I currently remove pregnant females from tubs and keep them alone in lab cages for the first 10 days after delivery. I will be trying a new approach to try to reduce work (cleaning/moving) and increase production. I will be keeping one male and three females together is a small mixing tub full time and only removing the weanlings.

With my current method I use pine pellets alone in the breeding tubs and fine pine shavings in the birthing lab cages. The pine pellets give off a lot of dust which can be bad for newborns.

I need to continue to use pine pellets because of cost and odor in my new method. Will a layer of pine pellets and then a light cover of pine shavings over them reduce the dust enough for the newborns?