# Advice please! Ate some paper towels.



## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

So, I am trying to litter-train Misha. Yesterday I placed the litter dish under his wheel, and places several sheets of paper towel to line the litter dish. 

This morning I found the paper towels strewed all over the cage, with some sizeable bits (about a quarter in size) missing from two of the sheets... and I think he ate those bits, as they weren't anywhere else in the cage. 

Is this harmful? Is there anything I can do? Anyone else had this happen? Should I take him to the vet, or is he just going to poop them out??

Looks like he had a lot of fun playing with the paper towels, but I won't be using them again for the litter dish...


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2011)

Never had my hedgies eat them tear them up and use them as a nest in their home happens a lot with Setzer and Feral


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

you can use them for the litter pan and it's okay. nancy (i think it was nancy lol) gave me a great idea the other day of putting a rock in their on top of the paper towels to help keep them from pulling them out and it has worked like a charm. make sure it's a big enough rock that he/she can't put their mouth around it as you don't want it to be a choking hazard, but still small enough to fit under the wheel (mine is about 3 inches long and an inch high or so). as long as he/she is running, eating, and drinking normally and stools are fine then i'd just keep an eye on her/him. i'm sure it will pass on it's own if it's just a couple small pieces, but only you know how much was eaten exactly so only you can judge the safety of it really.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

the rock idea can also be a disadvantage...I tried it because Hazel will sometimes grab the paper towel and pull it into her tunnel. With the rock on I found it gave her the ability to just yank bits off and take those lol.


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2011)

Indeed my Feral and Setzer go at paper towels sometimes liek puppies and its kind of funny to water them rip at it and carry some in their mouth happily to their home.

Just two days ago Setzer's fleece strips were in the was so his home had none and he took the paper towel and wrapped it around himself to sleep XD


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

just goes to show how stubborn and persistant they can be when they want something :lol:


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

My girl decided that she liked the taste of paper also. I just switched her to yesterdays news. She has no idea it's paper and doesn't eat it


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

shawnwk1 said:


> you can use them for the litter pan and it's okay. nancy (i think it was nancy lol) gave me a great idea the other day of putting a rock in their on top of the paper towels to help keep them from pulling them out and it has worked like a charm.


That was me.  I use a landscaping brick, it's soild 2 inches wide and 8inches long.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

sorry larry gotta give ya props. it was larry that gave me the great rock idea then  (it all kinda runs together who says what after awhile lol) thank you sir! a brick fits under the wheel?


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

shawnwk1 said:


> sorry larry gotta give ya props. it was larry that gave me the great rock idea then  (it all kinda runs together who says what after awhile lol) thank you sir! a brick fits under the wheel?


a few pics


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

shawnwk1 said:


> sorry larry gotta give ya props. it was larry that gave me the great rock idea then  (it all kinda runs together who says what after awhile lol) thank you sir! a brick fits under the wheel?


 one more


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## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

Excellent, thank you all for the suggestions!

I will try to weigh down the paper towels with a brick or a stone like Larry's... and, failing that (a.k.a. if Misha still decides that paper towel is edible and delicious), I'll just switch over to yesterday's news. 

And you know what's the real kicker? For months now I've been painstakingly preparing him dig boxes of various sizes and shapes, filled with lots of fleece strips. Zero interest. He ignored them all thoroughly. 

Apparently all he was waiting for was a litter dish to dig through... *sigh*


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> Just two days ago Setzer's fleece strips were in the was so his home had none and he took the paper towel and wrapped it around himself to sleep XD


OMG...did you get a pic? :lol:


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2011)

Sadly no I couldn't find my camera and he was quiet displeased with me disturbing his snugly slumber


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