Wire mesh, is it safe

[Lord Trellis]

So I've been thinking about galvanized wire mesh a lot and possible health problems it could give a rabbit if a rabbit was to chew on it. Sometimes my bunnies will pull at the wire mesh, Lucky for example will tug at it to let me know he needs new hay to eat. I'm just thinking about heavy metals that could be bad for a bunny if ingested.

I have read that wire mesh is perfectly safe to use around rabbits but where its indoors to its not weathered and may contain heavy metals. I've used it in various places around the home.

I thought about making a hay feeding rack out of some wire mesh but I scrapped the idea because of possible dangers with metal poisoning. Its always best to be safe rather than sorry no matter how ridiculous something may sound.

Is galvanized wire mesh safe?

 

[InspectorMorse]

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/toxico...imals?autoredirectid=14448&ruleredirectid=400

 

[Shimmer]

I think we all use wire mesh for small furries. I prefer galvanised mesh to plastic coated as it provides a much more stable surface. Ingestion is only likely if pieces are actually eaten, rather than the odd tooth contact or via surface contact with hay. Non-galvanised mesh or plastic coated mesh is more likely to result in bits of rust or plastic coming off and being accidentally ingested. Other forms of plastic are also a hazard if they are chewed.

If you are really worried, you could make a wooden hay dispenser using dowelling on the front of a wooden box with a hinged lid, for instance.

Zinc poisoning is usually from ingestion of solid metal articles (eg US pennies quoted in the article above) or from unsuitable pasture. We used to have loads of issues stopping farmers from using reclaimed coal spoil heaps which had been returned to grassland using limed sewage sludge. The grass grew really well (hence the farmers being so keen), but the grass was monitored monthly until the heavy metal uptake (copper, nickel, zinc, lead, cadmium) went down to normal levels, which was probably a couple of years or so. The fields were meant for recreational use, not pasture. This is a really specialist application - normal hay fields are not on reclaimed coal spoil so don't have this issue.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I think we all use wire mesh for small furries. I prefer galvanised mesh to plastic coated as it provides a much more stable surface. Ingestion is only likely if pieces are actually eaten, rather than the odd tooth contact or via surface contact with hay. Non-galvanised mesh or plastic coated mesh is more likely to result in bits of rust or plastic coming off and being accidentally ingested. Other forms of plastic are also a hazard if they are chewed.

If you are really worried, you could make a wooden hay dispenser using dowelling on the front of a wooden box with a hinged lid, for instance.

Zinc poisoning is usually from ingestion of solid metal articles (eg US pennies quoted in the article above) or from unsuitable pasture. We used to have loads of issues stopping farmers from using reclaimed coal spoil heaps which had been returned to grassland using limed sewage sludge. The grass grew really well (hence the farmers being so keen), but the grass was monitored monthly until the heavy metal uptake (copper, nickel, zinc, lead, cadmium) went down to normal levels, which was probably a couple of years or so. The fields were meant for recreational use, not pasture. This is a really specialist application - normal hay fields are not on reclaimed coal spoil so don't have this issue.

I thought I would ask just encase it was a big no no. I'll build the hay rack in that case from wire mesh and some pieces of wood, it shouldn't take me too long to do. A lot of the grocery stores have moved or are moving to plastic baskets and getting rid of there metal ones which are stainless steel so there might be a chance I could get couple of those to make into some hay racks but for now I'll knock something up with wire mesh and wood.

I like recreational grounds... a lot were used as rubbish dumps back in the Victorian times. I've dug up lots of cool stuff over the years.

 

[Shimmer]

You could also look at the gardening section of eg Wilko for hanging baskets and similar. Just make sure that the rabbits can't sit in an open basket, just in case they get legs caught in the mesh - so hang them so the top can't be accessed, or make a lid. Quick, cheap hay baskets.