Finacard

kiania · 06-24-2011, 08:03 PM

Does anyone use finacard with their robos? Just wondering about it, since I'm going to be having to buy it in for my APH's litter tray, and wanted to know if it was useful to double up.

Obviously add something softer for bedding, but to replace the woodshavings, so wondering if anyone else uses it, or could think of any reason it wouldn't work.

fluffymunchkins · 06-25-2011, 04:36 AM

The pieces might be quite big for a robo and most like to dig.
I think finacard suits syrians best

kiania · 06-25-2011, 10:59 AM

Thought it'd be worth asking - I'm assuming wood shavings is the best? As opposed to wood chips?

**Hamtastic** · 06-25-2011, 12:30 PM

My robos like carefresh-style bedding the most. They did not like digging in any wood at all, and only a little in thinner paper strip type bedding.

kiania · 06-25-2011, 12:36 PM

Even better, carefresh is cute! That was what they were on at the pet shop that got me interested in them, but because it was a pet shop, I wasn't sure that it was 'right' - you never know with pet shops, whether they know what they are doing or not!

I know there is worries with shredded paper and APH's getting paper cuts - is this the same issue with robos, or is it a different kind of paper strips? I've got buckets of shredded paper from mis-prints, so would love to be able to use it up if it is acceptable with robos, rather than have to carry it all into work for the animals there.

**Hamtastic** · 06-25-2011, 12:49 PM

The paper strip bedding is EcoBedding. It's not sharp and shouldn't scratch a ham. It's just that robos are so small, even those strips are kind of bulky for them for digging. I had to giant bags of it, and I mix it with Carefrsh until they are used up. Carefresh has good clumping consistency for digging and holding up tunnels. It's also pretty fluffy, which I like. Wood is cheaper, but I end up using loads more of it, because it's heavier and denser. I don't know if you live in the U.S., but you can get colored Carefresh here for almost as much as normal if you search carefully on-line. The difference is in the smell. Natural Carefresh (brown-gray) has a more cardboardy smell, and Carefresh Ultra (white and colors) is a longer fiber kind with the cardboard smell reduced greatly.

Eco bedding (brown) vs Carefresh in blue color:

kiania · 06-25-2011, 01:05 PM

As far as I know, we have coloured carefresh in the UK (recently came over in the last few months). Do you recommend the natural or the coloured carefresh?

Would you suggest plain carefresh, or do add something like eco bedding for variety for them?

**Hamtastic** · 06-25-2011, 01:09 PM

Plain carefresh is fine. It can be a bit dusty toward the end of the bag, though many bedding types are. Natural is cheaper, but does have a bit unpleasant cardboard-like smell. If that doesn't bother you, natural is just fine.

fluffymunchkins · 06-25-2011, 01:12 PM

Yes coloured carefresh recently became availible here, although we still don;t have quite as much variety as in the US.
Theres not much difference except for price.
Although I have heard people found the coloured better smelling and less dusty.

I can't afford it with 4 cages to fill, so I like to mix it with Megazorb or Aubiose

kiania · 06-25-2011, 01:12 PM

A case of buy a bag of each, trialing them both, and seeing which is my favourite, and if the robos seem to have a preference, and go from the one everyone likes most

Should also look into megazorb, I've heard good things about it, but am not sure what it is like.