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[Brian]

My daughter wants to buy an old armoire to make a cage out of,  and it might be cedar. I see everywhere cedar is toxic to chinchillas,  but to what extent?  Chewing on it,  breathing it?  Being anywhere near it? What if the cage is coated? What if the insides were wrapped with wire where they couldn't chew it? I've seen so many cages on Pinterest that had to be made of cedar,  just wondering to what extent the toxicity is.  After all,  the wood needs to be kiln dried in order to make furniture out of it. Any thoughts are welcome.  Thanks.

[GrayRodent]

Cedar is toxic to ingest and inhale for any kind of rodent. It is irritating to the lungs and can cause acute pneumonia, and ingestion can cause liver damage over time. Long term lung irritation can put animals at risk of respiratory infections. It is the oil in the cedar that gives it its distinctive smell. In fact, it is advisable to prevent exposure to anything that has a strong scent such as air fresheners or scented candles to prevent fatalities from pneumonia. So you probably don't want this to be in the cage with the animal actually gnawing on it.

If wood is used white pine or aspen is advisable. If possible, it is advised to have an all metal cage with a wire floor with replaceable pine shelving. If the wood has a coating such as lacquer or clear coat it is toxic if ingested. Any pine chip bedding must be kiln dried.