Cancer in ponys And a few questions for the experts

[Tiffymh1fan]

So I recently got a bunch of collector books for ponys. Ive never been picky collector (as I like to enjoy the ponys with my daughter whos 7). In everybook ive read nothing shows up about ponys having cancer/ age spots.
So I would like to know:
How can I tell if its cancer or a pen mark?
What Color is pony cancer and is there a way to treat it or stop it from spreading?
Whats the best way to store Ponies so avoid or prolong the cancer?
Ive always stored my ponys in rubbermaid storage containers (is this safe?)
And Can Ponys be put in ziplock bags and still be safe for long periods of time?
Will cancer it spread to other ponys?

Most of the ponys I have that are G1 are wonderful, only my big brothers seem to have spots on some of them. I only just started collecting big brothers so I got them from others. I want my grandkids to have the same ponys to play with as I have and my daughter does now. My daughter and I have a lot of fun playing with them but its so cute how she takes care of the G1s and some she dont like to play with cause she dont want them to get tore up. She says she has to take care of them for her kids, so they have the same memorys she has now.

On the lighter side Heres my flea market trip with my Kid over the weekend:

Being 7 years old and learning about pony cancer she asks do we have to cut their hair all off? Will they die? It broke my heart. So after understanding a little better about why ponys have this, she uses these spots to her advantage. For example:
When we went to the flea market to "pony Hunt" I over heard her telling the dealers that she just couldnt pay full price for a pony that has cancer. She ended up talking every dealer down on their prices, I just sat back and watched her work. In the end she had a whole trash bag full of ponys, playsets and accesorys. She spent a total of 23 dollars.  When we got in the car she says, "Mom, I did good, didnt I? Im good at this job with my cute face. Can we go to another flea market so I can use my new pony skills?"  than she says, " I even better at pony hunting than you. You have to have the eye for it, and you just out grew it." I never laughed so hard. 

[applejackbunny]

I believe that pony cancer is brownish in colour and looks like age spots, which, is in fact what it is. The word cancer is misleading as it sounds so alarming but actually, I believe all it is, is the natural breakdown of the plastic with age. I do not believe that it spreads to other ponies and I am perfectly happy storing my age spotted ponies alongside my minty ones without fear of it spreading to them.  There are people on this forum who know vastly more than me about all kinds of pony ailments, and I'm sure they'll add their thoughts too, but I hope that helps for now! 

[reanna-mator]

Cancer generally, at least starts out circle shaped. I think that's because the plastic starts to degrade in one spot and then spreads out evenly from there.

Some say using acetone or other cleaning products can stop its spread, but I don't think that's true. Mold, maybe, but cancer is a breakdown in the plastic due to age and storage conditions. In some cases I've heard sunfading can fade cancer spots, but you should be careful of discoloration due to the sun. Some who insist on no marks on their ponies have mentioned painting over the spots, but I'd rather have imperfect ponies who are beautiful even with blemishes than paint on my ponies!

Common wisdom says that storing ponies in a dry and cool place is generally the best idea, for various reasons. It also helps prevent mold.

Ponies in plastic bags is usually okay, but make sure there's no moisture in the pony first, otherwise the moisture will become trapped in there. The ideal storage place for ponies is one that will allow it a little ventilation.

I'm almost positive that cancer only spreads on the pony it forms on, and not to other ponies. The opposite can seem true because often ponies that are stored in similar conditions can all develop age spots, making seem as if cancer spreads from one to the other. I don't quarantine my ponies that have plasticizer breakdown or cancer and so far I haven't noticed any new age spots developments on ponies that previously had none.

Hope that's helpful.

[Tiffymh1fan]

Thank you. Maybe someone should invent a product that will stop the breakdown process. Also another question none of my ponys have dry hair. My daughter brought home some ponys from her grandmas, that was hardly played with and in great shape except the hair was way too dry on all the ends. What causes them to get so dry?

[applejackbunny]

I'm not sure, but I think over-brushing contributes to it. It can be fixed with tons of conditioner and, if required, hair straighteners. There are lots of posts on the forum already about how that is achieved so if you have a look back you will find lots of useful tips and some great pics! Hope that is useful

[Tiffymh1fan]

I have fixed them up nice and friz all gone. I just didnt know if brushing or dry heat in a house could cause this to happen. thanks guys keep the views coming! I love hearing anything that could help prolong my ponys lives.

[applejackbunny]

You're very welcome!

[Stormness_1]

On the ziploc bags idea, I think people tend to avoid them as any moisture trapped inside will cause mould, and if the pony gets too hot in there, it may sweat and actually cause the plastic to break down. I keep my petites and blind backs in partially zipped baggies, to keep them clean and pristine, but I don't seal them completely, unless they have a hole someplace else for ventilation. When my ponies are in storage, I too use the big storage containers, as they don't seal properly. Something intended for food though, would seal, and the ponies would sweat. Hopefully that's helpful!

[hathorcat]

Frizzy hair is common on ponies - it can be caused by the nylon breaking down but more often than not its caused by the nylon being "stretched" - this happens every time the hair is brushed. Your best bet to prevent frizz becoming worse or starting is to use a wide metal tooth comb and not a plastic comb, also make sure to "slide" the comb through the hair, never tug or force it through.

I think everyone here has covered most points

How can I tell if its cancer or a pen mark?
As others have said, cancer or age marks [they are the same thing] tend to be anything from a tan coloured bruising to a dark brown dot or splotch. When you look at it closely it looks as though it is in the plastic where as pen looks as though it is on the surface of the plastic. They honestly do not look alike.

What Color is pony cancer and is there a way to treat it or stop it from spreading?
As above brown and no, it is a break down in the plastic so once started there is no way to prevent it from spreading further. It can spread quickly enough you can see the pony change over months or a couple of years or it can spread so slowly that you have one dot and never see another in the time you have a pony. Its all down to the individuality of the plastic and its own break down.

Whats the best way to store Ponies so avoid or prolong the cancer?
There isn't any set way or any way which is truly proven. You can see from the many ponies sold by non collectors on ebay who perhaps had ponies roughly stored away with no consideration for preventing break down, but are absolutely minty. And then you can have collectors who have carefully preserved a pony in all ways possible, but unfortunately the nature of plastic has meant age marks have formed.
However, I think it is worth trying to prevent it as much as possible - and for that I would recommend a dry,cool atmosphere and ensuring the plastic is able to breath.

Ive always stored my ponys in rubbermaid storage containers (is this safe?)
You are best to prevent ponies from pressing against one another - mainly to avoid staining one another or intending one another's plastic. Also make sure they are not over packed as plastic will sweat and try and ensure a breathabilty to the casing - perhaps with some air holes in the container.

And Can Ponys be put in ziplock bags and still be safe for long periods of time?
Yes you can put them in ziplock bags - I would suggest either leaving the bags open in order to prevent the plastic sweating or even using a paper punch to put air holes in the bag. As to whether they are safe...yes I believe so. But I would also advice you to check them with regularity.

Will cancer it spread to other ponys?
No - its a break down in that individual piece of plastic - it cant spread.

[Tiffymh1fan]

Thanks for all that info! I feel like a pro now. I learn something new everyday about these ponys!

[zabe77]

Looks like you've got lots of good info here! Just popping in to add: your daughter sounds adorable and like a girl who will get want she wants in life! Hooray for her!