Cage litter/bedding

[Emma]

At the moment I use wood shavings or carefresh for my guys - always carefresh for M & P because they smell quicker, and shavings/carefresh for the girls depending on what I have or how rich I'm feeling!



I don't really like carefresh though - it's quite expensive and not too appealing to the eye, and some packs have been a bit dusty.



With the impending rats I'm going to try out a few other litters, as shavings are not suitable for them due to their increased sensitivity resp-wise. I've heard that Bob Martin's 100% Paper-based Cat Litter is just like Carefresh, but cheaper, so I'll be picking some of that up from the supermarket. I've also found a supplier of Megazorb within driving distance, where I can buy a big bale for just £5. Has anyone here used Megazorb for their hamsters - I think babyboos you were trialling it? How did you find it? It's not a big financial outlay to try it but it'll be a big bale to store, so if it's no good at all for hammies I'd rather know now!

[babyboos]

Emma I would go for it for the rats and hamsters, you and they will love it. It is so economical and the only addition you need is with longhaired hamsters I add some wooden pelleted cat litter too. For those hamsters that like to dig and tunnel such as the Roborovski I do add some spruce shavings to the Megazorb and cat litter mix, but then I get huge bales from the sawmill near my parents, if I was buying the little bags you see in the stores I probably wouldn't bother.

For 18kg £5 is very good and it will last you a good while so you don't have to drive back and forth every fortnight or so for more shavings. It would cost me £4.50 including VAT if I bought a pallet or £4.95 plus VAT singly (a pallet holds 30 bales so I will be sticking to single bags.)

It fluffs up really well and is low dust and high absorbency bedding. I have said many times to the company whom manufacture it to make smaller bags for the small animal market, and I hope they will shortly implement this suggestion, as they are quite tickled at the idea of our furry friends using it.

If anyone in UK wants to know where their nearest stockist of Megazorb is check out Northern Crop Driers. Also a number of hamster shows now have Megazorb available at the sales table. I wasn't planning on bringing any to the Edinburgh Hamster Society show but if anyone is interested in trialling some it can be arranged for a nominal fee.

[Emma]

Brilliant I'll go for it then. The link you gave is great, that's where I found the stockist that I'll use. If I like it once I'm using it I'll write to them too and say they should make smaller bags!!!

[Emma]

I went to visit the rats I'll be adopting today, and the lady I'm adopting them from really nicely got me a huge bale of BedXcel to try out! It's horse bedding (I think) made of small cardboard squares. Great for the rats, she had a syrian hamster on it too. I'm not so sure of using it for the robos as they won't be able to burrow as well, so for now I think I'll keep all the hammies on the bob martins litter - it's cheaper than carefresh, and I am feeling like moving away from shavings, my boyfriend comment that my room smells like a pet shop!



I'd still like to try Megazorb but one bale under the stairs is quite enough, it'll have to wait!

[babyboos]

I have certainly heard of BedXcel being used for rats before, wonder if any of our ratty members use it? Cardboard bedding seems to be favoured by a number of owners. Will you try Phoebe on it? I don't think my guys would appreciate it, they are all little burrowers, and like to dig and scratch in the litter, maybe a bit hard with squares of card?. I often look in the Winter White enclosures and think they have vanished only to root around in the litter layer to find them pocking their little heads all indignant at me disturbing their "burrow".

[Emma]

I'm undecided....it does seem a bit chunky for her. She doesn't burrow very much but she does like to build up litter in various places, like around her wheel (makes it less noisy, the good girl!) and I don't think she could do that with the BedXcel.

[pophammy]

What exactly does megazorb look / feel like. We have never seen it and still use shavings. We have tried carefresh and Morrisons paper based cat litter which is very similar but again not very attractive! Sorry 'Cage Doctor' here...stick to neutrals!!!!! Could you post a pic of the megazorb Babyboos with the new camera...great pics there. Hope people don't think you've gone mad taking pics of ham bedding!!

[nooboo]

wish I could get some Megazorb, shame one of you can't post it to me :P

[Emma]

Originally Posted by Pophammy

Sorry 'Cage Doctor' here...stick to neutrals!!!!!

ROFLOL!!!!!



If anyone wants Megazorb, suppliers up & down the country are listed on http://www.northerncropdriers.co.uk. It might also be worth contacting your nearest equestrian supplies shop, and if they don't stock it, asking if they'll get in a bale for you.

[babyboos]

Armstrong Richardson Stokesley 01642 710277

Farmway Ltd Darlington 01325 504600

Farmway Ltd Hexham 01434 610920

Robson & Cowan Morpeth 01670 774205

Hammonds Feeds Liverpool 01514 804377

Wayne Bennett Preston 07801 653086

Mr. Denney Chorley 01257 481969

NRG Associates Congleton 01270 874424

T.W.Bowlers Ltd Stockport 0161 4873363 www.bowlers-stockport.co.uk

Youngs Animal Feeds Congleton 01260 272623

Farmway Ltd Driffield 01377 249700

Argo Feeds Sheffield 01226 762341

P & J Pet Foods Hull 01482 585315

Hillam Feeds Hillam, Leeds 01977 683369 www.hillamfeeds.co.uk

Bardsey Mills Otley 01132 842057 www.bardseymills.co.uk

Shaw Timber Huddersfield 01484 848484

The Blue Barn Otley 01132 843121 www.thebluebarn.co.uk

Burnhill & Sons Cleckheaton 01274 872423 e-mail: [email protected]

Four Oaks Scarborough 01723 863633

Pudsey Agricultural Calverley,Leeds 01132 570719

Howley Hall Morley, Leeds 01924 472989

Stephensons Todmorden 01706 816873

R.C.Bland (Farmway) Harrogate 01423 774409

CAT Equine Supplies Haxby, York 01904 765423 [email protected]