Best Bedding?

What is the best bedding that I can get at a local pet store for Rats?

Aspen shavings

I use pine pellets and kiln dried pine shavings. The aspen isn't very absorbent and it was very stinky the two weeks I was using aspen.


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OK, I think imma go with the pine shavings for the rats!! I am really looking to cut back on smell, and currently I am using that soft stuff, looks like fluffed cardboard or something lol.

Time to make a switch!!!

Got the pine shavings, can't wait to see how it works with smell of pee lol


0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 BCI (Kiyoko)
0.1 Dumerils Boa (Gloria)

I use pine from a farm store. It's cheap, it works, and it's safe. I've used pine for the last 5 years and my rats live 2.5-3 years. No different than a rat kept on carefresh (I have kept pet rats on nice bedding only).

The pine was cheap, got a huge bag for $8!!


0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 BCI (Kiyoko)
0.1 Dumerils Boa (Gloria)

I have tried several different brands of pine shavings; I finally figured out that the smaller the flake, the better the odor control. I use Guardian Swift Pick, (actually horse bedding, get it at Tri State Vet and Pet Supply in Evansville, Guardian's website has a dealer locator) it's not much bigger than sani chips, but a lot thinner. About $5 for a large bale that lasts through 3 complete 6-tub rat rack changes. I think it has to do with the available surface area that absorbs liquids and odor better.
Just my 2 cents

has anyone tried using a product similar to Good Mews, which is supposed to be cat litter but also used for small rodents. it's a recycled newspaper product, expensive but works well with odor and absorption from my experience.

I use stuff from petco it's a giant stupid square of it for 10 dollars and lasts me almost two an half months changing six cages every week. It says soft wood and paper. They sell smaller things of it for not good deal an then this one at a great deal cuz it's a big awkward rectangle.

The bag I got had fairly small pieces of pine and came in a HUGE rectangular bag as you describe, but for $7 at petsmart!


Ball Pythons
0.3 Normals (Coilette, Athena and Mary Jane)
1.0 Pastel (De Sol)
1.0 Spider (Zeus)
1.0 Mojave (Prometheus)

Boa Constrictors
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Stella)
0.1 BCI (Kiyoko)
0.1 Dumerils Boa (Gloria)

I do not breed rats but the question is does anyone go to a mill and sure shavings from a planer?

The mill by me sells shavings for 24$ a 1/4 ton. http://www.hefler.ca/Wood_Shavings_Sawdus.html.

I would not use any dusty product, like the mill shavings above. When I used pine, the dusty stuff would clog the nostrils of infant rats and kill them. It's hard to nurse and breathe out your nose when it's clogged.

I switched to shredded aspen earlier this year for my rats. It doesn't help with smell as much, but its less dustier and the pinks sit on top of it instead of getting mixed up or settled to the bottom. I was also weary about the pine oils bonding with the natural skin oils on a rat that could transfer to the snakes. I have no basis for that point other than that's just something I do. I never had an issue with my snakes when growing rats on pine.

I'm still new to rats but I really don't like the Care Fresh I have now. Initially I used aspen I had left over from my switch to cedar for my BPs. It lasted way longer than this Care Fresh. Within 2 days there is a noticeable odor. I'm going to swap to pine next to try it out cause it's so inexpensive and it sounds like it's pretty effective.

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You don't want to use cedar with your snakes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Focal X

You don't want to use cedar with your snakes.

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I dunno why I said cedar lol I meant cypress mulch. My bad

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That's what I thought you meant :p

thread is also about rats... :)

Idk about mill stuff. I have read that it has to be kiln dried. I get a huge bundle of it from the local Co-op. Lasts me at least 2-3 months with the chickens and rats, cost about $10.

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Hey, Hypno...how did the pine shavings work out for you? found this thread by doing a search...I'm on aspen now (just what i have a bunch of from my bp's...they're gunna go to cypress soon), and the stuff stinks to high heaven after a day or two.