# Gnawing Lava Ledge



## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

They have started gnawing away at the lava ledge, is that safe? They have a wooden kabob chew stick and cardboard, and a loofah toy but they don use any of it. I am going shopping tomorrow to try out some new chews. What do you guys recommend? Apple wood? Willow? What about that snack shack stuff? Is that safe or no?


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

No snack shack. It contains pine and because it's flavored it encourages them to eat it. The dye is animal safe in the lava ledge. My rats like the lava bites. It's pumice stone. Won't hurt unless they are swallowing it in large quantities and they most likely won't swallow it. My rats like Apple wood.


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## Tesumph (Aug 12, 2014)

Wait wait, snak shak isn't good for them? :0 that's been all of my rat's favorite cage item since... since I got rats. Lol Ink used to chew on it all night until it was just a little nub, but she didn't have any problems and lived to 2.5 years.


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

Well when they chew they have a flap of skin that keeps them from wollowing. When its flavored it encorages them to eat the wood...it may not have hurt your rat but that doesn't mean it won't hurt another.


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## thatprettyarcanine (Aug 16, 2014)

Try getting them more pumice rocks. My rats love them. Hang em on things and get creative! A lot of rats seem to like things that hang and aren't too interested in things on the ground.

There are the colored pumice stones that fit right onto the kabobs! I have a natural one with no dyes for mine though.


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## Tesumph (Aug 12, 2014)

Hmm... The last 7 or so of my rats have lived their whole lives (or still live) with a snak shak available most of the time, and I've watched them more than once eating the crumbs that fall off. Should I take it off of them? I just bought a new one today, too. Lol.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

The lava ledge is for grinding down teeth and wearing down claws. Nothing to worry about.


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

My boys chew on the lava ledges all the time. So much so that they stopped being ledges and are more abnormally shaped masses hanging off the wall and it has only been a couple of months since I bought three new ones. Nothing to be concerned about, that is the designed purpose!


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## ksaxton (Apr 20, 2014)

Okay good! I was just worried cuz it looks pretty dusty and reminds me of Sheetrock so I didn't know if it was okay. My lava ledge actually broke (never buying one again!) so it's just the ledge laying on the bottom of the cage


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