Alternative bedding?

[Flissy]

When I first got Sausage I used woodshavings, which I stopped using a few months later as I was worried he was sneezing because of it.

So I started using carefresh for a while, but its sooo expensive! It was ok when i just had Sausage but then after I got Poppet and Stella as well it was just not working out as I was using almost a whole bag for the 3 of them! Also when I got hamster heavens it meant that I needed to put more bedding in so I got a huge bag of Back 2 Nature which is sort of recycled paper pellets. I really like it but now I can't find anywhere that sells the massive bag and also it was about £14 which is rather a lot and it didn't last as long as I was hoping it to.

Someone (on here I think) recomended Megazorb, but I'm not sure if that would be too dusty for my boyfriend who was also allergic to the sawdust in the woodshavings and he is also allergic to the sand I put in their hamster toilets.

So I was thinking maybe some paper based cat litter might be good? But I don't really know what would be suitable as it would be a lot better if it wasn't too dusty. And I would also like to know where to get something like that from? Or if anyone has any other suggestions?

[pruje]

I have been using Playsand for the last few years:



Quikrete® Play Sand (1113-51) - Concrete / Blacktop / Sand - Ace Hardware

Not all sand is equal. I like this brand because it doesn't clump easily and doesn't have much dust. None of my hamsters have had allergy issues with it. I 50lb bag of it costs about $5.

Since it is made for children it is pretty clean and sterile. The hamsters love to dig in it. And it is very cheap and easily available in the US. I usually have multi-part cages and provide softer bedding (like carefresh) in the smaller modules if they want it. But they seem to prefer the sand.

I vacuum it out every week and do a complete change once a month. I dont think it is any better or worse than Carefresh, but it is cheaper and the hamsters seem to like it a lot more because they can dig in it.

I would avoid Kitty Litter because I think it contains chemicals to control odor.

[Flissy]

Ok thanks - I'm not sure I could get away with using that sand though because my boyfriend is allergic, well he is to the chinchilla type anyway, maybe normal sand will be ok. I'll ask him later

I didn't think about the cat litter having chemicals in it

[souffle]

Many people do use the wood based cat litter or the paper based one. Can you get along to one of the big equine bedding suppliers and have a look at some bedding?
We use megazorb which comes in a sack and is wood pulp. It looks like a finer version of carefresh. We pay £6.45 a bag and it lasts a good while.
For long hairs we use Aubiose which is a hemp straw based product but can be dusty so I doubt it would do you.
Many people like the cardboard squares or the 'tea bag' offcut bedding so that may be worth considering.
I could send you an envelope of megazorb if you wanted to let your BF sniff it LOL.

[Flissy]

Originally Posted by souffle

Many people do use the wood based cat litter or the paper based one. Can you get along to one of the big equine bedding suppliers and have a look at some bedding?
We use megazorb which comes in a sack and is wood pulp. It looks like a finer version of carefresh. We pay £6.45 a bag and it lasts a good while.
For long hairs we use Aubiose which is a hemp straw based product but can be dusty so I doubt it would do you.
Many people like the cardboard squares or the 'tea bag' offcut bedding so that may be worth considering.
I could send you an envelope of megazorb if you wanted to let your BF sniff it LOL.

lol! I think he should be ok as long as its not too dusty

I don't know where there would be an equine bedding supplier and I don't have a car so probably wouldn't be able to get there But I saw that they sell Megazorb online so maybe I'll try it. Does it really look the same as carefresh but in smaller bits because I thought it just looked like sawdust but the picture I saw wasn't very good!

[annie81]

no megazorb doesnt look like saw dust at all...like souffle said its carefresh in a finer version. i really like it...

[souffle]

Here is the producers site
Northern Crop Driers: Graze-On and Megazorb
It lists stockists and if you find your local one they will often drop of a bag for you if they offer free delivery.
This one for example sells at £5.95 and it looks like free courier delivery
http://www.megazorb.co.uk/shop/index...&products_id=3

It says this about megazorb
Megazorb beding is manufacturerd from virgin wood pulp and is dust extracted twice before being packed in easy to handle 85 litre bags. It is dried at temperatures of up to 500degC which kills any moulds or spores, making Megazorb a safer bedding alternative by reducing the possibility of any respiratory problems occuring

[pruje]

Originally Posted by Flissy

Ok thanks - I'm not sure I could get away with using that sand though because my boyfriend is allergic, well he is to the chinchilla type anyway, maybe normal sand will be ok.

The sand I linked to above has very little dust in it, and has been "washed". It feels clean to the touch. But not all sand is the same. I would only use sand marketed specifically for sandboxes and playgrounds. I tried a different brand and it felt more like "dirt" and clumped a lot easier.

[fluffymunchkins]

Megazorb is amazing i love it! I do also use a bit of carefresh, but i can get megazorb from my local horse shop for only £5. Although i got my first bag for £10 from here: Megazorb Animal Bedding 85 litres

Its nothing like sawdust, and the material is very similar to carefresh, just lighter in colour and definitely smaller clumps. Its not compressed either so you don't have to break it apart like carefresh. It will definitely last you for a while with three hammies. I know i'm not going to have to get another for peggy in a long time
I really recommend it!!!