page on wood in the rabbit rehome?
 
I would avoid lead paint, no longer legal to be sold, but can still be found on old stuff. It is toxic, even to humans!
 
Yeah i would buy the stuff new from a hardware store so i don't have to worry about that and I'm not too fussed on painting it either. Thank you for your help. I'm off to buy MDF I like it coz it's cheap and easy to get and comes in alot of different thickenesses
 
toffeepudding said:
Yeah i would buy the stuff new from a hardware store so i don't have to worry about that and I'm not too fussed on painting it either. Thank you for your help. I'm off to buy MDF I like it coz it's cheap and easy to get and comes in alot of different thickenesses
Click to expand...

If you do want to treat it to make it last longer use polyeurathane (sorry can't spell it) varnish, couple of coats will protect the shelf and help it to last, and as long as you leave it to dry properly it won't harm the buns either.
 
Anna Wrote
I would avoid lead paint, no longer legal to be sold, but can still be found on old stuff. It is toxic, even to humans!
Click to expand...

Yeah thats what i meant :oops: :oops: . I never get my facts right. :oops: :roll: :roll:
 
MDF- I asked my dad and he said that MDF is highly highly highly toxic even to humans. This is becuase it made of special stuff and its not a natural wood.

Untreated pine- I thought that pine was bad for rabbits???? Isn't that why you shouldn't use shavings????

Anyomore suggestions so far i still dont have a wood i can use.
 
I'm going to the hardware store to look at my options. I may go with untreated pine cause isn't that also what most of the bunnys sheds are made out of??? I'm just scared it might hurt him if he eats it after reading all that stuff on pine shavings.
 
I'd agree about avoiding mdf - natural untreated pine will be fine - the only reason wood shavings are to be avoided is because of the phenols they give off, which is the 'nice pine smell' - it can build up in a rabbit's liver and make it more difficult if it needs anaesthetics as these affect the liver too.

However a pine shelf won't give off as much phenols as it's solid - and it won't be poisonous if it's chewed - And many people use compressed pine cat litter pellets anyway, because of the nice smell.
 
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