Aspen Shavings Quality?

[Anfsurfer]

I've been purchasing "Premier Pet" Aspen Shavings at Petsmart from day one. I could not recommend it enough! Even with three chins in the cage, I didn't have to do any changes to the bedding for the entire week.

Lo and behold, Petsmart now replaced "Premier Pet" with "Grreat Choice" Aspen Bedding. So I bought it. In my opinion, it's NOT such a Grreat Choice!!! Now I have to make changes to the bedding like three times a week, as well as I can smell the cage sometimes now. I have no idea why the change in brand can make such a difference. I'm now going through bedding about three times as fast as before. And, I sneeze up a storm now when changing bedding too. So...I refuse to buy my bedding there anymore.

Drs. Foster and Smith has "Kaytee" Aspen Bedding? Anyone here use that brand bedding and have a review of it? It's on sale for the BIG bag now and thinking of trying it out.

Thanks.

 

[menagerie]

Talk to the store manager and see if it's a corporate wide change or if they are just trying a different kind at the store. If they have an option of a few different types to order, you can probably get them to get you the one you like. Also, tell them that the Premier Pet is a better choice. If the change is corporate wide, call and write to customer service about your dislike for the product change. They don't know that the product is inferior unless the consumers let them know.

 

[mrh1980]

They changed it in Virginia, too so I think it is a corporate wide change.

 

[Stackie]

It's a corporate wide change. "Great Choice" is a Petsmart brand. They are phasing out quite a bit of brand names to replace with their own brands.

 

[menagerie]

It's a corporate wide change. "Great Choice" is a Petsmart brand. They are phasing out quite a bit of brand names to replace with their own brands.

That's a shame. It wouldn't be so bad when they do that if they replaced them with decent brands.

 

[Anfsurfer]

I talked to the Manager when I last went to buy it. He said the company changed it. I checked another Petsmart to see if they still had Premier Pet, but no.....GRREAT CHOICE!

Anyone here have experience with Kaytee Aspen Shavings? I guess I'll give em a whirl then and let you guys know. Can't be any worse than GRREAT CHOICE. (Or can they???) lol

 

[cindyv3737]

I use Kaytee Pine (my local feed carries it for next to nothing). It works fine. I also use litter pans. How often I change litter and liners depends on which cage needs cleaning. Shelly can go a week to a week and a half. She has finally gotten the hang of using her litter box. Artie and Button get a full cleaning three times a week, with touch ups twice a day. They are a work in progress.

 

[FutureDVM]

Interesting... I also prefer the Premier Pet. In fact, I just bought a big bag from Petsmart a couple weeks ago. Maybe they've made the switch within the last two weeks?

 

[Anfsurfer]

I was at Petsmart a few weeks ago when they made the switch. Let me know if your Petsmart still carries it. I will drive up and buy their whole entire stock! I'm not kidding.

 

[FutureDVM]

I was at Petsmart a few weeks ago when they made the switch. Let me know if your Petsmart still carries it. I will drive up and buy their whole entire stock! I'm not kidding.

Not if I buy it first! Haha

 

[Anfsurfer]

I figured you were gonna say that. :-(

 

[Airyn]

I bought Great Choice a few times and it's just really dusty and really dry. There's a family owned pet store near my apartment that I try to buy from instead, as they have better quality shavings. Maybe you could find something similar... or just add it to the list of chinchilla stuff to buy online.

 

[chin2heart]

Have you tried looking at Petco? I usually shop at Petsmart and bought the Great Choice; haven't had any trouble with it. Since you're in Denver (?), have you looked at some smaller feed places; I used to shop at one that special ordered me something a long time ago. Plus, it's always nice to support local small businesses.

 

[Cuddlebug]

You can also get shavings a lot cheaper than what the pet stores sell them for. I get a huge bag for $8.50. It holds 4 times what the biggest bags at the pet stores hold.

 

[Anfsurfer]

I don't know what a feed store is, let alone ever seen one. lol Do I search on "feed store"?

 

[Cuddlebug]

Pardon me, but I can't believe you live in Denver and have never even heard of a feed store. I was born and raised there. There are tons of feed stores in the Denver Metro area. Do a search on the internet for feed stores in Denver Colorado. You might also try looking in some of the suburbs.

 

[Anfsurfer]

I'm not from Denver, I'm a big city guy who's only lived here a short time. I will search on "Feed Store" if that's what they're called.

 

[LoveBug]

yup just search Feed stores in Denver Colorado. a list should pop up saying what the name of the store is, where its at, and the number to call them

 

[Anfsurfer]

So I called a "feed store", and they said they have Aspen "Sani-Chips". I guess they're more like little cubes as apposed to a shaving. The girl said people with reptiles use them mostly. Does anyone have experience with these? Are they OK for Chins?

 

[AZChins]

They're probably fine, but I don't like that type of wood chips with chins because they don't seem to be absorbent enough.