# UK people: Catolet vs Carefresh vs Back2Nature?



## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Hey all,

I know there are a million and one threads suggesting what to put in your cage, but I was wondering if anyone has tried all three of these, and if so, which they recon is best?

I've been using Bio Catolet since I got my rats, but annoyingly, my store doesn't actually stock it, meaning I have to trek to get some. However, we do sell the other two, and I was wondering whether I should switch. B2N is expensive, but seems to me to be a little better than Catolet. Carefresh is something I'd never considered until recently, but I'm hearing (and seeing) customers saying they use it and love it.

I get paid tomorrow, and we need some litter. Which does everyone think would be best?

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## Limouri (Apr 19, 2013)

I've been using carefresh ever since i've gotten my ratties, i like it; i use the purple kind. My first bag was the brown kind and i didn't like it, it was hard and didn't work well. The purple one is nice though, soft and i don't really notice a smell!


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

None of the above! Honestly if I were you Alex I'd go with something called Papelit 100% Cat Litter; it comes in medium sized plastic sealed bags and is brilliant for the litter tray and as a base coating for underneath your substrate. I buy both my substrate and litter from a company called finaCARD, and have never looked back. A UK breeder here on the forum said breeders use it a lot and it works out so much cheaper than buying the small bags from Pets At Home. I know you work there but, their prices aren't always the best for the amount you get! I bought the 15kg bale of finaCARD bedding, with 2 bags of Papelit Litter and some Sofnest Tissue bedding for only £22; the delivery is cheap as chips too surprisingly! Here's the link if you're interested. Obviously, get your usual today as you're in need but seriously consider this option; my bale has lasted me 4-5 months so far and that's with 2 cages being cleaned weekly and there's at least 1/2 the bale left, if not more like 3/4! Plus the rats love digging in it. The litter works out very cheap too, I swear by it now as both the bedding and litter is 100% rat safe. The bedding is 100% cardboard, refined to remove any dust:

http://www.finacard-uk.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=109


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

That sounds awesome. So you use the pellets as a base, then the card above it? £22 isn't much more than I'd be paying for 30l of Back2Nature, so with the free postage I'll probably go for it.

As I'm on my phone and can't be arsed fighting through their site, how long does postage take? I might go for a small bag of something to tide me over if it's not too long.

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## Sugapot (Mar 3, 2013)

I tried looking for you on the website alexn, but they don't really say. Just that delivery is free, simple and enjoyable. (LOL) 

Its just before 11:30 pm here and we have a bank holiday tomorrow...so browsing the net after going out for dinner with my (finally employed!!) hubby. 

I love seeing what is available in other countries as we really do not have much of a selection here.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

I'd recommend also looking at www.ratrations.co.uk , they do a few other choices of bedding as well as finacard and paperlit. I use paperlit quite a bit in my litter trays and then alternate between greenmile, hemcore, fitch paper bedding (which is from a different site) and bedmax (sourced from a local farm shop). I generally have 2 bales in at once so i can mix them as well as use them on there own and its excellent value


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## ratclaws (Nov 11, 2012)

It was delivered within a week, so very fast delivery. I found it's suited me so far so I'm sticking with it! The bale itself is compressed so you actually get much more than it appears to hold too. Isamurat is a breeder so she also knows some great alternatives; if I were you I'd take your pick from our suggestions as they're all reasonably good and more of a matter of preference than one definitely being better over the other. If you have the money and space I'd maybe get the Papelit Litter and then try a mixture of two beddings (maybe finaCARD and Greenmile perhaps?), though it's really up to you. Just know that one bale of finaCARD will last you ages compared to regular bedding from [email protected] and that really for now I'd actually just pick one substrate, and try something else in future if it's all gone or if you don't take to it. If you or the rats don't take to it however then you have the issue of getting rid of a huge bale of bedding. However, finaCARD do sample packs here, so maybe you should try this first and see what you think:

http://www.finacard-uk.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=54&products_id=137


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

I've got two bales of the stuff sitting at home, just the cardboard not the paper pellets, but I'd be happy to send you a bit if you just covered postage 

Other things for you to consider are auboise, megazorb, Eco bedding and Fitch recycled bedding.


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## alexn (Sep 30, 2012)

Isamurat said:


> I'd recommend also looking at www.ratrations.co.uk , they do a few other choices of bedding as well as finacard and paperlit. I use paperlit quite a bit in my litter trays and then alternate between greenmile, hemcore, fitch paper bedding (which is from a different site) and bedmax (sourced from a local farm shop). I generally have 2 bales in at once so i can mix them as well as use them on there own and its excellent value


Yeah, I like ratrations, and when I switch to a proper mix, I'll be using them. However, their postage fees are reasonably high for me at the moment. Great selection though, I really like that the site exists 



Maltey said:


> I've got two bales of the stuff sitting at home, just the cardboard not the paper pellets, but I'd be happy to send you a bit if you just covered postage
> 
> Other things for you to consider are auboise, megazorb, Eco bedding and Fitch recycled bedding.


Nah, it's ok  What I'm going to do is buy a small bag of B2N tomorrow, then get the £22 deal. If they don't get on with it, I know a few people who will happily take it for other animals


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