How much Equine Fresh to use (pics)

Well, here's a few pics. I use the medium concrete tubs. They measure Approx 21 x 16 x 7. I use just over 2 pints of equine fresh. It covers roughly 3/4 of the tub after pouring. Yes, it's more than enough pellets.

Pics!

Scoop
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3003.jpg

Pour
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_2996.jpg

Spread
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_2990.jpg

Put in rat butts
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3008.jpg

Clean!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_2993.jpg

Flood! (oh noz)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_2997.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_2998.jpg


Mother tubs (excuse the forshortened look)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3021.jpg

Babies!
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3024.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3032.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...s/IMG_3026.jpg


That's what I do, feel free to follow suit!

This should be helpful to people who haven't used Equine Fresh before. I was really surprised at how little was necessary! I know I put in way too much the first time.

Your babies are adorable!

i just started using equine fresh in my mouse tubs,and 3 of the tubs drained the water bottles overnight after a bedding change.the mice turned the pellets into powder and the expansion drained the bottles.

so a little bit goes a long ways,i now use a level small deli cup of pellets in each van ness small tub.i've only changed out once but it seems like i'll get less odor and about 2 more days between changes.

still experminating with the asfr's and rats.have fun!

Rock on! Great post Connie. I made the mistake when I first started using a pelleted pine product of using too much. Now I barely cover the bottom of the tub and put a sprinkling of pine on top of it. Seems to work extremely well and my garbage men don't have hernias on trash day!

I have GOT to start phoning around to my local TSC or Sweet Feeds store to see if they carry this stuff. I just had Mike haul home two huge bags of low dust pine for the rats this morning and I'll be hauling out the nasty bedding later today. Anything that works better on rat tub cleaning day has got to be an improvement (and my lower back may thank you for it!). :)

Just to clarify something here Connie, you put a good bit of aspen on one side for the mamma rats to nest in? They will naturally put their babies there will they? I'm assuming this is because the Equine Fresh isn't as nice to have the babies on?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I have GOT to start phoning around to my local TSC or Sweet Feeds store to see if they carry this stuff. I just had Mike haul home two huge bags of low dust pine for the rats this morning and I'll be hauling out the nasty bedding later today. Anything that works better on rat tub cleaning day has got to be an improvement (and my lower back may thank you for it!). :)

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Jo,

There are a handful of companies that make a compressed pine product. Equine Fresh, Woody Pet, etc. Just check with the farm/feed stores for compressed pine horse bedding.

Jamie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

Just to clarify something here Connie, you put a good bit of aspen on one side for the mamma rats to nest in? They will naturally put their babies there will they? I'm assuming this is because the Equine Fresh isn't as nice to have the babies on?

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Yup... all of them use it. They don't keep it near as pretty :P, always moving it around to where ever they want the aspen, but generally they always use it. Plus, it doesn't get the dust into the babies nostrils like the pellets are prone to doing.

It's not as much as it looks, it's two handfuls of aspen from my tiny hands. They get one deli cup full of equine fresh, then the aspen. At the second changing they go to all pine pellets. Otherwise it's stinky.

Of course, there is always the exception to the rule!

Joanna, for any mothers just about to give birth and up to two weeks old, I do just a little bit of Equine Fresh and then cover it all up with wood shavings. When I didn't do that, I lost two litters from the dust of the equine fresh. Deb had warned me she had the same problem, but I have to see it for myself to believe it.

After seeing that the babies were breathing in the dust and clogging up their noses, I switched to this method and haven't lost any babies since.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Jo,

There are a handful of companies that make a compressed pine product. Equine Fresh, Woody Pet, etc. Just check with the farm/feed stores for compressed pine horse bedding.

Jamie

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Thanks Jamie. I know I can't find Woody Pet anywhere in Toledo after a fruitless search for it but I'll try to see if anyone sells this Equine Fresh or a product like it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Joanna, for any mothers just about to give birth and up to two weeks old, I do just a little bit of Equine Fresh and then cover it all up with wood shavings. When I didn't do that, I lost two litters from the dust of the equine fresh. Deb had warned me she had the same problem, but I have to see it for myself to believe it.

After seeing that the babies were breathing in the dust and clogging up their noses, I switched to this method and haven't lost any babies since.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Yup... all of them use it. They don't keep it near as pretty :P, always moving it around to where ever they want the aspen, but generally they always use it. Plus, it doesn't get the dust into the babies nostrils like the pellets are prone to doing.

It's not as much as it looks, it's two handfuls of aspen from my tiny hands. They get one deli cup full of equine fresh, then the aspen. At the second changing they go to all pine pellets. Otherwise it's stinky.

Of course, there is always the exception to the rule!

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Thanks for the advice ladies. I'll have to give this bedding method a try soon. :)

Jo - you can also buy ExquisiCat Pine Pellets at PetSmart to give it a try. A bit pricier than Equine Fresh or something similar. Are there any Tractor Supply companies near you?

I just picked up a small bag of the ExquisiCat today to get enough to finish up changing out tubs today, because I am out of Equine Fresh at the moment.

Quote:

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After seeing that the babies were breathing in the dust and clogging up their noses, I switched to this method and haven't lost any babies since.[/

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Told you so :zerb:

On another note Jo for mice and ASF I use Equine Fresh only and I have not had any problem.

I haven't seen any problems with babies dying with Woody Pet only, but maybe it's less dusty than Equine Fresh. Best of luck!

I'm pretty sure we have a TSC somewhere in Toledo or the outskirts. I'll have to check it out. This heavy pine bedding is a back killer on tub cleaning day.

How much does Equine Fresh cost approximately? Do you use it instead of all pine to control the smell or are there other benefits?

I get 40 lbs for 6.03, sometimes it's on sale for 5.88. I get 15 tub changes out of one bag.

It's much more absorbant than pine or aspen, controls smell like none other. I experimented with a lot of different things when starting out, because my rats were kept in my bedroom, so it was important for smell control. Well, I kept coming back to Equine Fresh because it's really the best.

I've tried stove pellets, and besides them being a seasonal thing, A LOT of stove pellets have additives and paper that just stink when wet. I found a local place that carries hardwood pellets I'm going to use during the fall and winter. See how those do compared to Equine Fresh.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I get 40 lbs for 6.03, sometimes it's on sale for 5.88. I get 15 tub changes out of one bag.

It's much more absorbant than pine or aspen, controls smell like none other. I experimented with a lot of different things when starting out, because my rats were kept in my bedroom, so it was important for smell control. Well, I kept coming back to Equine Fresh because it's really the best.

I've tried stove pellets, and besides them being a seasonal thing, A LOT of stove pellets have additives and paper that just stink when wet. I found a local place that carries hardwood pellets I'm going to use during the fall and winter. See how those do compared to Equine Fresh.

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Thanks Connie! You are always so helpful.

Thanks Connie! Just went out and got three bags along with a huge bag of pine.

I've been using a mix of aspen and equine fresh with my asf rats. Only in the grow-out/feeder tubs where there are higher numbers of rats. The stuff is awesome for sure but I still need to work on how much I'm using since it doesn't last nearly as long as a bale of aspen does. I love the clean up though with EF, in the pee area in the tub there is no bedding material sticking to the tub it poors right out. Its kinda like one of those eye openers when going from glass aquariums to tubs LOL. I wish I could buy a larger bulk for a lower price though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TekWarren

I wish I could buy a larger bulk for a lower price though.

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You should be able to get a lower price in bulk from TSC... it's just a pretty large bulk is required -- a full pallet to be exact. ;)

Alrighty connie, I bought a bag today....40 lbs for 4.50! ( my dad runs the feed store...lol). Im gunna try it tonight, and am looking forward to the results!!! I keep my rats in my bedroom too, and the smell can get rank pretty fast when I have a few older litters, but I hope this helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stangs13

Alrighty connie, I bought a bag today....40 lbs for 4.50! ( my dad runs the feed store...lol). Im gunna try it tonight, and am looking forward to the results!!! I keep my rats in my bedroom too, and the smell can get rank pretty fast when I have a few older litters, but I hope this helps.

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It does! Im a first time user this week and there is a HUGE difference. Still no smell after four days of use. I put pine in the back of each tub though, together there is no smell( unless your heads in the tub):)

Here is what I did to keep the rat smell to a minimum in the bedroom.

1. Use aspen and any wood shavings only for nursing mothers. Aspen and Pine still stink when peed on. It almost negates the purpose of the pellets.

2. Get an automatic sprayer, set it up in the corner of your room. Avoid sickly sweet scents like Vanilla or Orange, try spiced apple, fresh breeze, soft yet clean scents like fresh clean laundry....

3. Have an exhaust window fan on 24/7. Closer to the rats, the better.

4. Vacuum the bejeezus out of your bedroom weekly. Do it after you have changed the rat tubs. Vacuum the dust off any furniture, and around the tubs themselves. Best if you use a Dyson (:love:)

That's what I did, and guess what?! It hardly smelled at all. Even Chris' mother didn't notice, and she was our biggest critic. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Here is what I did to keep the rat smell to a minimum in the bedroom.

1. Use aspen and any wood shavings only for nursing mothers. Aspen and Pine still stink when peed on. It almost negates the purpose of the pellets.

2. Get an automatic sprayer, set it up in the corner of your room. Avoid sickly sweet scents like Vanilla or Orange, try spiced apple, fresh breeze, soft yet clean scents like fresh clean laundry....

3. Have an exhaust window fan on 24/7. Closer to the rats, the better.

4. Vacuum the bejeezus out of your bedroom weekly. Do it after you have changed the rat tubs. Vacuum the dust off any furniture, and around the tubs themselves. Best if you use a Dyson (:love:)

That's what I did, and guess what?! It hardly smelled at all. Even Chris' mother didn't notice, and she was our biggest critic. ;)

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LOL! Thanks for the tips. They seem to be liking the pellets....silly rats like to through it around the tubs and wake me up!! They were breeding the whole night, witnessed it a few times, so the pellets were not bothering it.:D