Gourds?

[Art of Jana]

I was thinking about making a nice Little hiding place out of a gourd. When they are dried, they are very much like wood but as a gourd art person, I know gourds require precautions when carving them. I would think a gourd would be safer to chew on than toilet paper or paper towel rolls as a gourd is all natural. I also read in one of the forum threads that a toy for guniea pigs was made from gourd fibers.

Are gourds safe if cleaned thoroughly?

Thanks!

 

[Swissgreys]

I imagine they would be, but it probably depends on the type to be honest.
I am not an expert, but I do know that some are ok for eating, and some are grown specifically to be ornamental.
The ornamental type might be dangerous if consumed in a large amount, particularly because when things are dried the nutrients tend to become more concentrated.
And whilst I take your point about gourds being natural, not all natural things are necessarily safe - there are lots of naturally occurring poisons out there too.

Because I am not an expert it is something that I personally wouldn't take a chance on, as there are already so many wonderful guinea pig houses available that are known to be safe.