Chew Sticks

[Jay_Bunny]

Unlike my rats, my mice are doing wonderful! I am finding though, that they love to chew. I try and give them cardboard to chew, but that doesn't last long with them. Chew sticks and blocks at pet stores are expensive and don't last but so long. I was wondering if sticks from outside could be used as chew sticks if they were sanitized. I've heard of people wanting to use branches as reptile tank decorations baking the wood in the oven to kill bugs and such. Could this be done for chew sticks found outside? If so, how hot and how long do you bake?

[NotaMallard]

Sure, though I'd just use things like maple, oak, apple wood, etc. No pine or cedar, just to be on the safe side. I bake at 350 for 45 minutes, but that's just me, haha.
If you have any scrap wood that isn't treated for use outside, is just pure wood, that would work too.

[Oxylepy]

I gave the rats in my last attempted breeding colony some dog chew sticks. Made of chicken/pork and I think beef maybe bone, I dont know. All I know is that they absolutely loved them and because I dont have access to Lab Block it helped to supplement their protein (my biggest concern with them since my friend was raising mice and didnt follow my advice to give them protein on top of their food, and they ended up eating eachother).

[Jay_Bunny]

I'm re-doing their entire diet so it will be more nutritionally balanced. In addition to wooden chew sticks I was also thinking of getting milk bones

[angllady2]

Check art & craft stores.

You can frequently buy large bags of 'craft wood pieces' quite cheaply, and the mice don't care if they are all the same size and shape.

Gale