Bedding
Bad Bedding:
1. Cedar - The oil/phenol that makes the bedding smell nice is toxic and has been shown to cause problems with the respiratory system as well as the liver.
2. Pine - It is soft wood bedding again with a nice smell. It contains less oil/phenol, it does still have them. There is also kiln-dried pine. The pine has supposedly had its oils/phenols removed by via kiln-drying. Some people consider this bedding safe others don't.
3. Corn Cob - It has a tendency to mold also animals can coke on the pieces or ingesting them, causing an intestinal blockage.
4. Saw Dust - It is unacceptable bedding. It causes respiratory problems when inhaled.
5. Cat Litter - Most are unacceptable as bedding. Their dusty and again can cause respiratory problems. Also the clumping litter they can eat the clumps and can cause a blockage and death.
2. Pine - It is soft wood bedding again with a nice smell. It contains less oil/phenol, it does still have them. There is also kiln-dried pine. The pine has supposedly had its oils/phenols removed by via kiln-drying. Some people consider this bedding safe others don't.
3. Corn Cob - It has a tendency to mold also animals can coke on the pieces or ingesting them, causing an intestinal blockage.
4. Saw Dust - It is unacceptable bedding. It causes respiratory problems when inhaled.
5. Cat Litter - Most are unacceptable as bedding. Their dusty and again can cause respiratory problems. Also the clumping litter they can eat the clumps and can cause a blockage and death.
Good Bedding:
1. Carefresh - It's made from environmentally friendly biodegradable fiber; it contains no ink, clay or chemical contaminants. Carefresh bedding occasionally harbors parasites (mites and lice) and can be frozen for 24-48 hours before use as a precaution.
2. Aspen - It's made up of wood chips like cedar and pine. However, unlike pine and cedar, aspen is a hardwood not softwood bedding. It lacks the oils/phenols that pine and cedar have, making it a safe bedding option. Aspen bedding occasionally harbors parasites (mites and lice) and can be frozen for 24-48 hours before use as a precaution.
3. Yesterday's News - This is a cat litter, but it is different. It's made from recycled newspapers and is thus quite safe.
4. Material - You can also use material bedding as well. Especially with the Ferret Nation and Critter Nation a lot of people use some type of material to cover the bottom pan and shelves. It's very absorbent and also to clean you just run them through the wash. There are diff. types of material some hold up better and are more absorbent. It's personal preference.
2. Aspen - It's made up of wood chips like cedar and pine. However, unlike pine and cedar, aspen is a hardwood not softwood bedding. It lacks the oils/phenols that pine and cedar have, making it a safe bedding option. Aspen bedding occasionally harbors parasites (mites and lice) and can be frozen for 24-48 hours before use as a precaution.
3. Yesterday's News - This is a cat litter, but it is different. It's made from recycled newspapers and is thus quite safe.
4. Material - You can also use material bedding as well. Especially with the Ferret Nation and Critter Nation a lot of people use some type of material to cover the bottom pan and shelves. It's very absorbent and also to clean you just run them through the wash. There are diff. types of material some hold up better and are more absorbent. It's personal preference.
Nesting Material:
Even non-breeding rats like to nest, as it is one of the natural instincts of a rat to burrow or pile up soft materials to make him or herself a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Providing a smaller portion of a different, softer, kind of bedding can help your rats be comfortable in their beds. Carefresh, while expensive for entire cage bedding, makes good nesting material as it is very soft and absorbent. Shredded paper towels or toilet paper, or strips of a non-fraying material such as polar fleece can also be used.