|
|
Post by alicia on Mar 18, 2005 12:32:04 GMT -8
Hi, I'm sure you have heard of Carefresh bedding right? I use it for my hamsters..because it is the safest kind of bedding. But, I was wondering if you could use it with gerbils. I know they like to dig...would they be able to dig in this kind of bedding? I think sand would be very hard to clean out..and if some was wet it would be in clumps..and ugh I just dont want to deal with sand. I was also thinking about wood chip things..but I thought they would be poky and they wouldnt be able to like dig with it. So, is Carefresh bedding ok to use for gerbils?
|
|
|
|
Post by AndreaS15 on Mar 18, 2005 22:38:34 GMT -8
Carefresh is great stuff, I've been useing it for many years without a problem. I wouldn't suggest useing Sand nor any 'wood chip' type beddings but aspen.
I find the carefresh isn't ideal for making burrows, Aspen seems to work alot better.
|
|
|
|
Post by tirilliel on Mar 19, 2005 13:32:46 GMT -8
I use carefresh for my gerbils and it works fine, in fact since the bedding is rather puffy it kind of helps it keeps inside the bar cage better.. So if you have a bar cage that might be a good thing.
I currently have been mixing in some pine bedding with it just so I don’t have to use as much carefresh since its a bit pricey, and all the pine shavings get on the floor but not the carefresh, plus since it puffs up it helps create a nice deep bedding and its very absorbent.
As far as nest building and burrowing I find its great for that! My dwarf hamsters make perfect little tunnels through the stuff that I can see at the bottom of the tank they are in from looking up at it.
When I went to clean my gerbils cage the other day when I picked up the igloo I found it was stuffed full of the bedding and it held the perfect shape of the igloo I thought it was pretty funny.
Besides that I offer a chinchilla sand bath in a shallow plastic old cat bowl that large enough for him to roll in if he wants and I put up out of reach of the floor bedding to help keep it clean.
|
|
|
|
Post by RitzieAnn on Mar 19, 2005 22:03:46 GMT -8
I used Care Fresh, but then ued "Sorbent" by Kaytee, and it got soooooo dusty! AH! It was TERRABLE! Its' ONLY good for my Rabbit's litter box! My 1st litter had RI problems on it, so I went back to Care Fresh, and it's fine. I do usually mix it with Pine, it makes is look nice, and my gerbils like the pine. I exparimented by using pine in one side, and care fresh in the other side, and they slept in the pine side, so I comprimize with them,a nd mix it!  I'm using Cron Cob right now mixed with LOTS of cardboard for my breeding mom. For all my boys, I mixed some Corn Cob and some pine for them. Mostly corn cob. They also get all the cardboard they can handle! |
|
|
|
Post by AndreaS15 on Mar 23, 2005 21:42:49 GMT -8
I'm surprised to hear of some many pines users, since these has been proven again and again to be harmful to rodents.
What are your reasons to use this, i'm curiouse.
|
|
|
|
Post by RitzieAnn on Mar 23, 2005 22:15:41 GMT -8
Of all the wood chips out there, even those mixes, Pine is the 2nd best. (Aspen is 1st, of course). I started using pine, then did some reading. I've only heard of one breeder of rodents ever have problems with it. I've never had a problem with it, and like I said in the last post, I exparimented, and they always took the pine side over the Care Fresh side. So I did decide to comprimize. I mixed like 5 cups of Corn cob, and 1 or 2 cups of pine, and they love it. I really like the corn cob, and the shavings sofen it, and then they get all the cardboard they can handle. HOWEVER, as soon as this package of pine is finished, I AM going to get a bag of Aspen, just to be safe. As soon as this package is finished, then I'm not getting pine again.
Also, I've noticed that my mommy gerbie likes to dig a lot more in her Corn Cob/cardboard mixture then she did in her CareFresh stuff.
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetie on Mar 24, 2005 11:18:43 GMT -8
Pine may not have any immediate effects on the gerbils but the heavy oils do cause internal issues especially regarding the kidneys. I think that because the gerbils chose the pine side may be that they prefer wood as opposed to Carefresh. You can accomodate them by getting Aspen bedding.
I have tried Carefresh and all of my gerbils(8) had a reaction to it. Thier noses became all red and irritated. I use Apsen bedding. It looks like it is sharp but it is not. They chew it to bits and make it nice and cozy. They mix the shredded Aspen with the toilet paper for a nice nest.
I find Aspen to be the safest and most economical. Corn Cob is also good but a bit more pricy.
|
|
|
|
Post by tasha on Apr 8, 2005 12:23:45 GMT -8
I use the 'ultra carefresh' mixed with aspen and hay. One of my gerbs had a red nose when i got her, but it cleared up with the carefresh (at that time, i was using it alone).
|
|
|
|
Post by GerbilGal on Apr 9, 2005 18:55:27 GMT -8
I love the Carefresh and the gerbils and mice seem to love it. Since I use Crittertrail cages, it is perfect as it doesn't spray outside the cage much except when the kids are on a chewing spree. I have tried aspen. It just seems to to get everywhere outside the cage.
|
|
|
|
Post by gerbilsrgreat on Apr 14, 2005 14:31:42 GMT -8
I have 2 gerbils and a dwarf hamster. I use aspen shavings for the gerbils (more economical) and carefresh ultra for my hamster. The carefresh Ultra stuff works great, it's soft and holds it's shape well so it's good for burrowing. I'd use it for everybody but it's too expensive.
-Jeremiah
|
|
|
|
Post by RitzieAnn on Apr 15, 2005 16:02:02 GMT -8
do you change the hamster bedding or the gerbil bedding more often?
|
|
|
|
Post by RyanF on Apr 15, 2005 16:26:50 GMT -8
Gerbs are desert animals so they have less waste than hamsters, so I think you would clean hamster tanks more!
|
|
|
|
Post by sandy on Apr 15, 2005 17:19:10 GMT -8
Andrea, I do use kiln dried pine, well aired (I keep the bale open in the garage) for my mature gerbils. For my breeding pairs and pups, or any sensitive to wood, I use recycled newspaper kitty litter and the gerbils chew up cardboard for soft bedding. I also use Aspen for bedding for some gerbils but I find it quite expensive. Pine is not expensive and that is a big factor. I have also used hemp, which I thought was quite good, again, mixed with the paper based kitty litter. I'd never buy carefresh as I've heard it has poor absorbancy and also is very expensive.
There is quite a debate about pine. All woods exhude potentially carcinogenic vapours, apparently, and I'd venture to say that even recycled paper pellets if tested would not prove to be totally benign. Its kind of a case of pick your poison.
|
|
|
|
Post by doomgerbiluk on Apr 15, 2005 18:22:50 GMT -8
depending on size of tank, no of gerbils and depth of bedding they need cleaning anything from weekly to monthly (I prefer monthly)
Hamsters need cleaning at least once a week, our older WWs sometimes 3 times a week!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by gerbilsrgreat on Apr 15, 2005 20:36:41 GMT -8
do you change the hamster bedding or the gerbil bedding more often? Well, I've only had my new dwarf hamster a short time, my old one died a few weeks ago, but when I used the aspen for him, it would start to stink in like less the a week. The carefresh ultra doesn't stink at all for a longer time. -Jeremiah |
|
