WILLOW BALLS & DRAGONGRASS MATS from Pier One NOT SAFE

[maherwoman]

One other thing...what do we do if we find outour bun has been consuming something that has beenfumigated?? Do we now need to take them in for a checkup??

 

[maherwoman]

Ok, just got off the phone with a rep there atPier One, and she said that the dragongrass mats are definitelyfumigates, as they are one of the products that comes over fromChina. She said that EVERY natural product that comes overfrom China gets fumigated...no exceptions.

So...my question still stands...do I need to take Maisie in now?? I'll be replacing her mats today...

I guess when all's said and done, getting the mats and accessories specifically designed for animals is the best bet, eh?

 

[Just Jack]

considering these have been thought to be safefor a long while, I believe it is akin to using pine and cedarbedding. most likely it is not going to make them sick rightoff the bat but prolonged use can cause health problems in the future.

but this is just a guess and I would hardly consider myself an expert

 

[maherwoman]

To let you guys know...I posted something aboutthis at RU, so the bun-lovers there can know as well. I don'tknow if there are any Pier One's abroad, but it's worth posting for theAmerican members there!!

 

[bbgrl20]

Wow, good thing Mocha wasn't really fond of the willow balls!!!

 

[2bunmom]

Go to the website CritterStore.com.They sell grass balls and matts. They also sell a lot ofother rabbit supplies. I have beenbuyingsupplies for my rabbits from them and the prices are alot less than the pet store. For some items they have been adollar or more less than in the pet shops. They have beenvery prompt when sending my items, it usually takes 4 businessdays. Things come in good condition and they sendfree items too. I have been very happy with everythingthatI have ordered from them. Hope thishelps. Beckie

 

[manda]

oh yeah, critterstore is great. but i know something better

www.rabbitcentral.com

its ran by the same people so you still get the same great service withlots more rabbit supplies and not having to worry about other small petsupplies to scroll through

 

[aurora369]

Okay, when I talked to the customerrepresentative she said the Dragon grass matts = no good. butthe MAIZE mats, which are supposed to be smaller (they didn't have anyat that location) are okay. The MAIZE mats are organic, and Iguess made in USA as she said they are not fumigated.

--Dawn

 

[Just Jack]

Do you have the item number for the maizeones? I haven't had much luck in finding any maize mats justmaize baskets which were from China as well.

 

[Just Jack]

shipping always kills me with those online petstores. I know they only charge you according to what UPScharges but UPS is expensive!

 

[m.e.]

Yeah, I buy themaize placemats from Pier 1 for my two. They're not huge, but since Ican get them locally, they're pretty inexpensive ($3 ea.)

 

[elle]

You can also find grass mats and the like atwww.rabbitstop.com. Thismay sound like a pitch because I am affiliated but I own(ownedby)3 rabbits and we go thru those like nobodysbusiness. They love them!

elle

 

[Pipp]

Well, my guys are eating drywall, paint, plasticbags, quite a bit of linoleum and tar, a very wide variety of clothes,rugs,blankets and other fibers, newspapers, magazines,painted and varnished wood,rubber bits and lord knows whatthey pick up off the kitchen floor (I just see them chewing).:shock:I tried toput a lid onit byactually confining the little beasts, buttheystartedmaking bigdents chewingtheirplastic cages, so...

About the only things they won't eat are vegetables (Dill), hay(Pipp)and any or their bunny-safetoys (thewholelot of them). Maybe if there are pesticides inthe things, they'll like'em. :disgust:

Seriously, while I think caution is goodand I'd like to seemore research, fumigated willow balls are pretty far down in my list ofworrisomeingestibles at this point.



sas :nonono:and the hoppingstomachs --pipp,:bunnydance: dill, :brownbunnydarry and radar:toastingbunsand sherry :bunny19 (who actually only seems to eat herhay and pellets)

 

[naturestee]

I was a little t'd off that the Pier 1 toys Ihad been assured were safe were actually *not* completelysafe. After all, I've seen lots of reassurances on bothEtherbun and Petbunny that these were good toys. That willteach me to do my own research!

But, me being who I am, I sat down and figured out what I thought aboutthese products and the fumigation that's done to them. Iconcluded that I will not take away my buns' dragongrass matts, and Imight still purchase the occasional Pier 1 matt or willow ball as atoy. Here's my reasoning, which you are free to disagree with(and please do, if you do).

- From what I know from entomology classes and my hubby knows fromfarming, fumigants/pesticides that are currently in use are designed tobreak down fairly quickly in the environment. This is bothfor environmental reasons and because most insecticides work on thenervous system in general and can be just as harmful to humans andother animals.

-Import rules usually require that pesticides used on products enteringthe US fall under US standards for our protection.Importation probably requires fumigation to prevent the entry of exoticinsect species to our country, which I can tell you are alreadydevastating enough. Knowing how the government works,specific fumigants are at least recommended if not required by law.

-Everything my rabbits eat has already been treated with variouspesticides and herbicides. Veggies, hay, the products that gointo pellets, etc. Unless they are certifiedorganic, most sources of materials for rabbit toys are probably"contaminated" also. Everything gets sprayed nowadays.

-My rabbits don't actually eat much of these toys. Theydestroy them and throw the majority of the bits around. Verylittle is actually consumed.

All in all, I feel that the danger to my rabbits is minimal.However, I have no data to back this up. So don't take thisas hard evidence, it's just my opinion.

 

[naturestee]

This is being talked about on another site now,too. Someone there emailed Pier 1, and a Customer RelationsRep emailed her back and said yes, imported products arefumigated. But she also said that this should NOT be harmfulto animals.

So I guess the company doesn't know for sureeither?:dunno I guess the best way to gois if you're not sure about it, don't use it. If you feelthat these products are safe, then use them.

 

[BACI]

maherwoman wrote:

Argh...now I have to find another thing for her to sit and walk on when she's on her upper levels...that stinks!!

While I'm on the subject, anyone have any ideas??

[/quote]
They are very inexpensive at petco or you can order them online at pet central, did you check rabbit stop?
Petco stores were the cheapest though, and they had several sizes. Wehad larger ones on the bottom of our cage to catch the hay and for herto sit on and smaller ones for the shelves. you can also line theshelves with outdoor carpet( the thin kind) they are more apt to chewthicker kinds.

 

[RO STAFF 2]

Here's hoping that all the people reading thewarnings here and onthose other boards don't trade in theirgrass mat shelf liners for carpeting. Pretty much any kind ofcarpet or anything else with synthetic fibers is going to be a LOTworse than fumigated grass mats.

Fibers are not only treated with decidedly non-organic substancesduring the manufacturing process, they won't break down wheningested. The grass mats will.

Blockage is a far worse threat to rabbits than that kind of toxicity.

:foreheadsmack:

 

[kfonz]

Thanks for the info. Has anybody heardabout the seagrass and maize mats from World Market? I takeit they're the same as the organic mats and safe for bunnies too?

 

[Just Jack]

Naturestee brings up some really good pointsthat almost brought me to take my willow ball back out of thetrash. However there were a few things that came to mind thatmade me decide to leave it there.

Pine and cedar were long thought to be safe and beneficial forms ofbedding until studies showed the aromatic hydrocarbons and phenolscause respiratory and liver problems. These problems weren'tapparent at first since there was no immediate reaction.However over years of prolonged use the amounts of these chemicals intheir system eventually caused problems reducing the expected life spanof our bunnies.

In the same way these toys that have been treated with pesticides, donot contain amounts that are lethal or present an immediate healthrisk. As naturestee said many pesticides are made to bequickly biodegradable. That's why they can be used on ourfood but still even with our superior immune system and chemicaltolerances, these chemicals that have been used on our food have beenshown to effect our health.

Wood is also an absorbent material that can quite possibly absorb thesepesticides and keep them inside. Pesticides coated on theoutside will certainly deteriate at a quick rate however I do not knowif I would make that assumption about the pesticides that have beenabsorbed deep inside the wood.

Without "hard data" to confirm whether these products offer a healthrisk or not, my thoughts turn to one thing said in an article by LianneMcLeod of About.com.
"...it seems prudent to avoid cedar shavings as bedding or litter,especially since alternatives are available." With availablealternatives, I see no reason for myself to take any risk with theirhealth.

and that's my 2 1/2 cents

 

[mariah416]

I haven't checked to see where they are made but Walmart has untreated wicker balls in their craft dept. By the potpori.

Can I make my own from my willow tree?