How much Equine Fresh to use (pics)

[littleindiangirl]

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


Pour


Spread


Put in rat butts


Clean!


Flood! (oh noz)





Mother tubs (excuse the forshortened look)


Babies!







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

[kc261]

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!

[twh]

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!

[jglass38]

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!

[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!).

[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?

[jglass38]

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!).

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

[littleindiangirl]

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?

Yup... all of them use it. They don't keep it near as pretty , 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!

[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.

[frankykeno]

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

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.

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.

Yup... all of them use it. They don't keep it near as pretty , 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!

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