RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:16 pm

I am picking up my first rat sisters today and as I was pulling the transport cage out of storage I spied some unused PVC pipe pieces. I think it would be fun to put some pieces together to make a sort of maze for floor time but I am unsure if it is safe for them or not. Thanks for any help, Denise

Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:04 am

The white PVC pieces are safe, so long as they aren't covered in the bonding chemicals used to connect them. Colored PVC is treated with chemicals that are poisonous to rats.

_________________
-Ben
My rats: Squishy, Squee, and Nibbler
My dogs (at my mother's house): Lucy and Ricky
My cats (at my dad's house--in Florida!): Cleo (RIP) and Zima

Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:53 am

They are safe but wash them first. Just like PVC dust is harmful to humans, it is also harmful to animals. I have used PVC in my cages with my boys and never had any trouble with it.

_________________
Lydelia and the Critters
... and now they are five Mr. Green

Kitties: Miss Kitty, Catbot
Ratties: Eugenuis, Ralph and Elliott
RIP Oliver -- We love you and we'll miss you!!! Cry

Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:13 am

BCorby, I've seen that mentioned by someone else before, but do you have any links or know what it's treated with? Is it a coating, or is it a compound mixed into the plastic as the pipes are formed?

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:21 am

I don't have a link, nor do I know the exact name of the stuff, but I believe that colored PVC is given some kind of harmful anti-UV treatment that makes it that color.

The glue, of course, is glue, and it's very toxic.

_________________
-Ben
My rats: Squishy, Squee, and Nibbler
My dogs (at my mother's house): Lucy and Ricky
My cats (at my dad's house--in Florida!): Cleo (RIP) and Zima

Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:35 am

I went to do some research on this.

In North America, almost all PVC pipes contain an anti UV additive - in many cases, they use rutile titanium dioxide (with or without other stabiliser), and is white. Safety evidence seems to suggest that it's a safe compound because of it's low absorption when eaten.

http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/afc/afc_opinions/819_en.html

However, many other stabilisers are used in PVC pipe manufacture to protect against both heat and light (UV):

http://www.addcomp.com/features/archive/sepoct04/sepoct04.htm
http://www.uyseg.org/risked/pages/pvc_production/pvc_additives.htm
http://www.ping.be/~ping5859/en/en_pvc_add.html

Technically, if the rat were to consume and absorb (absorb is the vital word here) some of the heavy metals from the PVC piping, then there could be a problem.... but it really depends on the compounds used, the concentrations of each of them and so on. I don't know enough about the precise manufacturing process to comment for sure, but research so far shows that these compounds don't tend to leach out of the plastic - so I don't think it would be likely that much would be released and absorbed if the rats chewed and swallowed any of the pvc pipe.

http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=987

But I don't think it's safe to generalise and say "all white pipe is safe and all coloured pipe is dangerous". It really does depend on the particular manufacturer and additives used. This is particularly true as there are folk from many countries, and the additives and colour coding may well be different.

http://www.ppfahome.org/faq-pvc.html

I think it's unlikely that these additives, used in the manufacturing process of PVC, are going to cause any real health issues - they're not just used in PVC Piping, but stabilizers are needed in all PVC products. Therefore, if you want to be totally sure, then I'd recommend not using any PVC products with your rats, even those designated as child or pet safe toys, unless you know they're not using metals in the production process.

On the other hand, if the pipes you are looking at have been coated (i.e. something added as a layer on top of the fully formed PVC pipe) with some other chemical for extra UV protection or whatever, then you would probably be best avoiding those, and check with the manufacturer what the product is, and if it's harmful. Probably the safest PVC piping would be the bits labelled as suitable for carrying drinking water.

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Thu Dec 29, 2005 5:51 am

My hubby is a pipe layer and uses PVC pipe all the time. We have used PVC pipe in our cages for 5 years without any ill effects on the ratties.

We've used the white (Schedule 40), blue (C-900...which is used for water lines to homes, so typically carries drinking water) and black (ABS for raindrains and storm).

We have been lucky in that our rats have never chewed on the PVC pipe either. Hubby saws it in half the long ways and it makes great tubes that don't roll around. wink

Hubby also wanted to add....it there is wood in the cage (like the lovely nest boxes he builds for the ratties)...the rats will chew that way more than the pipe Rolling Eyes

_________________
Debbie and the gang of spoiled furries