# Alternative substrates for degus?



## Agate (Oct 9, 2010)

I know a lot of people keep snakes and rodents as pets so my question is this: I have a colony of four degus in a giant double cage. I currently use Carefresh as my substrate for them but it's very expensive and a giant bag only lasts about a month. I have my snakes on aspen shavings or auboise. Could I use that for the degus too?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

Would they really be cheaper than carefresh? I too have my snakes on aspen and I pay the same price for a tiny bag of aspen as I do for a massive bag of carefresh.

You probably could though they would probably eat/chew the aspen, possibly making dust. 

Never tried Auboise.

Be interesting to see what other people say as I too have 4 degus, but I like the carefresh.

Edit: I'm a numpty, I got completely the wrong name, I use 'Bio-catolet' perhaps try that? I sometimes use the wood cat litter too, but some people say when it breaks down it's harmful, though I never had any problems with it. Might not work out cheaper, I'm not sure... I think I ended up confusing myself more than helping, sorry XD


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## Agate (Oct 9, 2010)

em_40 said:


> Would they really be cheaper than carefresh? I too have my snakes on aspen and I pay the same price for a tiny bag of aspen as I do for a massive bag of carefresh.
> 
> You probably could though they would probably eat/chew the aspen, possibly making dust.
> 
> ...


I changed from the Bio-catolet to Carefresh pretty quickly as my degus were nibbling it and it can swell in their stomachs. I'm glad you're ok with it but I wouldn't recommend it. I pay £20 a bag for the carefresh (the biggest size) but around that price for a huge bale of aspen and auboise is cheaper still. I know they'd end up nibbling that too and just wondered if that would do them any harm? Both products are just wood and not toxic like pine or cedar. Auboise is horse bedding and very similar to aspen. I actually slightly prefer aspen but I have a bale of the stuff so just want to use it up.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

You can get aspen/aubiose in huge bales, so yes it's cheaper  You need to get it from horse tack shops. And yup, it's safe to use with your degus, as well


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## em_40 (Sep 29, 2010)

aahright, My degus don't nibble at the biocatolet, but I might try and get a bale of aspen/auboise. would last longer anyway, one bag only lasts one clean out atm, buying from pets at home.


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## Agate (Oct 9, 2010)

Amalthea said:


> You can get aspen/aubiose in huge bales, so yes it's cheaper  You need to get it from horse tack shops. And yup, it's safe to use with your degus, as well


Great - thanks! I'll try the goos with this when I've finished the current bag of Carefresh. Might mix it with the Carefresh to start off with and see if they attack it. Mine tend to chew _everything_ dispite having loads of chew toys in their cage! My skirting boards and wallpaper are a complete ruin - gotta love 'em though lol!


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Yeah... I've not had goos or chillas in years and my poor critter room still shows their redecoration


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## Agate (Oct 9, 2010)

Amalthea said:


> Yeah... I've not had goos or chillas in years and my poor critter room still shows their redecoration


lol! Mine have chewed me off the internet - twice! It's a nightmare now I have my snakes in this room too with all the electrics. Have degu proofed and blocked up the danger areas as best I can. There's now a huge protocol I have to go through before I can let them out and I still get my two kids to stand guard as they scamper about. I'd like to let them out everyday but it's such a hassle now it doesn't always happen. At least they have a huge double cage and an industrial strength wheel so they're not too unhappy.


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