Good cheap mouse bedding

I myself didn't notice an odor change when I started using the newspaper. I found that I can use slightly less regular bedding as most of the time it will end up shredded and mixed into the shavings (females especially). It keeps them busy for a bit...and the paper is free :)

On a side note...I use this same method in my ball python rack. I didn't really like the fact that when they move the substrate around they are laying on bare plastic at times. It has helped some...not that its doing all that much but makes me feel better :P Some might say to add more substrate but the layer of newspaper is cheaper than another cup of material :)

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Originally Posted by amg20102006

so pine is safe for mice and rats? i thought the dust from the bedding causes RI?

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Originally Posted by amg20102006

??????

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Originally Posted by Shelby

Come on now, be patient. There is no need to try to try to hurry anyone along with an answer.

Obviously if Smulkin and Adam are suggesting using pine, it is safe for the rodents. I can't imagine Adam of all people using something that is not safe (mr anal retentive himself :P)

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I sincerely appoligize for rushing as i was leaving to the store and needed some more bedding and was just wanting to know before I left. Sorry if I sounded like i was pushing you all to answer :D . I will try not to do it again in the future.

Apology accepted.. rushing people like that will get you no where. If someone sees your question, they'll answer it when they can.

A lot of people, especially those that keep rodents as pets, will browbeat you if you tell them you use pine. They will say how it contains phenols, which cause respiratory problems. But really, I see no troubles here at home with my rats on pine.
If it were a pet that I cared about its longterm health, I might avoid pine, because it is pretty dusty. But like others mentioned, my rats do not hang around very long before being fed to my snakes; or if they're too big, my friend's BCI eats them. And pine is DIRT cheap around here, since I buy the hrose bedding stuff.
Wish I could use hay (straw actually..); it is even cheaper! But the buggy factor stops that idea.

Thanks Everyone...

well I picked up some pine at the feed store.....???? cubic feet compressed into a 4 cubic foot package for $5.50....this stuff is going to last a really long time...and my wallet is very pleased that the transition from carefresh to pine has been made :D

Not beating the dead horse (Sorry Gin..) but my understanding against pine AND cedar was because the oils would contaminate the food animals and thus make the snakes ill, since the pine & cedar oils are toxic to snakes. Not that it matters...I can get the aspen really cheap and so have started to use it for the rats, as well as Baby. :rolleyes: lol

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Originally Posted by sweety314

but my understanding against pine AND cedar was because the oils would contaminate the food animals and thus make the snakes ill, since the pine & cedar oils are toxic to snakes.

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Is that information documented somewhere or just internet lore?

You always have to question things you hear, especially over the internet.

I'm not sure about cedar, but it's certainly not true in regards to pine.

-adam

Oh just another quick thing to add to the bedding issue. Old telephone books (everyone has a ton of them laying around) make great nesting materials. The thin paper seems to be great for the females to nest build with. We have two preggy females (hopefully) that I just moved to their own private tanks and they just love the addition of a bunch of strips of old telephone book as well as their normal bedding material.


~~Jo~~

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Is that information documented somewhere or just internet lore?

You always have to question things you hear, especially over the internet.

I'm not sure about cedar, but it's certainly not true in regards to pine.

-adam

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Thanks for the reminder, but nope....not from just the scuttlebutt on the 'net. It was from my VET, and a couple rat breeders that I discussed it with. I know they're not infallible, but I'd be wasting my $$ if I didn't trust in my vet or maybe have only a little bit of intelligent disobedience, right? But....the 8 yrs. of school gotta mean something! < espec. to a previous vet med student like myself. ;) >

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Originally Posted by sweety314

Thanks for the reminder, but nope....not from just the scuttlebutt on the 'net. It was from my VET, and a couple rat breeders that I discussed it with. I know they're not infallible, but I'd be wasting my $$ if I didn't trust in my vet or maybe have only a little bit of intelligent disobedience, right? But....the 8 yrs. of school gotta mean something! < espec. to a previous vet med student like myself. ;) >

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Well, sounds like you've got it all covered then. ;)

Personally, I question everyone and everything ... no matter what their credentials ... I once met a vet that didn't know the difference between a ball pythons urates and feces. So much for 8 years of schooling.

But back to the topic at hand ... I've been feeding rodents raised on pine to 200+ ball pythons a week for many years now, and all of my snakes are thriving. I've seen zero evidence of "oils" having any effect on them. And as I've said, I have no experience with cedar.

-adam