Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Housing

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-18-2019, 02:20 PM   #1
Black_Inky_Eyes
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 165
Default cheap bedding in bulk

Hi,
So I've figured out that I need around 125 litres of bedding in order for me to get somewhere in the cage that has 8 inches of bedding. Plus extra for spot cleans. (I have the Ikea Detolf).

However, it's very expensive to get this much bedding. I would have to buy 2 bags of 60l Carefresh and that would cost £50. Fitch is only available in either small 4kg bags which cost £15 each and large multiple bulk packs that are close to £200.

Does anyone know safe substrates that come in bulk and are fairly priced?

Just as an extra does anyone know how to convert kg to litres with bedding?

Last edited by Black_Inky_Eyes; 01-18-2019 at 02:27 PM.
Black_Inky_Eyes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2019, 03:05 PM   #2
mangoandmimi
Little Miss Tinytoes
 
mangoandmimi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 7,036
Default Re: cheap bedding in bulk

Yes it is around that much. Unfortunately filling a cage from scratch will always be expensive, especially in a larger cage. It's not really worth using a bedding you're not 100% happy with either as it'll be in there for a very long time! Personally I prefer to mix beddings with deeper bedding as otherwise it can struggle to hold burrows. But lots of people do manage with just one. You can mix hay in too, that helps even more. Just make sure it is relatively soft and no really spiky bits or anything.

Clean and cozy 85L, £25 off amazon. 100L of Hugro hemp off zooplus for £20 - it is really nice but is obviously not a paper bedding. If you're getting some items off zooplus then I think it would be worth getting. Megazorb is 85L at varying prices but the last bag I just got was a bit dusty - but megazorb and hemp mixes really nicely. Although hemp will mix nicely with anything really so you could just get some kind of wood shavings for the rest of it as that's cheap. Fitch actually do packs of 3 or 4 4kg bags but it's not particularly cheap. I wouldn't bother with carefresh at all, there are better beddings.

By the way you need the density of it to get to the volume - wish fitch would just put their sizes in volume form - but they do give an estimate of the dimensions for the 4kg bales, and for the larger sizes they have been measured by people before on the forum. So you can kind of get an estimate of the number of litres, but it is compressed.
mangoandmimi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2019, 04:42 PM   #3
alpacassei
PM Fluffy for custom title
 
alpacassei's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Cornwall, UK
Posts: 1,109
Default Re: cheap bedding in bulk

Mangoandmimi gave good recommendations! The only other option is woodshaving, they’re completely safe in the UK and a lot cheaper to buy in bulk than paper substrates. I use woodshavings in all my cages now and they work really well for burrowing and odour control. I usually get mine locally but I’ve used both p@h and wilko woodshavings without an issue. It costs me round £10 - £15 to fill a 100cm cage with deep substrate.

Cardboard and pellet litters should be avoided unless your hamster has allergies to other substrates since it’s not good for burrowing. Cotton/kapok litter should also be avoided because it’s basiclly just fluffy bedding.
__________________
<3 Sunflower Custard, Bigfoot, Petal, Stormy, Flurry, Vanilla <3
___________
Angel hamsters: Francisco, Marcello, Peppermint, Mishka, Stephano, Sundae, Peach <3
alpacassei is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2019, 12:35 AM   #4
cypher
Dwarf whisperer
 
cypher's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
Default Re: cheap bedding in bulk

If you want paper based substrate while fitch large bales are out of stock I would go for the Kaytee clean & cosy, it isn't cheap filling a large cage for the first time but you will only need small amounts for topping up in future so it gets cheaper in the long run.
Another option which is cheaper is the softacard, I bought a small bag & it does seem pretty good, another member has been using it with her gerbils & likes it but other than that there isn't any actual experience with it, it's just shredded egg boxes so is safe & should be hypoallergenic too.
220L is currently £17.50
https://www.finacard.co.uk/index.php...a0cret723vjh12
Some people do use megasorb with no problems but I found it dusty & my asthma couldn't take it!
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri
❤️
cypher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2019, 06:54 AM   #5
Pebbles82
Hamster Antics
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: cheap bedding in bulk

I can't believe Fitch are still out of stock. I am sure it will be back to normal by February - must be supply and demand at this time of year with Christmas aftershock etc

I was going to say Finacard! Hypoallergenic (just in case) but on looking at their website they say it is no longer available and they now use Softacard (which I believe has been approved of on here recently). Soft cardboard, almost paper.

Would suggest a bale of that (£17.50) and a bag of Kaytee Clean and Cozy - mixedin at one end/small area, to give a bit of variety.

https://www.finacard.co.uk/index.php...h33gogad07udi5

I have used Finacard and still have some - I occasionally mix it in with Fitch - the softacard is supposed to be better I believe.
Pebbles82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bedding, bulk, bags, cost, substrates, fitch, £50, priced, 60l, carefresh, fairly, small, 4kg, packs, £200, safe, multiple, £15, large, close, order, litres, cage, figured, inches

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:08 AM.