shredded paper as a bedding a bad idea?

Hi,

I recently broke down and bought a little shredder for bank statements etc ( the s******ing of the tramps was getting embarassing) and as a result will have lots of cross cut shredded paper (4mm x 36mm sized peices).

I was wondering if this would be useable as a bedding/substrate for rats/gerbils?

If it is O.k. is there anything I should avoid (shiny paper junkmail for example)?


dr del

I always add shredded paper to my regular bedding, rats and mice love it and use it as nesting material.

I use regular paper, newspaper anything that can be shredded and will not be harmful to them, I just avoid shinny/glossy paper.

Hey,

Thanks for the quick answer.:)

So I should only use it as extra not as the whole substrate? - I could have tons of it if needed as the newspaper I buy to cover the bottom of the snake tanks is huuuuuge.:)


dr del

Its sounds pretty good to me actually. My stepsons used to have gerbils and they just used strips of newspaper (if you tear newspaper in the right direction it tears in straight line). I'm currently using something like this for my BP and was actually considering they same thing you are but for my snake.

I use it in combination because on it's own it does not absorb odors very well.

You might consider putting whole sheets on the bottom to ease cleaning the same way a kitty box liner does. Having something continuous underneath it all will make it alot easier to lift all that stuff out come cleaning time.

personally Derek...I would use it added to your regular subtrate.

I tried it on my rats and and as Deb said...It does not absorb odor well.

phew-wee.

they do like it for nesting.

:D

man mouse pee smells so disgusting. Once I put a feeder inside a rubbermaid container along with a couple of paper towels to keep him busy (they'll shred it and make a bed). Anyway, there wasn't alot of ventilation and I ended up leaving him in there for a few hours, during which time he peed up a storm. When it was feeding time I went to get him, bent right over to see him real well, and lifted the top off. It was like somebody hit me in the face it was so bad. phew! Intense ammonia smell was just the beginning... oh the horror...

O.k.


So for rats it's only for extras to avoid the smells problem. **takes notes**

How about with gerbils as they tend not to smell much? Or was my nose just not working last time I had gerbils?:)

I'm a single guy so a lot of nasal nuances pass me by apparently. :oops:


dr del

The main thing with the newspaper is that it's not very absorbant, whereas aspen, carefresh, etc are very absorbant, and leech the moisture away from the animals' feet. Dirty, wet bedding can cause bumblefoot and other bacterial infections. Ammonia builds up quicker too, and you would be changing it out every 2-3 days. Ick!

I use it every so often when I clean the rat cages, but it just makes everything look dirty so much quicker. The gerbils get TONS of cheap paper towel or newspaper and they just go nuts. They like to turn it into fluff, LoL.

Ah,


I hadn't even thought about them squelching around in it.:(

Guess theres nothing for it but to annoy the bin man by throwing it all away as usual.

If I decide to get some varmints I'll just stick to the tradititional beddings.


dr del

Del,

We have been using the shreded newspaper for a couple months here, and I agree with the absorbtion and smell comments made. I have noticed with the Gerbils it seems to make them smell worse than the rats. We are going to try mixing and see if its better.

If you try it at your end too let me know what you think.

Neil

Oh put that shredder to good use and shred up old telephone books. I don't know about over there but here in the States telephone books are made of that lovely thin paper and rats absolutely adore strips of that. Not as regular bedding as it isn't absorbent enough but it makes a lovely use for old phone books and the rats have a blast with the stuff! Makes for great maternity nesting material and all the rats enjoy dragging it about to construct all sorts of rattie things with. :) Toss in a handful or two with the regular bedding and watch your rats go nuts LOL.

You do want the big long strips though, not the fine shred.