Is food colouring safe?

[BunnyMuffin]

Hi everyone!  Long time, no post from my end of things.  I’ve been so busy!

Wally and Noelle are doing great and I’m planning on making them a bunny safe Christmas tree this year.  I’m going to use a sturdy cardboard as a base (by cutting it into two identically shaped trees then making vertical slits to fit one over the other).  But in order to fill it in and make it look more 3-D, I am going to try to use some sisal rope (which I’m pretty sure I’ve read on here is bunny safe) to make additional “branches” between the cardboard branches.  That said, would it still be bunny safe to attempt to colour the rope with green food colouring to make it look less like Charlie Brown’s little dead Christmas tree?  Or, can anyone suggest a different idea for making the “tree” look more green?  I thought about using all that neon green water their lettuce leaves in their supper dish, but that seemed like it would be a pain to collect and maybe a little gross.

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated!

~Stephanie~

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I guess it would depend on what the food color ingredients were. A lot of food color is dyes, which are naturally derived but chemicals (OK I guess technically everything is chemicals).

To be honest I wouldn’t bother-although it would look neat-bunnies cannot see many colors and I’m sure they’ll enjoy the tree no matter what

[sgregory]

i think the whole idea is soo cute! im definitely going to make a cardboard christmas tree for the bunnies! maybe ill decorate it with treats for christmas morning?!
oooh thanks so much for the idea.

im not sure if food coloring would be okay, but i dont see why not. ill check the ingredients when i get home, although i cant guarantee ill know what anything is.

i wouldnt recommend the juice from greens though, depending on how long you intend to use the tree, it could get moldy.
 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

If you post the ingredients here-or even the product name we can all pitch in and look up what they are.

[KatnipCrzy]

I would think that if it is food coloring used in food that it should be fine.  You could always try looking up on the internet to see what is used when people make parrot toys at home and dye the wood.  Parrots see and can prefer colors that is why most parrot toys are brightly colored.  Keep in mind that the dye might very will transfer when it gets wet or damp- to the bunnies fur, the carpet, etc.  Almost all of my parrot toys mark my hands if I touch them with wet hands.

You would always try to “make” a natural flavored dye out of a spinach or parley puree- of course you don’t want bunnies EATING rope and cardboard.  And you would have to make sure the rope or other material used is 100% dry before using in construction to make sure it does not mold.  But laying it out in front of a fan overnight should do the trick.

[BunnyMuffin]

Thanks for all the input everyone!  When it comes time to actually construct it I’ll post the food colouring ingredients if I’m unsure what some of them are.  Although the colour transfer is a good point…

I knew that the bunnies can’t really see the colour, I just thought it would look more festive for the humans if it had a little colour!

So far the plan is to get some willows balls and such to hang on it, and then use straight pins to stick some dried cranberries on as “lights.”  So cheesey.   It will be kept out of the bunnies’ reach until Christmas morning when I’ll let them pick out an ornament to nibble on.  I’m sure I’m more excited than they’ll be, but that’s okay!

I’ll post pictures in December when construction is complete, even if it turns out a bit embarassing!

[Hedi]

Food coloring typically has SUGAR in it….so make sure you check packaging first. All the food coloring I have found has sugar added to it so you want to avoid them. I have looked at liquid vs gel and they all had sugar in them as an added ingredient. So many times toys you see colored may have sugar in the coloring.

You could use Kool-Aid as coloring. It WONT have sugar in it  But there will be a hint of flavor with each color of Kool-Aid so you color choices will be limited to what flavors are available. But to get the Kool-Aid color to stain the sisal rope you will need to let it sit for at least one full day if not longer and then make sure to sit it out on the counter, somewhere where it will have plenty of air dry time so it doesnt grow mildew. I dont think the flavor is strong enough to truely last. I flavored some sisal once with kool aid and it turned out cute but the the buns didnt show it any more attention than plain sisal.

Hope this helps!

[Monkeybun]

I was just thinking of the Kool Aid myself. Wasn’t sure if it would work, but hey… in high school alot of kids used it to dye their hair temporarily lol.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Kool Aid? I thought that it WAS sugar? Like Gatorade. Ive never bought it though, only had it at other peoples houses. Are we talking about the same thing, kool- aid is the colorful drink?

[Hedi]

If you buy the little packets that around here are like 5/$1.00 there is no sugar in them…the back has the listing and its just all the coloring/flavoring ingredients but no sugar. You have to add the sugar yourself to Kool-Aid from these packets. Now the bigger containers may have the sugar in it already, but not the little packet envelopes.

It takes awhile but it does work very well. I think I threw away the little rope of color I had braided. But I dont remember any of them being green in color…

Go to your local grocery and go thru where the juice and flavored water is located. There should be all kinds of little envelope packets in that isle…

[Hedi]

 

[BunnyMuffin]

Oh! I never even thought of Kool-aid – that’s a great idea!  Thanks!

[Furface]

they absolutely make green kool-aid, it’s my favorite flavour – lime

[BunnyLiz]

Lol I want the buns to have a christmas tree too.  I love Christmas, it always the best time of the year for me and I go crazy with decorating.  I have my own boxes of christmas junk in the basement for the sole purpose of decorating my own room.  And two year ago I entered a contest for most christmas lights outside.  I getting two of these http://www.thecardboardtree.com/  One for the buns cage and for outside their cage I can decorate.  Im going to decorate theirs with the willow ornaments at BB and the mini willow balls and willow stars.  Im excited lol, they are 3×3.

[BunnyLiz]

Oh and now a new idea! (I didnt read before I posted). Use dyed sisal to wrap around it like garland.

[BunnyMuffin]

Oooh -  I’m lovin that little cardboard tree!  It’s way cuter than anything I could make on my own, but it might be more fun to do it myself, even if it is a little less than perfect.   But that makes for an excellent backup if I fail miserably – haha!

[RabbitPam]

I thought of two alternatives to coloring the cardboard.
One is to use coroplast squares – the stuff that is used for cage bottoms with NIC cubes. You can get them already in colors, and they might be more sturdy.

The other idea is to use a white cardboard, then set up a light from above with a green bulb in it and shine it down. It should reflect a green glow off of the cardboard.

Maybe you could cut three slits in the sides and peel down strips for branches, then hang sliced carrots or dried bananas as ornaments and the bunnies could bite them off. Or poke holes in the tree an stick in willow twigs to hang from.

[BinkyBunny]

What a great idea. As the holidays get closer, I think it would definitely be fun to put this up in as the newest Homemade Toy  on our  ”Toy Test” page (under Bunny Info), and then we can all make our version of them and post them in the Toys Forum Group. So if anyone is up for making one next month or so, let me know, and I’ll post your photos and instructions on the “Toy Test” page to get the ball rolling. (send to jenniferATBinkyBunnyDOTcom)

FUN!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Ohh cool, I think it would be great to put this in the toy test place. I definately want to make one but mine might end up being a brown tree…

[Beka27]

What an awesome idea!!! If I were to make it, I wouldn’t bother with food coloring or anything. The buns will love it regardless!

Or you could cut the cardboard tree out, PAINT it with non-toxic green paint. Allow it to dry thoroughly. String it with sisal and toys, and ONLY give the buns the sisal and toys, NOT the painted tree. It would be esthetically pleasing to you, safe for the bunnies, and you could reuse the tree part next year… just get new sisal and new toys! You could make something similar out of wood even if you were going to reuse it from year to year.

[Hedi]

Kinda like those 25 days of christmas toys/treats for each day you could do a 25 days of christmas for your bun- special treat or toy each day up until christmas…

but then u would have a seriously spoiled bun on your hands lol

[BunnyLiz]

lol I was loving that idea until you said then we would have spoiled buns. They are already spoiled rotten, so any more and it would be unbearable lol.

[sarahthegemini]

Hi guys, I know we’re not supposed to comment on old threads but I was doing some research for bunny toys and stumbled upon this. I’m definitely going to try and make a bun friendly Christmas tree! I thought reviving this might inspire us! Should I start a new thread or is this okay?

[jerseygirl]

Posted By sarahthegemini on 10/21/2018 6:40 AM

Hi guys, I know we’re not supposed to comment on old threads but I was doing some research for bunny toys and stumbled upon this. I’m definitely going to try and make a bun friendly Christmas tree! I thought reviving this might inspire us! Should I start a new thread or is this okay?

It’s not a big deal, bumping up this kind of thread. I reckon a new one with a link to this one could work though.  Could be halloween + Christmas ideas?  Or festive holidays in general?

OR we could move this thread to the Lounge  or Toy/Habitat section and keep it active. Edit the title to add detail. I’ll ask other FL’s about it but for now lm leaving the thread open. 

[jerseygirl]

Lol, im already thinking of ways I could use the fine hay you get left with at bottom of box/bag. Like those rosewood natural boxes gina.jenny posted photos of her buns enjoying. It would be good to have 2 a chrissy tree shape pieces that you can slot together to form more of a 3D tree. Then hang little willow balls and other edible baubles on it.

ETA: Or maybe more like this Pipkins carrot tree or a wood and sisal “carrot tree” one Ive seen before.

ETA2:  Or how about small willow and cane balls assembled like a croquembouche.   

[sarahthegemini]

Thanks Jersey. I’m thinking of making bunny safe ‘tinsel’ with pine cones, willow toys and maybe cardboard spirals or something

With the fine bits of hay, you could maybe mix with bits of banana or something (and bake?) and hang those on the tree as baubles. You could make them star shaped ?

Maybe twist some sisal twine into candy cane shapes and put those on the tree?

I’m so excited ?

I had to Google what a croquembouche is. That would be fantastic!

[LittlePuffyTail]

I had to google it too. Looks yummy!

[Author]

Messages