# wood shavings for rats?



## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

hey

quick question.....can i use wood shavings for rats?

cheers


----------



## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

I'm no expert and there are people on here with a lot more knowledge than me, but I know the answer to this is "No".

The phenols in the sawdust break down when the rats pee on it and it causes respiratory problems, so wood based sawdust or shavings are not good.


----------



## SteFANNY162 (Oct 28, 2010)

Just use newspaper! They enjoy shredding it & russling it around !!
But no woodshavings are BADDDD! & sawdust is BADDDD! 
Put some shreded paper in the corner away from their bed & they'll make their own by carrying it around! Hours of fun ^^!!


----------



## Iggylover (Sep 2, 2009)

best to use a paper based bedding or shredded cardboard bedding. biocatlet is a paper based pellets that you can get from many different high street shops, there is others if you just look into it.


----------



## Mischievous_Mark (Mar 16, 2008)

Bedmax can be used and i have used to to no ill effects.

Although cardboard bedding is a lot better for me personally, Although you will have to clean out more often as it doesnt really keep the smell down.


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Depends on the shavings. Regular pet shop ones aren't solid enough, they break down into dust very easily and are often scented. Best avoided. Bedmax and Hunters are ok apparently. However, if your rats are prone to respiratory issues or are snifflers, I'd avoid altogether.

Bedmax is great for healthy adults, but I'd not use it for babies, bit too dusty.

We use Walmsley Premierbed cardboard bedding. Hemp (Aubiose, Hemcore) is also safe but it gets _everywhere_...


----------



## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

I bought a big bale of ripped up newspaper from Jolley's, it's paper that gets returned from newsagents so is unused (was about £10 for a big bale) but this has lasted me months (bought it in November & still have at least another month out of it). Mine love it, just pile it in & they love moving it about & making their nests. Also found they don't seem to smell as much on it, not like they did on paper based cat litter or Aubiose :whistling2:.


----------



## sooty (Dec 31, 2009)

we have a cross shreader that we brought for £15 from argos about 5years ago.
still going:gasp:
and we use shreaded mags and junk mail for all our skinny pigs and rats,
its made its money 100 times over,
we havnt had any breathing problems doing this: victory:


----------



## sparrow972 (Dec 13, 2010)

Wooden/Paper pellets for me!


----------



## pippainnit (Feb 20, 2009)

Wood pellets aren't recommended - in fact I'd say they're as bad, if not worse, than shavings, sawdust, etc. They disintegrate into a fine dust and can also cause respiratory problems. I used to use them until I was advised otherwise and now would only use paper substrate.


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Yep definitely avoid the wood pellets. Pets At Home recommend them sometimes, but they really arent suitable. But then Pets At Home tell all sorts of crap to new owners (like dumbos being a different species and needing to be kept seperate, and living for longer and being more tame). They really are very irresponsible.


----------



## Cockys Royals (Jun 28, 2008)

we use wood shavings and have no problems, using it on our rats mice & gerbs for a very long time. granted it does make a mess esp in house where we keep the guinea pigs.


----------



## Riff (Nov 12, 2009)

I use wood shavings as well, never had any problems.
The first time i bought shavings i did find it a little dusty,P&H cheap rubbish, but i now use shavings from a farm supplies local to me, also get my sow rolls from them.
Its been over 6 months now and wouldnt use anything else.


----------



## Rackie (Jan 30, 2011)

Wood shavings are fine, (contrary to rumours) as long as you don't get the cheap rubbish stuff as you've said. It's wood pellets (like the cat litter type) that are no good.


----------



## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

Cockys Royals said:


> we use wood shavings and have no problems, using it on our rats mice & gerbs for a very long time.





Riff said:


> I use wood shavings as well, never had any problems.
> Its been over 6 months now and wouldnt use anything else.


I've been using wood shavings from a farm suplier for around 15 to 20 years.
The mice and rats seem to do fine on it.
Also used it with Degu's, Harcest Mice, Gerbils, Jerboa's, Pygmy Mice, and Multi's.
A friend uses shreaded newspaper with her rats and they seem to start to smell quicker on that stuff then they do on wood shavings.


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

As has been said a few times, there's a big difference between good shavings and sawdust/wood pellets.

And there is still the risk from phenols, it's not just respiratory IIRC, it can affect things you cant see, hence why peoples rats "seem to" do ok on them. Unless you're doing a pm on every rat that dies, you cant know that.

Not antishavings by the way (I have used them and no doubt will again if I cant get my cardboard), just explaining why some are against them and the difference between crappy pet shop shavings and big beautiful flakes like in Bedmax (and Hunter's, so I'm told).


----------



## Rackie (Jan 30, 2011)

LisaLQ said:


> big beautiful flakes like in Bedmax (and Hunter's, so I'm told).


Lisa I've never heard shavings described as big and beautiful :lol2:


----------



## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

:lol2: :blush:


----------



## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Mischievous_Mark said:


> Bedmax can be used and i have used to to no ill effects.
> 
> Although cardboard bedding is a lot better for me personally, Although you will have to clean out more often as it doesnt really keep the smell down.


I've used bedmax for years. Dust is removed as it's for horses. Not had any sneezing problems like normal wood shavings cause.


----------

