Paint & Wood Finish Safety Questions

[Matty]

 Hi Everybun,

 

I got inspired by this lady who made an awesome aviary from an old armoire to make a similar habitat for my bunny Turbo.

I’m looking on Craigslist for old armoires I can use, but I’m sure there will be some kind of finish on them.  I’d also like to paint the armoire white to mach the rest of my living room, like the one in the picture.

Can anyone give me some pointers as to what will and won’t be safe for my bun?  I’m concerned about shellac and other finishes or stains, and paints…

 

Thanks!

-Matty

[jerseygirl]

That’s going to come up nice!! I like seeing these ideas. I guess try get an unfinished one if possible or just a varnish finish since you’re going to paint it. There is a chance with old painted ones that the paint may contain lead. Newer varnished ones would be safer. You’d likely have to seal it with a primer/undercoat then your finish coat. I wouldn’t think the paint would be a big issue on the outside – unless Turbo is a chewer when he’s out running around. Many paints now are less toxic and eco-friendly.

For the inside, it may be already be left unfinished which would be ideal. What you could do is sandwich the wire between the armoire wood and some lengths of untreated pine. Does that make sense? The pine would line all the wood on the inside. Then the only wood inside the habitat that is accessible for chewing is a safe wood.

If you can source an unfnished pine armoire, then you’re way ahead! Maybe a furniture making project somebody started and never finished. Most woods are ok, avoid red woods which are toxic if chewed.  For the base of the habitat, you could just cover in something suitably safe and water proof. Other things to watch out for with second hand furniture is mold and what has previously been stored in it.

How did you get on with the persian rug? Is Turbo over his fear of it?

[Matty]

Hi Jerseygirl, thanks for the advice! No, no matter what I’ve tried, Turbo hates the carpet. I finally got a big blacklight out and ran it over the carpet all CSI-style to look for flouerescing cat/dog pee, but found none. I could spend $200 or so to get it professionally cleaned in case there is some animal smell I can’t smell, but I’m out of work and I have no assurance he’ll like the carpet any more after I clean it. It’s driving me a bit nuts since he has the run of the house theoretically but won’t stray from the living room. I want him to run around and have fun! argh.

[jerseygirl]

ha! Contrary creatures! Well, maybe you’ll have to turn your lovely rug into a wall hanging…though, you said it’s a runner? So that you couldn’t do that either.

[Monkeybun]

I suppose you could.. run it down the hallway wall, would be original at least

[Matty]

So, I understand that cedar and pine shavings are bad for a rabbit. What if the armoire I bought is made of cedar or pine, is it just the shaving that are bad (because they have so much surface area) or should I worry about the whole armoire? Is it just the risk of chewing (I could line the interior) or just the “fumes” it gives off?

Also, is there a certain kind of paint I should use or none at all? If all paint is bad, is there certain kind of stain/varnish?

Thanks!,

[jerseygirl]

Correct, it’s just shavings you need to be wary of. If you do acquire 2ndhand peice, be sure to check it has no lead based paint as older peices can sometimes have. If it were me, I’d leave the inside unfinished and paint the outside. Then when Turbo is out you can monitor if he is likely to try chew the outside or not.

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