# Bedding



## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

So I'm thinking of switching to bedding. What kind of bedding is the safest to use? Also what's the deal with yesterday's news? Is it bad? could I use that as bedding? I have a DCN and wanted to make scatter guards... any thoughts?
Thanks


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## thelmaandlouise (Jun 7, 2016)

Anything that's not pine or cedar and relatively low dust. I don't use bedding, so I'm not really able to help much but you could check out Kaytee Clean & Cozy. I don't know if it's absorbent, but I think it has good reviews.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

It is pretty much personal choice. There are many great types of bedding to use.

I use aspen and love it. 

Kiln dried pine many people use and love, there is some debate on its safeness but the truth is that there is just not enough research on it either way. I'd say if you choose to use it do your research first and then make the decision for yourself.

Flax & hemp seem to be by far some of the best but depending on where you live, near impossible to find.

Stay away from pure paper IMO as it has been shown to be quite bad at absorbing odor/ammonia. 

Paper pellets are bedder though. 

Sunseed Fresh World Bedding is another very popular brand

I would not use yesterdays news. It is made up of 50% soft woods like pine & cedar which are dangerous (if not kiln dried and no word so far if they are)
http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?311618-Yesterday-s-News-Warning


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## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

would either of you happen to have a CN? I have a double and am wondering how much to buy? Is it even worth it? It seems like a small bag wouldn't be enough for my cage...


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## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

The bedding would be expensive because of how big the CNs are. I you hate fleece then go ahead. It will be expensive but you don't have to clean the cage twice a week.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

peace said:


> would either of you happen to have a CN? I have a double and am wondering how much to buy? Is it even worth it? It seems like a small bag wouldn't be enough for my cage...


I do not but I have 30 rats and 7-8 cages and a HUGE like 7-10ft (I cant remember exactly) long GP cage. 
I buy the huge bag of aspen at tractor supply its somewhere around $10 and it gets me through a week or so. It is compressed really tight so there is alot more then what it looks like.

It would probably last you maybe near a month I would guesstimate. Maybe 3 weeks maybe 5. It would depend on how often you clean it.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Aspen bedding might be more expensive than fleece, that is if your rats don't shred it. However, your rats environment will be more hygienic and have lower ammonia levels, the cage will smell much better, easier and quicker to clean, and less respiratory infections or none. One rat with a respiratory infection will cost $100-200 depending on where you live (meds included), and you can get lots of Aspen bedding for that amount instead. Not saying that rats on Aspen never get sick but I would bet that they do less, assuming the cage is kept relatively clean of course. I know that none of my rats wake up with porphyrin now that I have switched 100% to Aspen and use paper towel instead of fleece in their favorite sleeping spots- I change the paper towel daily or every other day. They still have fleece hammocks but no fleece under which they could sleep and inhale the ammonia directly under it. Fleece liners are the worse, unless your rats pee 100% of the time in their litter boxes.


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## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

my boys are not taking to the litter boxes.I need to figure something out fast cuz it really smells and my boys burrow under fleece.


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## dagmara04 (Jan 4, 2016)

I switched to aspen from the tractor supply company recently and am thrilled with the switch. I can't believe how much better it controls odors and the rats seem happier than with fleece. They love digging around and messing with the aspen and sleeping in it.


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## LilysPets (Jul 1, 2016)

I started with fleece and I switched to bedding for the exact same reasons as you. I couldn't get my boys to use their litterbox no matter what I did... I literally tried everything but they preferred to pee on the fleece and poop in the litterbox. Personally, I use Aspen. I get a huge paper bag for $19 (including tax in Canada) at Rens Pet Depot and it's kiln-dried and laboratory grade by NEPCO. It's the most dust-free aspen I have ever used. It generally lasts me almost 2 months for my 4 boys. Switching to bedding definitely helped in reducing smell.

I have also used Carefresh Natural. It was nice while it lasted, but it definitely got expense. I find fleece they will always chew on it and you will have to replace it... More of a hassle in my opinion. It's definitely nice and dust free, but I also found it hard to get rid of the ammonia after every wash.


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## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

Thanks for the replies. Lilyspets, I'll be looking into that


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## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

looking online, I only found pine and "shredded press pack"


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## LilysPets (Jul 1, 2016)

They don't have the Aspen shavings that I use on their website. It might be worth the trip to visit your local Rens and see what they have to offer! I find they're much cheaper compared to other pet stores, and they're able to order most things in if they don't have any in stock.  At my local Rens, there's a section of bulk bags for bedding. It's a big brown paper bag by NEPCO.  Let me know if you find it! It's the best Aspen I have ever used.


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