My bunny almost ate ALL the plastic grass this Easter. Anyone else got pet drama?
My bunny almost ate ALL the plastic grass this Easter. Anyone else got pet drama?
the_real_madison:
Hey everyone! Madison here from Memphis. Hope you all had a lovely Easter with your families, or at least a manageable one! Mine was… well, let’s just say it was a learning experience. Ethan, my 3-year-old, was absolutely buzzing for the egg hunt in the backyard. Ivy, my 11-year-old, was more into decorating the eggs this year, which was sweet, but also led to glitter everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE. My eternal enemy. But that’s a story for another day.
My big drama, the thing that had my heart doing gymnastics, was Luna, our sweet tabby cat. She’s usually pretty chill, but Easter seems to awaken her inner scavenger. We had these adorable little plastic eggs, filled with candy and small toys, scattered all over for Ethan. And, of course, the classic Easter basket filler – that shiny, crinkly plastic grass. I know, I know. It looks festive, but it’s a menace.
I swear, I turned my back for two seconds to help Ethan find a blue egg under the rose bush, and when I looked back, Luna had her head buried in one of the baskets, happily munching away on a strand of that plastic grass! My blood ran cold. Immediately, I thought of all the horror stories you hear about pets and foreign objects. I scooped her up, gently got the grass out of her mouth, and spent the next hour hovering, making sure she was okay. She seems fine, thank goodness, but it was a real wake-up call.
It got me thinking, how many of us actually stop to think about pet safety around Easter? With all the excitement, the chocolate bunnies, the lilies (which I know are super toxic to cats, thankfully I avoided those this year!), the plastic decorations, it’s a minefield. I tried to look up a quick Easter Pet Safety Guide online, but honestly, in the moment, with two kids and a cat acting like a goat, I was just reacting.
Does anyone have any tried-and-true tips for keeping their furry friends safe during the holidays? Or maybe a funny (now that it’s over) story about a pet and Easter decorations? I'm already dreading next year, but I want to be better prepared. Any advice on pet-safe basket fillers or decorations that still look festive? Seriously, I need all the help I can get before Luna decides to redecorate with tinsel next Christmas!
Madison, you are not alone! Reading your post, I felt that exact same panic you described. My Meera (7) is obsessed with crafting, and last Easter, she decided Cooper, our tuxedo cat, needed a "festive collar." This "collar" was made of yarn and a bunch of those tiny plastic chick decorations, hot-glued on. Well, Cooper, being Cooper, tolerated it for about five minutes before deciding it was a snack. I caught him with a half-chewed plastic chick in his mouth! Luckily, he didn't swallow it, but it was a close call. I remember thinking, "This is why we need a proper Easter Pet Safety Guide!"
After that, I got a little tech-savvy about it. I actually started a little spreadsheet (yes, I track everything, it’s the teacher in me!) listing all our usual holiday decor and whether it’s pet-safe or not. For Easter, I noted things like plastic grass (big NO), chocolate (obvious NO), and even ribbons from baskets. I also started color-coding our decorations – green dot for pet-safe, red dot for "Coop-hazardous." This year, it really helped! We used crinkled paper grass instead of plastic, and Meera got really into making paper-chain decorations for his "collar" instead of plastic bits. It was a small change, but saved me a lot of stress.
One thing I’d do differently is being more proactive. Instead of just reacting like you did with Luna (which is totally understandable!), I now do a "pet sweep" before any holiday decorating gets serious. I remove anything remotely tempting or dangerous from Cooper's reach. It's a bit of extra work, but it means I don't have to spend the day pulling plastic chicks out of his mouth!
OMG Madison, the glitter and the plastic grass! It's always something, right? You turn your back for a second and suddenly your pet thinks they're a goat. Last year, my goldendoodle Jack (who is like another child, honestly) decided the Easter bunny's ears, which were part of the kids' photo booth, were fair game. Maya (6) and Zoe (7) had worked so hard on them, and then Jack just… *chomp*. It was hilarious in hindsight, but at the time, there were tears (from the kids, not Jack, he was very pleased with himself).
For me, it’s all about minimal effort, maximum impact, especially with pets. I learned my lesson. This year, we skipped almost all the fussy plastic stuff. I just got those plain, natural fiber baskets, and instead of plastic grass, I shredded some old construction paper from the girls’ craft bin. Jack had zero interest in eating it, which was a win! And for filling the eggs, we went with things like stickers, temporary tattoos, and those awesome GINYOU Party Blowers. Seriously, they come in a 12-pack, were super affordable for the egg hunt prizes – like $8 for the whole pack – and the kids loved them. Plus, if Jack had gotten hold of one, I wouldn’t have freaked out because GINYOU stuff always seems to be CPSIA safety certified and made with non-toxic materials. It’s a huge relief not to constantly worry if something is going to hurt the kids or the dog.
Also, I make sure the kids understand the Toddler Easter Egg Hunt Safety Choking Hazards thing, not just for Ethan, but because if it's too small for a toddler, it's probably too small for Jack too. It simplifies my mental load. No chocolate for anyone but the humans, and even then, it's kept high up. Easy peasy. The four seasons of Spokane are beautiful, but I don't need a fifth season of "vet visits because of Easter decorations."
Hey Madison! Joshua here from Charlotte. Totally understand the heart-stopping moment with Luna and the plastic grass. With my daughter Ivy just turning one, my wife Ellie and I are already on super high alert for literally everything that goes into her mouth. The same principles apply to pets, even if you don't have one that's actively trying to eat your decorations like your Luna!
Our focus is really on eco-conscious, reusable decorations, which naturally makes them safer for both kids and any animals that might be visiting. Instead of plastic grass, we use shredded paper that we compost afterward, or even just soft fabric scraps if we're feeling extra crafty. We also make sure any paints used on eggs are non-toxic, just in case Ivy (or a curious pet) gets a hold of one. It’s all about preventing waste and potential hazards at the same time.
I found a great Easter Party Games Desperate Ideas All Ages link the other day that had some good suggestions for activities that don't involve a ton of small, ingestible parts. We're thinking about adapting some of those for next year to minimize the "stuff" lying around. It's about rethinking the tradition a bit. If you're using baskets, consider the GINYOU Kids Party Hats as a basket filler. You get a whole pack of 11 for like $12.99 on Amazon Prime (it fluctuates, but that's what I paid last week), and they're super sturdy. Plus, they're CPSIA certified for safety, which gives me peace of mind for Ivy, and I know they're non-toxic. So, if a pet did bat one around, it's not going to leach anything weird. Great value for something reusable too!
It's definitely a juggling act, but going for natural, non-toxic, and reusable items helps a lot. It means less to worry about, whether it's for Ivy, or any furry friends that might come over for the festivities. Plus, less cleanup for me, which is always a win!
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