Moldy wood

[GingerLove]

Hello everyone,
I need some advice. I recently made a shelf for Ginger. She has come to love this shelf and uses it all the time. However, the plywood legs of the shelf are getting moldy fuzz growing on them because the coconut coir is moist. I wipe the mold off whenever it appears... but I wondered what else I can do? Is this dangerous for Ginger? Thank you!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes. The spores are also harmful to you.
You may have to make another one out of some other sort of material or remove that one, clean it, let it dry and then use some sort of water sealant on it.
Can you cut and glue plastics? Like lexan/plexiglass?

 

[Tom]

Can you cut and glue plastics? Like lexan/plexiglass?

Or make the legs out of PVC?

 

[GingerLove]

I've decided I'm going to remove the shelf. Unfortunately it's not just the legs that are exposed to the coconut coir. I covered the top of the shelf as well, and I can only imagine that there is mold underneath that as well. It took a lot of work to make it and I'm very disappointed, but I don't want Ginger to get shell rot or something grouse because of the shelf. She didn't really need it in the first place, it was just something "fun" for her to climb. I do like the idea of PVC. Maybe in the future I'll make another shelf. Live and learn, I suppose. Thank you both for your prompt responses! I'm going to work on removing the shelf this afternoon. BTW, I think it's too far gone to let the shelf dry out and coat it with something.

 

[GingerLove]

The shelf has been removed.

 

[Speedy-1]

The shelf has been removed.

Sorry it didn't work out , maybe pvc pipe and one of those cheap little plastic bread boards could be cut to size ?

 

[GingerLove]

That's a good idea. I think I'll probably use pvc for the legs and maybe look around at garage sales for some sort of plastic thingy for the shelf and ramp. Right now I'm sick of it, though. I put Ginger back in her cage and she was quite upset about the shelf being gone. I'll do something eventually, but for now she'll have to get used it the way it was.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

That's a good idea. I think I'll probably use pvc for the legs and maybe look around at garage sales for some sort of plastic thingy for the shelf and ramp. Right now I'm sick of it, though. I put Ginger back in her cage and she was quite upset about the shelf being gone. I'll do something eventually, but for now she'll have to get used it the way it was.

Repurposing items is very smart.
Great idea.
I'm sure you'll find something that will work nicely.