straw/hay

[decensored]

I wouldn't trust pine even if it is kiln dried. Even the scent can cause reactions. And hay/straw really isn't safe for the reasons TheAnalogue gave. Aspen and cypress are both good for spot picking and both are readily available online.

You could also shred the newspaper too.

+1

you can use Aspen for small animals as long as its kiln dried - and its cheaper then the stuff marketed for reptiles. I like coco-husk but its not always available .