Toy Ideas Please

[vickyjhnsn]

Hi everyone... So its going to be a long winter and I HATE caging these guys up for so long so I want to make the best out of it. Can you more experienced people give me some ideas on toys that are safe that I can put in with them? I have stuffed animals in with them but they don't seem to care too much about them. I've looked at toys at the pet store, just not sure what a squirrel will play with and what is safe. The pet store toys can get expensive so before I buy them, wanted to make sure it will work. I thought where better to find this information out then here.

I have six now. Jack and Jill (about 16 weeks), Pat and Kat (about 9 - 10 weeks), and Alvin (6 weeks) and Felix (Can't keep track)...... Thought that information would help.

Thanks in advance.

[SammysMom]

I am shocked that they aren't interested in stuffies! Maybe some parrot toys that hang from the top of the cage? Do you have one of the boas and/or hammocks? A whole lot of time is spent swinging from the boa and hopping in and out of the hammock in Sammy's cage. I got them both from Jackie in Tampa who makes wonderful cage gear! :thumbsup He especially loves a small stuffed soccer ball that he pounces on and rolls around with.

[vickyjhnsn]

I am shocked that they aren't interested in stuffies! Maybe some parrot toys that hang from the top of the cage? Do you have one of the boas and/or hammocks? A whole lot of time is spent swinging from the boa and hopping in and out of the hammock in Sammy's cage. I got them both from Jackie in Tampa who makes wonderful cage gear! :thumbsup He especially loves a small stuffed soccer ball that he pounces on and rolls around with.

Thanks SammysMom. I like the boa. I had no idea what it was so I typed it in google - boa for squirrels - and Henry's came up. Cute. Definitely going to get one for each cage. I thought of the stuffed balls, I've seen them. I will try that too. My son has a few laying around the house that I can use. I have the hammocks but they just lay in them. I will try the little balls. Thanks.

[Mavrycs Mommy]

Mavryc has cat balls with the jingle bells inside that he LOVES he hasnt chewed up a single one (all though i know that some people on the board have tried these just to have their munchkin shred it minutes later) i also plan on buying these long cylinder animals that have a bells for bodies from the baby dept. at walmart theyre designed to to hook to a crib so i figured they'd be great for cage bars!!!

chickenmom gave me a great idea last night as well!!! you take a toilet paper tube and put a few nuts inside then tape both ends shut i was a bit nervous about the tape and which kinds would be safe to use so i sewed fleece around one this morning and Mavryc had a BLAST it took him about an hour to get the nuts it was so funny to watch (although im not sure i should be encouraging him to chew holes in his fleece :poke :dono ) and someone else on the board (cant remember who) told me to offer a roll of TP so i used a bird perch that came with my cage and loaded the TP on there so he couldnt move the whole roll and that was HILARIOUS to watch!!!!! then we opened the cage door and he had the stuff strung everywhere (so maybe not a WHOLE roll next time :rotfl )

i especially enjoy the last two because not only was Mavryc entertained i was also thoroughly enjoying myself :jump

[Sweet Simon's Mommy]

Here is Simon with his new toy Daddy gave him, and boy was he MAD when Mommy took it away, I was afraid he would swollow a piece of the plastic liner, he was really going to town on this

[vickyjhnsn]

Wow a lot of great ideas. Glad I posted. I have a bunch of clips to hang stuff on the cage I got from a cage that was given to me so I can get inventive. I put a shoelace hanging and they did play with that, sort of like cats.

Thanks and the picture is just adorable. What is everyone's opinion on a plastic ball made for infants to chew on. I figure if the plastic says its not toxic to humans it is ok for them. I have so many of these toys from my son when he was a baby. I see them chew up the syringes and they spit the plastic out.

I hope this gives others ways to entertain.

Thanks again.

[Mavrycs Mommy]

i know that its okay for pet rats to chew on plastic because since they have a constant need to chew this is from thedapperrat.com "most things are safe for rats to chew as their mouths are designed not to ingest gnawed fragments"

i would assume squirrels are similar

[astra]

i know that its okay for pet rats to chew on plastic because since they have a constant need to chew this is from thedapperrat.com "most things are safe for rats to chew as their mouths are designed not to ingest gnawed fragments"

i would assume squirrels are similar
yes, yet, honestly, guys, I'd be extra careful (sorry, maybe, it's just the OCD worrywart in me:) ), but I would avoid plastic toys, even when it says they are "safe" (how many times have there been recalls of different toys and stuff, even though they were considered safe initially?)

Honestly, I would not let a human baby chew on plastic toys either for the same possible toxicity reasons ( I know they chew, but I'd be as much in control of that as possible)...

I'd think that chewing wood would be a bit different from chewing plastic at least because 1) wood is safer 2) they are naturally (genetically) designed to chew wood, while plastic has a completely different texture
...then, wood is organic matter, so even if they ingest tiniest particles, perhaps, being organic matter, they are not as harmful and easier processed than plastic shreds... don't know...:dono :thinking

... and even with wood, just not so long ago there was a little squirrel here and we could not figure out what was wrong with her, until she pooped and in the poop out came a long (don't remember how many inches, but something like a needle) wood splinter. How she ingested it we'll never know, but that's something to be aware of...:thinking

so-o-o, guys, I don't know... :thinking :dono
yeah, they chew and they chew everything inside the house, plastic or not, but... I'd avoid plastic chewables as much as possible...
but again, it could be the OCD worrywart talking in me, so...:thinking

[Mavrycs Mommy]

:dono better safe than sorry i suppose! thankfully Mavryc doesnt chew his cat balls or his stuffies!!! (well if you dont count the orange stuffie... he hates orange :thinking )

[vickyjhnsn]

My babies have been chewing on the plastic syringes for a long time. They spit it out. I can't do nothing about that. Felix wont drink out of a bowl and the only way I can get him to eat is to let him chew away. Today I let him keep the syringe because he would not give it back to me and it was cute how he was yelling at me and pulling it out of my hand. Who could argue with that :dono . He hid it in his cage. Gatta go back and get it. I really don't think they would swallow it. At this age, I think they know better. Maybe under 8 weeks is not good. They climb on me and chew my clothes apart and spit it out. Sweet too huh?

I'll start off with the things that hang on their cages and the cloth balls. I already put some toys in and it seems to help. Thanks everyone.

[UDoWhat]

I give my squirrels all kinds of klneex (tissue) boxes to play with they love them. First take the plastic off of the box around the top (the part that keeps the klneex in) . It comes off easily. They hide stuff in them. Now, they tear them up in a day or so but have such fun while they last. I use all kinds of boxes for my squirrels . Even cereal boxes with the plastic fresh pack taken out. Also give your squirrel a TP roll with a few yards of paper left on it. Oh what fun it is!! :jump

Marty

[cam]

chickenmom gave me a great idea last night as well!!! you take a toilet paper tube and put a few nuts inside then tape both ends shut i was a bit nervous about the tape and which kinds would be safe to use so i sewed fleece around one this morning and Mavryc had a BLAST it took him about an hour to get the nuts it was so funny to watch (although im not sure i should be encouraging him to chew holes in his fleece :poke :dono )

I have started doing the exact same thing, but instead of tape or fleece, i have been using newspaper, put the nuts in first, then scrunch up some newspaper and bung the ends and then i roll it in more newspaper and twist both the ends (like xmas crackers) m girl loves ripping into them :)

also i have got a cardboard bow, filled it with shreaded newspaper, tp roll and tp tubes then throw in some food and she will spend ages rummaging to find the food :) and it is even a good sleeping place, she is in there at the moment and has been for like 2 hours :)

[Mavrycs Mommy]

I have started doing the exact same thing, but instead of tape or fleece, i have been using newspaper, put the nuts in first, then scrunch up some newspaper and bung the ends and then i roll it in more newspaper and twist both the ends (like xmas crackers) m girl loves ripping into them :)

also i have got a cardboard bow, filled it with shreaded newspaper, tp roll and tp tubes then throw in some food and she will spend ages rummaging to find the food :) and it is even a good sleeping place, she is in there at the moment and has been for like 2 hours :)

thats so funny because Mavryc has a dig box with fleece stips tp and tp tubes!!!!! great minds? :jump

[vickyjhnsn]

thats so funny because Mavryc has a dig box with fleece stips tp and tp tubes!!!!! great minds? :jump

I just took some fleece and cut strips and tied them together and hung them from the top of the cage. The baby, Alvin, is just having a ball with them. He is climbing on them and batting at them. Its a start. Felix is playing with them too. Cannot find the balls that my son has. I'm trying to be creative until I get out of the house and get to the store. This idea was a big hit with them so far.

I'll try the toilet paper tubes. They are too young for nuts but I can put alvacados or something in there they like.

The "dig box" is a cute idea. Thanks