[Elythador]

I've bought some bedding in preparation for my rats. I've got saw dust for the ground and wool bedding. Is this ok? It'll be a while before I get my rats though because my pet store can't get hold of any.

I really wanted to buy from a breeder but couldn't find one. This pet store is really good though. All the cages are fresh and really clean, there is no bad smell and the other small animals were only 3-4 th a 10 gallon tank. It is also privately owned and not a chain. It has a really good reputation so I don't feel guilty about buying from them.

It also excercises equal opportunitys as I noticed the staff caring for the animals had learning difficultys. Unfortunately I won't be able to get my pets from them until after christmas. I refuse to go to a chain like Pets at home (I live in Leeds, England by the way) because they seem to over stock their cages and the animals never look happy. I noticed a tank of four degus and they were playing happily as larry.

 

[cjshrader]

I wouldn't use saw dust as it is too dusty for a rat's sensitive respiratory system.

I've never heard of someone using wool. Is this straight wool or is it woven in some way or what? I imagine it isn't very odor absorbent.

That chain doesn't sound all that great in my opinion. A 10 gallon tank is too small even for one rat, so 3-4 is way too many. But if you have no other choice then you have no other choice.

 

[glindella]

what kind of shavings? You'll want to avoid cedar and pine, aspen is good, also cheap and easy to find.

 

[Forensic]

The fluffy bedding from the store was never a hit with my boys, plus it seemed to tangle about their little toes.

 

[Elythador]

They only seem to have saw dust in this countryIts a yellowy colour, it does look very dusty

 

[crapola]

see if you can get kitty litter... the paper pellet kind. you should be able to find it in supermarkets... much better than sawdust, and just as absorbent.

do you mean cottonwool? my girls love that, but there's always the chance they can breathe in the little particles so i dont give it to them very often.

for bedding, i use tissues, shredded newspaper and fleece. the tissues and newspaper gets turfed every day, and the fleece is also changed every day. i have enough fleece to last a couple of weeks but i try to wash it at least once a week, preferably twice a week.

 

[ledzepgirl16]

another option some people use is towels (rewashing just like fleece or wool). I haven't tried it so I couldn't tell you how well it works. But like crapola said, I would be concerned about cotton dust particles with that one...

 

[mopydream44]

be prepared if you use towels/fleece. You need to change it often, and if you have chewers, it doesn't always last too long. I find it takes a lot of experimenting to get it right for you and your rats.

 

[Nomadofthehills]

Where are you located?

 

[Elythador]

I live in Leeds, England

 

[jellybeanqueen]

I use towels (flip them over every two days, replace with a fresh towel every five days) and they work really well for the odour...when I used aspen, there was definitely a smell after a few days.
I have two girls, by the way, and neither of them are big chewers, so this works well for me. =)

 

[Phobie]

Oh you're in England!

Do you mean paper wool? The type I use is this:

http://www.lamp-post.co.uk/prodimages/petlife/paper.jpg

It's so soft and my boys love dragging it into their hammocks!

 

[crapola]

be prepared if you use towels/fleece. You need to change it often, and if you have chewers, it doesn't always last too long. I find it takes a lot of experimenting to get it right for you and your rats.

thats why i have about 20 baby blankets for them to hide in/under, and i have cut about 15 others into squares (all fleece), which i use to line the hanging baskets. i have enough of each to last me two weeks, changing them every day.