Pine bedding, is it really that bad?

[littleindiangirl]

Yes, I can say I have experience... I have many rats, and have tried pine once way back in the beginning. Rats that were kept on pine had more sinus and respiratory problems overall. I had to treat at once 4 rats for severe RI's for a over a month. I was just starting out and I refused to bring in any more rats due to quarantine procedures.

Once I removed my colony from pine to aspen, they cleared up almost immediately and I have no longer experienced any sniffles, sneezes or coughing. Their eyes are free and clear, and they just plain look in better health and shape.

I choose to not use pine, not only for the detrimental issues with their sinuses and respiratory systems, but also because I need the best and strongest animals in my colony.

I too have read the few websites that talk about the use of pine, and only one comes to mind that challenges the common told problems when it comes to pine. I found it to be confusing and not well written in regards to pine and the studies they quoted, however I do trust the papers that show an elevated level on enzymes in the liver of small animals, which will lead to liver disease and liver failure.

Many people do not see the full life expectancy of rats, with most burning out at one year of age from many breedings and poor air quality from bedding choices.

Yes, I also know that many respected labs and suppliers keep their animals on pine, even kiln dried labratory grade pine, but I have never used it and cannot comment on it's quality.

These are a few of the sites that I have personally read, and overall, I choose not to use pine for the reasons stated above and in these writings.

The only pine I use are pellets, and they do not have the same intensity or raw material as regular kiln dried pine shavings.

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guine...odshavings.htm
http://www.ratfanclub.org/litters.html
http://www.rabbit.org/care/shavings.html
http://www.afrma.org/rminfo2a.htm
http://www.ratsrule.com/cedar.html <---- listing of medical studies that are good to read
http://www.anapsid.org/cedar2.html <--- has links to many articles outlining different effects or the lack of effects of pine and cedar on different animals.
If I have time, I may look up the studies in particular and link back.