Styrofoam safe?

[JohannSebastianRat]

Can I give my rats styrofoam containers to play with?  Is that safe?  How about containers that had take out food from a restaurant and still have some food left on them?  Will the rats try to eat the styrofoam because it tastes good?  Or will they just lick it, or just love to have something to play with?

Mike

[Scubbs]

No.

Styrofoam isn't biodegradable, let alone digestible.   Never give anything styrofoam related to any animal.  Ever.

If you want toys for your rats, I suggest a trip to your local pet store.  Hanging bird toys are great.  As are large soft hammocks.

[JohannSebastianRat]

Okay.  I've been reading about many toy ideas and tried some of them, so it's not like "styrofoam" is the only idea I have for giving them a toy.

Mike

[BranwenR]

Warning-Hypothesis ahead  Do not take as gospel truth or flame author

I just wanted to toss a more general idea in here.  Consider the rat's age before giving an object as a toy.  Young rats, who are learning what "food" is, aren't going to recognize that the couch cushion/kleenex/carpet fibers etc.  is not food.  They  haven't formed the definition of it, that an older rat has.  And since rats try eating new things very cautiously, in part based on cues from other rats,  an older rat hopefully won't consider "eating" something they ought not. 

Now chewing and tearing to pieces- that's a different story...

[Dearpie]

There are those cornstarch 'stryrofoam' packing pieces, that would be ok for the rats to play in!  Mine get nervous, but most other rats really enjoy tunneling in them.  If they lick/eat them, they're made of cornstarch and just dissolve. 

[Ssorca19]

yup, i was gonna suggest those too... we fight over them when we get a package at work thats been packed in those! lol... the rats seem to have a great time with them as well!

[weloveratties]

Where do you get those? I think my boys would go nuts in them!!

[JohannSebastianRat]

No.

Styrofoam isn't biodegradable, let alone digestible.   Never give anything styrofoam related to any animal.  Ever.

If you want toys for your rats, I suggest a trip to your local pet store.  Hanging bird toys are great.  As are large soft hammocks.

Hang on, by that reasoning shouldn't we also not give them PVC or ABS pipe, or plastic igloos?  And wood isn't digestible either, except by termites.  I thought that plastic things were safe because rats don't swallow what they chew on.  Is that true?  Does this reasoning apply to styrofoam?

Mike

[Adventure Rats]

No.

Styrofoam isn't biodegradable, let alone digestible.   Never give anything styrofoam related to any animal.  Ever.

If you want toys for your rats, I suggest a trip to your local pet store.  Hanging bird toys are great.  As are large soft hammocks.

Hang on, by that reasoning shouldn't we also not give them PVC or ABS pipe, or plastic igloos?  And wood isn't digestible either, except by termites.  I thought that plastic things were safe because rats don't swallow what they chew on.  Is that true?  Does this reasoning apply to styrofoam?

Mike

Your right, when they chew they do not swollow what it is they chewing on. There is a little flap that stops them from swallowing stuff like that. Personally if you have found something they will enjoy that is made out of styrofoam I'd use it while supervising. I let my guys play in packing peanuts, who knows if there cornstarch...doubt it. I just watch to make sure nobody thinks it's food.

 

Warning-Hypothesis ahead  Do not take as gospel truth or flame author

I just wanted to toss a more general idea in here.  Consider the rat's age before giving an object as a toy.  Young rats, who are learning what "food" is, aren't going to recognize that the couch cushion/kleenex/carpet fibers etc.  is not food.  They  haven't formed the definition of it, that an older rat has.  And since rats try eating new things very cautiously, in part based on cues from other rats,  an older rat hopefully won't consider "eating" something they ought not. 

Now chewing and tearing to pieces- that's a different story...

I like this Hypothesis...makes a lot of sense to me. I know my current foster babies think EVERYTHING is food, but my older kids don't care oneor another, unless it's fun to chew to peices. I've NEVER had a rat eat something they weren't suppose to...now chew it up is another story!!!

[ratmomma]

Quit being a smart alek...

styrofoam is inhaleable.

[ratzrkool]

Sometimes I do give my ratties food container. I put it in the cage and watch them freak out and lick, lick, lick, lick, and when the container has been cleaned I take it right out so they don't destroy it or eat or whatever.  And thoes cornstarch peanuts are awsome. I do have one rat, though, who will "eat" any we give her. I don't know why the others just play with them. We stopped giving them to Fink to play with after she ater 5 in a row and showed no signs of stopping.