Paper Bedding?

Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:54 pm

I work in an office enviroment. Every every day, In the mailroom, There's tons and tons of Shredded paper. Trying to run google on my question doesn't bring back much, Other then Pine or Birch bedding manufacturers trying to peddle thair weres.

So, From the mouths of experts, I ask-
What's the advantages or disadvantages of Paper Bedding over Pine or Birch bedding? Pif-rat reaaaly really likes to burrow under whatever bedding he's given.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:19 pm

I don't know too much about Pine or Birch bedding but I do use paper time and time again. (I usually use aspen but when the cash is short or when I run out of it, paper is my next choice)

The only thing I can tell you about paper is that it holds odor so for me I'm cleaning cages more. But I also have 12 rats so I'm always cleaning haha.

I let my rats do the shredding and my girls LOVE it. One time they made this mountain as tall as the cage. I wondered how there was still any left at the bottom for them to sleep on.

I hope this helped a little.

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Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:25 pm

I was told not to use pine bedding. It could be really bad for the whole respitory thing even if it says it is dustless.

I was using pine and my poor baby Shannahan was having a fit of an allergy attack so I switched to paper and he's doing much better now. My vote is for paper. And cloth (like towels and such) If you don't mind washing them frequently.

Edit This might not apply to you because I use a HUGE cabinent as my cage. But what i do is take two layers of newspaper and secure them to the shelfs taping them down where the boys can't get to the tape. Then I put a few loose pieces in there for them to shred and where they sleep most and go to the bathroom least i put a small towel (like the size between washcloth and regular towel). The boys still tear up the layers that i've taped down but if I clean it every other day it's still in good enough condition where I can just untape it and roll the entire mess up and throw it away. Quick, easy and convenient.

Last edited by Binky_My_Baby on Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:55 pm; edited 1 time in total

Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:45 pm

Usually it's fine - it just needs cleaning every day or so rather than every few days or every week for other litters. I too will give my guys a sheet or two of newspaper to shred up, just for fun.

If there is ink on the paper, it might make their coats look a little grey if they're pale.

Though many inks are vegetable based now, it's also probably worth avoiding handfuls that look like they're very heavily printed (i.e shredded printouts of pictures etc).

Pine and cedar are a no no. They're not good for small animals, whether shavings or sawdust. Birch I'm not sure about - I can't remember if it's softwood (and therefore not good) or hardwood (and therefore ok to use).

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:56 pm

Well~
They do seem to spend more time in my bedroom and toobing when I use pine, Rather then Birch.

But I think I'll bring home a bucketfull of Paper. *!*
Oh! I have an idea! I think I'm going to make a Block, By stuffing and packing paper shreds into a large block container, and Add a bit of water. I'll let it dry, then ring it home, witht he edges scratched a bit.

Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:08 am

Hm. That kind of sounds like fun as long as the paper doesn't have any or too much printing. Wouldn't want your ratty poos getting covered in ink.

Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:08 am

Please don't use pine shavings for your rat...I used it with my old rat for a few months before I knew better and she developed a resperitory problem and eventually passed away. I then used paper for a while and it worked pretty good except the cage would get dirty pretty quick..YesterdaysNews is a good option..and not very expensive..it is also made from recycled paper.

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Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:24 am

	Kupok wrote:
	Well~ They do seem to spend more time in my bedroom and toobing when I use pine, Rather then Birch. But I think I'll bring home a bucketfull of Paper. ! Oh! I have an idea! I think I'm going to make a Block, By stuffing and packing paper shreds into a large block container, and Add a bit of water. I'll let it dry, then ring it home, witht he edges scratched a bit.

If you want your rats to have a long healthy life, I'd quite using the wood shavings ASAP. Thats pretty much asking for your fuzzy to develop a serious reaction to the phenols in the wood. Everyone will be healthier if you get rid of that stuff, even replacing it with paper (paper needs ot be changed daily) is a SUPER better option!

I buy Yesterdays NEws cat litter (its like long rolly pieces of newspaper pellets) and I swear by the stuff. It absorbs urine and poopoo smells, you can leave it 3 or 4 days longer than you can paper shreddings, it sucks in all the wetness so that you don't get those gross puddles that form UNDER the bedding.

I'd get YN or even Carefresh. Just lose the wood shavings as soon as you can.

Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:49 am

Definitely take a look at the sticky on litters - there are lots of great choices. Softwood, particularly cedar and pine, release the phenolic compounds that make it smell nice, but those irritate the respiratory systems and can affect liver enzymes (which are usually measured to watch liver function). Sawdust is worst because it's so dusty, but shavings aren't a good choice either. Things like 100% paper cat litters (like Yesterdays News), hemp, carefresh (or other paper litters), corn cob litter, cloth and paper are all good alternatives. Hardwoods like aspen (and I think birch) are fine though.

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:18 am

I already clean the cages and tubes daily, So changing the papers out every day isn't a problem. I actually have laundry hampers that go down to trash bins instead of laundry baskets for easy cleaning :3

Our office generates TONS over tons of shredded paper every day. Not newspaper mind you, But random documents, Most with less then half-pages of ink. Toner an' such is non-toxic biodigrade. In the long run, Taking the Shred Paper home would save quite a bit.

I learned far early on that m'rats prefered the hardwood over Pine, heh. And, While some of my friends make funny faces at the scent, I don't really mind it at all.

Hemp fibres would be great to use, But the States have some phobia agesnt any part of that plant x.o
--------------
Alright, My next health question.
I've been afraid to use Fabreeze on my bed, Where my rats often go, Because I'm not sure about the safty of it. I know Fabreeze advertises itself as non-toxic and pet safe, But I tried googling up some information to be sure. I found a wide variaty of opinions from many diffrent sources.

Reading through this website through, I'd trust the opinions of this source, for sure!

Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:53 pm

I think that the hemp bedding may well be available though I can't swear outside of the UK - it's not made from cannabis plants that contain any THC (the "high" chemical) - there are hemp plants that simply don't produce that effect. The plants are then used for making things like rope, bedding, and the seeds are used as fishing bait and even in health food stores as a dietary suppliment (at least in the UK). It still smells like cannabis when it's burnt though (the fishermen scatter their spare bait or spill some of it along the edges of waterways - I used to live next to a canal that was fished, and there would be a fine crop of hemp plants come summertime - the authorities would cut and burn the weeds, grass and so on from the edges of the water to make sure no-one fell in etc and you could smell it for a long distance). If I notice any US sources I'll drop in a link. wink

As long as you know the ink is non-toxic, then that's not going to be a problem, other than the potential grubbiness on pale fur - but in all honesty, my flatmate uses newspaper because it's about the only thing that his sneezy rat Stevie doesn't sneeze on (probably because it gets changed daily rather than every few days with more absorbant litters as much as anything else). Five of his seven rats are mostly white though, and none of them look grubby.

Re: Febreeze - with rats, its never a good plan to spray anything on or around them directly - they have such delicate respiratory systems that it's simply asking for trouble. But Febreeze, despite the scare stories, is safe for use around rats - but I'd qualify that by saying that if you do use it, remove the rats from the room first, wait for it to settle/dry, and then return them.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/febreze.asp - Snopes is generally a great reference when it comes to these things.

_________________
Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~