What bedding do you use?

[bianca]

what bedding does everybody use for their chinchilla?

and do you think "carefresh" or "carefresh natural" is safe? (i have never tried it. but i like the idea that it advertises.)

 

[tunes]

Kiln dried pine.

I would only recommend Ultra Carefresh as the gray nasty stuff has been known to give mites to rats. It's also rumored that chins eat the carefresh which can lead to impaction. I have not witnessed this first hand, as I do not use it.

 

[CJR]

I used to use pine shavings, long long ago. Then I switched to carefresh. A quick note - CareFresh is TERRIBLE. A 100% TERRIBLE. It is dusty, dirty, it messes with a rodent's delicate respiratory system, PLUS animals will eat it. I know first hand of a rat who choked severely on the grey CareFresh - she did not die, but she was in quite a bit of pain for awhile. I also know a chinchilla who LOVES to eat carefresh.

I used Kaytee SoftSorbent for awhile (the plain kind, do NOT get the kind with lavender or rose petals in it!). It's very nice and I never had any problems with it - but it is expensive.

The best way to go, really, is either fleece liners or kiln dried pine shavings, although aspen shavings are okay too.

 

[ticklechin]

I use no bedding, only a litter box that has pine shavings in it.

 

[Spoof]

I use the pelleted pine bedding.

 

[Dewdrop]

I used pine shavings in the beginning, then I got tired of the mess and went to fleece liners. I love 'em!

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I use fleece liners with a potty pan of Carefresh Ultra. :thumbsup: Fresh AND clean!!!

In 6 years, I have NEVER had any problems with impactions. If they pick up a piece, they might nibble, but then they end up throwing it away.

 

[bianca]

where can i buy fleece liners and how do i use those?

ive been using aspen shavings.. this is okay right? (i havent had any problems with it.. but im just wondering, since many of you seem a lot more experienced in raising chinchillas than i am. i am just trying to learn more than i already know. thanks!)

 

[Spoof]

I prefer aspen to pine but it's very cost restrictive in the south. There are several members on the forum that make and sell fleece liners. )

 

[ticklechin]

When I used shavings for the pans I used aspen since one of my chins was allergic to pine.

 

[starleomach]

I use pine shavings. I have seen two carefresh impactions and am very against it. I mean I have physically seen the intestines blocked during necropsies. I don't use it and never heave but once in a while I get a rescue in that is on it and I have also had people dump off "sick" chinchillas 2 had bloat and didn't even last long enough to get to the vet when dumped off.

 

[AZChins]

I use the pine here, too. Carefresh is stinky to me...it doesn't do a very good job with odor even after just a few hours of the chins being in it after cleaning. Also, if you get it wet, it is just nasty...gaggy nastiness...ick. Pine is cheap and plentiful, it composts well and it keeps the odor down. (Even though I was told that I am insane and there is no odor...I worry about it even if my brain has me convinced that I smell something...)

 

[VolunteerChin22]

I use aspen but its because I can get it cheaper in larger quantities than pine - I prefer pine as its a soft wood vs aspen is a hard wood and I think it absorbs a little better, but the aspen does the job. I also wish my aspen pieces were smaller.

 

[Olallie]

I use Rosebud kiln dried shavings. it doesnt absorb enough pee in my opinion, probably gonna switch to something else when im done using it.

 

[fanofdmb84]

I just recently started using carefresh (actually the walmart knock-off of it) in my litter pans. I don't use bedding for the whole cage, only in the pans, but now I'm a little worried about using the carefresh. I've seen them nibble on it, but never to much extent. When I put fresh litter in there I've been giving them a shreddie to distract them from chewing the carefresh right away, and that seems to do the trick. After they pee in it, they generally don't touch it.
I didn't want to do shavings because they are messy and get all over the place. The carefresh at least is something I can pick up the few pieces that get spilled. I don't notice any smell from it and its affordable for the small amount that I use.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I use pine shavings and have been using them for the past nine years. It keeps the cages very clean.

 

[Essentia]

I use no bedding, only a litter box that has pine shavings in it.

Same. I normally use pine in the litter box, but periodically I use aspen.

 

[Tagna]

I use aspen, I recently tried liners but I prefer the aspen. AND I think the chins do too!

 

[6Dusters]

I use Dry Nest pine shavings from Southern States stores. Dry Nest is not produced for Southern States. Southern States pine peices tend to be too chunky for me as Dry Nest is smaller and softer. Seems the true use for Dry Nest is horse bedding. I love those giant bags!

 

[hkkjstwcl]

I use no bedding, only a litter box that has pine shavings in it.

I do that too, recently. I purchased. three FNs recently, and I don't use bedding for them. I have corner litter pans with Kaytee Soft Sorbent:
http://www.petco.com/product/100574/Kaytee-Soft-Sorbent.aspx?CoreCat=ChinchillaHPBeddingLitter

I am thinking about changing this bedding to something else that would absorb odor better.

I was presantly surprized that you can sort of litter train chins! My chins started pee in the litter boxes! They poo elsewhere, but pee in the boxes!