Pine Bedding

Anyone have any experience using this pine shavings?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...t?cm_vc=-10005

I’m currently using Aspen bedding but would like to see if I can find a cheaper source. I’m currently paying $23 for 8.0 cu ft. of aspen.

I have been using it for 11 years :gj:

I have no experience using pine so can't really contribute but I wanted to say 23$ for 8 cubic feet of aspen sounds pretty sweet. Where I live you can only get the stuff marketed for reptiles which is truly expensive.

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I gotta say you are awesome! Every post so far you have jumped in with some helpful advice. :)

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Originally Posted by tegu

I have no experience using pine so can't really contribute but I wanted to say 23$ for 8 cubic feet of aspen sounds pretty sweet. Where I live you can only get the stuff marketed for reptiles which is truly expensive.

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Not sure where you are but this is where I get it for that price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DK8PW..._44jFAb6JP4B40

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Originally Posted by chemdogxxx

Not sure where you are but this is where I get it for that price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DK8PW..._44jFAb6JP4B40

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Well holy crap and here I was spending 11$ for a tiny little petco bag.

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I heard that Pine was extraordinarily bad for snakes and rats.. Is that not true?

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Originally Posted by Jnksnakes

I heard that Pine was extraordinarily bad for snakes and rats.. Is that not true?

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I heard the same thing that the oils it let's off can be toxic:confusd:

I use this brand as well for rodents and snakes. Hard to beat $5 a bag.

I do not & would not use pine for snakes, but I've been using pine shavings for rodents for decades...no issues whatsoever. I usually buy from local large feed
stores- the big 4-5 cu. foot bags are about $5 around here. Varies some by brands, but I go out of my way to buy "easy pick" aka "mini-chips" so I can sprinkle
the used shavings into my lawn instead of landfill too. I don't raise tons of rodents, so my used shavings amount to about 2 buckets worth every 5-6 days, and
they literally disappear into the lawn (-mouse fertilizer, who knew?). (DO NOT USE CEDAR SHAVINGS though)

BTW, the amount of irritating oils in pine shavings is very minimal...but also, rodent cages have plenty of ventilation too, UN-like the enclosures that many of you
use for your snakes, where snakes are stuck breathing whatever substrate you put in. But either way, even with all the ventilation possible, cedar is very irritating
to the lungs of rodents & causes issues, some say toxic too...it's a no-go for BOTH rodents & snakes. (cedar is great for repelling moths in your closet though)

Awesome, thanks for the information. I might try this with my rats. I'm expanding from 2 male 4 female breeders to 4 male 16 females. Definitely need to save on the aspen bedding. I would use aspen for my snakes but I use Reptichip instead. Will be nice to cut costs on the rodent bedding.

So it's $6 at tractor supply for an 8 cu. ft bag of pine, $30 on amazon for an 8 cu ft. bag of Kaytee aspen. If Pine is safe i'm definitely switching over. TSC said their bags are either kiln-dried or rotary dried. I heard kiln-dried is safe how about Rotary dried? I am not calling their customer service everytime I buy a bag though, LOL (although they say you can and they track it)

Not exactly sure what 'rotary dried' is but assume it's turned & air dried, whereas kiln-dried is heat added. Either should be ok...I'd imagine rotary-dried
is cheaper for them, a kiln is an oven & requires energy, that's all. Though I suppose insects could survive rotary but not kiln...

EH. Yeah i'll try it. There's people here saying they've used it for years I suppose it should work.