Pine vs aspen.... why not both?

just aspen sucked for me, 3-4 days they smelled bad and needed to be cleaned

I read about all the things people complain about with pine pellets but then I had an idea

so I started putting a layer of pine pellets on the bottom of the tubs then aspen on top, the pellets absorb the smell way better, like I go a week to a week and a half without cleaning now. but the rodents still have their bedding, no ones getting sick, and everyones happy.

also doing it this way, cleaning the tubs has became way easier, the bedding just falls out now on most tubs instead of having to be scrapped out of every tub. another little added bonus

been doing this since I built my rat room, just after new years, because after putting them in an enclosed room, I needed to do something, even with ventilation, so I think I found a new system for me and had great results, feel free to try it out yourself.

This is actually exactly what I'm doing. I bought the pellets, but didn't want the mice to not have anything to nest in or bed down in. I have a ton of aspen for the snake tubs, so I just throw a handful or so on top of the pellets, mostly where their hide goes, and they nest on it.

I also throw in a bit of shredded paper... they grab all of that, and almost all of the aspen and drag it into their hides of I don't put it in there in the first place. I do like that the combo seems to help with the smell as well.

If you are sensitive to odor....


dust the bottom of your cage with baking soda....then add the pellets, then add the aspen or pine. ( I like pine better personally)

this is exactly what im doing! it helkps alot and i can push changing the bedding to a week and a half, depending on how many are in that tub at the time!

side note, does baking soda really help alot?

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Originally Posted by het.pied

this is exactly what im doing! it helkps alot and i can push changing the bedding to a week and a half, depending on how many are in that tub at the time!

side note, does baking soda really help alot?

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it is noticable if you compare over similar time.

I guess I am lucky I get the pine bedding that is for the Polo show horses here locally. It is triple kiln dried and a really nice shaving. I just have to buy my yearly needs before April ( end of Polo season), and put in storage. Only $ 7.00 a bale. It absorbers nicely and looks great.