Tiny Friends Farm Bedding?!

PumpkinSpice92 · 03-21-2019, 02:20 AM

Hi Everyone!

I recently bought some of the tiny friends farm bedding and did a half cage clean (so it's now mixed with carefresh that was already in the cage). I've noticed a horrible newsprint-like smell from the cage now, but my partner insists he can't smell anything!
I'm wanting to do another cage clean this weekend and I'm just wondering is this bedding ok to use?! I bought two bags so I'm willing to overlook the smell so as not to waste money, but just wondering if anyone's heard anything about the quality of this bedding/whether it's ok for hammies?
I think when this is used up I'm just going to use sawdust from now on - seems the easiest and cheapest!!

Thanks in advance

Pebbles82 · 03-21-2019, 03:16 AM

This is a new one on me. But Amazon reviews agree with you. One says it smells like strong magazine print. Another says it smells like a Farmyard. I believe newspaper ink in the Uk is safe and not the toxic kind for pets - but the smell is not good for them - if you can smell it will smell a lot stronger to them. I had a similar thing with coloured Kaytee clean and cosy - the smell is not strong but it does smell a bit of ink - I left it to air out.

Personally I would not use it if you can smell the print smell. You could try spreading some out on a plastic sheet or something (large plastic bag) to air it and see if the smell wears off, but I suspect it won't. I am very sensitive to the smell of newsprint - some people are, some people can't really smell it - and it doesn't seem to go away.

You don't want smelly bedding and neither does your hamster.

I use Fitch - which is also recycled paper - but doesn't smell of anything (it is recycled food grade paper) and has no dust. Have used it for a few years. It works out quite cheap because you buy it in 10kg or 20k bags. I get the 10kg because it's not too big to keep in the house and lasts me about 6 months

It will work out a lot cheaper than Carefresh and better than wood shavings.

https://www.fitchfirst.co.uk/fitch-p...-delivery.html

It would be better than going back to wood shavings. Fitch is a bit like Carefresh - only better I reckon as it has no dust and is a better texture.

Pebbles82 · 03-21-2019, 03:19 AM

All our hamsters have always loved Fitch too - they take bits of it into their nest, it's good for digging tunnels in and they like making mountains out of it.

PumpkinSpice92 · 03-21-2019, 03:45 AM

Thanks for the reply Serendipity - I'll look into fitch for this next clean out then - she's had the tiny friends bedding in her cages for a few weeks and I feel like the smell has dissipated slightly, but not fully - so like you say I don't think airing it out would do much!

Do you think there'd be an issue with using the rest of the tiny friends stuff for our chickens? Just thinking that the smell wont be as strong outside and it gets it used up then!

PumpkinSpice92 · 03-21-2019, 03:48 AM

On the Chicken front - if I can't get fitch to come in time for this weekend, would I be okay doing a clean out with sawdust that's kept in the garage for the chickens? or would it be best to buy a small bag?
I'm having a relative come to stay next week in the room where the hamster is, and I'm wanting her to be nice and clean! haha

Pebbles82 · 03-21-2019, 04:57 AM

Sorry I don't know much about chickens

Ziggy Hamster · 03-21-2019, 05:59 AM

Does fitch have odour control? I currently use Carefresh but I find it still has some dust. If fitch does have odour control, I'll switch to that.

CMB · 03-21-2019, 12:40 PM

For chickens I use fine chopped straw/hay (bed down, yellow bag). It’s a tightly packed bale. I don’t know any people with chickens who use a paper based substrate.

PumpkinSpice92 · 03-22-2019, 01:13 AM

Serendipity - well as this is a hamster forum I'll let you off! haha

CMB - we use sawdust normally as we were told by the guy we got them from that there's a bigger risk of mites with hay (not sure how true that is, but we've taken his word for it - feel free to prove me wrong! haha). We normally just buy giant bags of sawdust from a farm shop/equine place. I was just wondering, so as not to waste the 1 1/2 bags I have, if it'd be ok to mix a bit in with the sawdust for the chickens - what do you think? And do you reckon I could use some of the chickens sawdust for my hammy if necessary? It's kept in the garage

Ziggy - sorry I have no idea! As a lot of people use it on this forum I imagine it does though!

alpacassei · 03-22-2019, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziggy Hamster

Does fitch have odour control? I currently use Carefresh but I find it still has some dust. If fitch does have odour control, I'll switch to that.

It’s been a while since I used either but I didn’t find there to be s difference in terms of odour control or dustiness tbh. I did find Fitch a little softer though. I’m currently using kaytee Clean and Cosy which seems to have better odour control