[emast78]

I know that paintballs are non-toxic and safe to consume, but a friend of mine, whose land we are trying to play a scenario on, is afraid that the cows will be injured by consuming the shell. Is this true? I have researched it and found no such inclination in fact have found it to totally harmless. However he is not sold if someone could help me out that would be fantastic.

[blitz121]

I don't think cattle get hurt by paintball shell ingestion. I would say the probability of a cow getting hurt by the capsule is less than that of a swallowed hedge-apple/hedge-ball

[Cauldronborn66]

Don't know.

But when I started playing in Texas (strictly outlaw), a few of the properties we played on had cows. We were always told "don't shoot the cows". Not that it was an issue, they kept away from us for the most part.

None of the owners seemed worried about the cows eating the paintballs, and we never heard of our paint causing issues.

[Pyrate Jim]

I don't see any biological hazard from any animal consuming either the fill or the shell.
Been that way for decades, ever since the paintball industry was forced by the EPA to make paintballs non-toxic (the old stuff was oil-based, we had to use turpentine to clean up).

Paintballs shells are chitin-based, the same as the bath beads that dissolve in your bathtub.
I've seen squirells eating them, I know my dog has consumed way too many ~ she considers them treats. And I've participated in a paintball eating contest (although we were allowed to spit out the shells).
I did not win, someone else chewed up & swallowed over 100 of the things...

The fill is usually based on fish oil mixed with polyetheline glycol, the main ingredient of Maalox, nothing toxic there at all.

From exprience, cows don't get that concerned about bein hit with paintballs.
Horses on the other hand, can identify where it came from and sometimes retaliate.
You don't want a horse mad at you, especially on a paintball field.

[emast78]

Thanks guys

[Generationlost]

My dog eats them all the time, he's still around. I don't see why it would affect a cow any differently.

[tlane77]

I'm sure they've eaten far worse than a paintball.

[Gorguel]

They will maybe change their color