WARNING: Scotch-Brite Botanical Wipes are NOT safe for animals!!!!!!!

If anyone is using these around their gliders or to wipe down cages please stop IMMEDIATELY and rinse off your cages asap!

This is the produce I'm referring to: http://www.scotch-brite.com/wps/portal/3...otanical-Wipes/

Over the last month I've begun using Scotch Brite Botanical Wipes on my mouse and rat cages to sanitize them. Also, over the last month I've lost over a dozen adult mice and many babies! I couldn't figure out what was causing it and after talking with other mouse breeders and treating for any potential parasites we were unable to figure out what the heck it was!

Well, a couple days ago I came in and found that one of my mice had had a stroke and was partially paralyzed...then last night I found another mouse having seizures! Both are symptoms of them getting into something toxic. My first thought was mold since I'd heard of that happening with gliders, but I'm a HUGE stickler about keeping my mouse cages clean and the room they're in is completely mold-free, so then I started breaking down everything that is in their cages and nothing fit.

Then I remembered the cage wipes and looked at the ingredients: the only active ingredient is THYMOL(a derivative of Thyme oil).

Upon a short search I learned that Thymol is a main ingredient in many pesticides and not only repels mice/rats/bugs, but also can KILL them! O_o

The package makes a big point of saying how the wipes are animal-safe and can be used in their "habitats" as well, so I didn't think twice about using them. Now I feel HORRIBLE and am trying to do my best to spread the word and keep others from experiencing the lost I've had recently.

So, please, if you're using these wipes stop IMMEDIATELY!

Also, if you have cats and use the wipes around the house you should toss them as well because Thymol is known to be toxic to cats!

I've contacted the company via email and was called within less then an hour to be informed that their labs are looking into the situation and they are sending me a package to returned the unused wipes. They have also promised to reimburse me for the animals that I lost(mutiple mice and my previous hairless hammy ), but nothing will replace the holes that they've left in my heart). I'm just thanking God that I didn't lose any of my gliders! Thankfully, I only used the wipes on the glider cages a couple times for wiping down the floors of their cages.

I will keep you guys posted if there's any further news.

I was using them for my kitchen counters. The smell was awful! I knew that it couldn't be good and threw them out.

Believe it or not but I use vinegar for everything. Counters, cages, laundry, sinks, suggie "linens", fridge....

I do use the Clorox wipes on the counters if there is something that could cause some really bad issues like raw egg or meat. Then I go back over it with water and vinegar after about a minute.

I can't use aerosol disinfectant sprays because they cause my allergies to go BONKERS

Nicole -

So sorry for your losses! What a horror to discover it was this "animal safe" product.

I hope they do take it seriously! Thanks for the warning.

I had the same reaction as Paula, the smell when just using them on my counters was so horrible, I had to give them away.


I am so sorry for your loss. I would fight tooth and nail, even though it will not bring the babies back.

I am sorry for the loss of you family. I happen to love mice and used to have many. They are delightful.

Thank you for the heads up. I would insist the company change their packaging. Or threaten to call a lawyer to get them to change it.

(((hugs)))

I am so sorry

Thank you for getting the word out, even though I know your heart is really hurting.

I am very sorry for your loss.

Thank you for the heads up on this product.

Thank you all for the kind words. Even though they are "just mice" I love them to bits and my mice have become a big part of my family and have helped me in many ways and always cheer me up when I'm sad. The ones that passed were some of my favorites, especially Black Magick and Meribelle. Coral, the one who started seizing last night, was one of my very first show mice and it broke my heart to see her suffering. I tried getting her to drink water and help flush out the toxins, but by then it was too late.

I, too, though the smell seemed a bit off, but I read every inch of the label and saw no warnings and it said it was perfectly safe for animals, so I trusted them.

I'm so sorry you had to go through this, Nicole! Thank you for spreading the word and contacting the company about it- and it sounds quite reassuring that they were so responsive and are looking into so future pet lives can be saved.

Wow I'm so so very sorry
Lawsuit?

I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for letting us know. I will spread the word to family and friends.

i only use white vinegar and water for cages and such.

sorry abt. your mice, nicole.

regards,
nancy in detroit

Nicole, I'm so very sorry to hear of your loss. Thank you for sharing your discovery despite your grief.

I don't post here very frequently, but I feel that it is important to mention that the following products also contain Thymol:

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner
Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner
Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes

Other products may contain Thymol. The ones listed above are just the ones that came to mind when I read Nicole's post.

Again, Nicole, I send my sincerest condolences for your loss. Today, I'll give Goldilocks an extra kiss from you.

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry but thank you so much for keeping up in the know! I've always toyed with buying these, but I never did for some reason. Thank you and I'm so sorry for your loss! I can't believe that they didn't do further research before releasing this product and claiming it to be animal safe!! *hugs*

Bumping this up for others to see since I just bought these to use in the gliders cage because the package said it was safe for animal habitats. Will be returning them ASAP.

But they weren't "just mice", I'm so sorry for your loss, I can so totally relate to the loss of beloved pets.

Thanks for sharing about the dangers & helping to prevent more fatal mistakes that may have been made by this products use. I personally had never heard of it, but makes me wonder about other products that say "pet safe"

As for cleaning glider things, hard surface items I use vinegar, with the soft, they get thrown in washer with my regular detergent, but go through an additional rinse cycle.