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Post by creativecat on Dec 23, 2020 7:59:36 GMT -8
I've been using Auboise hemp bedding, and noticed some allergy symptoms with one of my gerbils, but don't want to spend loads of money on bedding. I'm looking for a good priced, not too dusty bedding for my gerbils. (sold in UK) Any recommendations?
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Post by betty on Dec 24, 2020 4:59:28 GMT -8
Hey creativecat - you don't say what else you have already tried? I always recommend this this type of wood shavings for starters as it is cheap, used to be widely available and is fine for a very high percentage of gerbils. However if you have already tried really good shavings perhaps ignore this one too. I had to move on to a much more expensive cardboard-chip substrate to become truly dust free: Pillow Wad - Eco-Nest
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Post by Markpd on Dec 25, 2020 18:23:03 GMT -8
You could try Elephants grass, if you do, let us know how they got on with it as none of us have tried it yet! AFAIK. Is your bale of Aubiose very dusty? Or are they actually allergic to the hemp? My boys have got it atm, but I'm going to switch back to Hempbed next time as it seemed to make better burrows I think (no allergy problems for them to date).
betty Your link is showing the shavings are out of stock
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Post by mygerbilprince on Dec 25, 2020 20:27:50 GMT -8
I also use kaytee and it's a pretty good brand. I don't know if it's sold in the sold UK though.
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Post by tanzanyte on Dec 27, 2020 9:43:53 GMT -8
I use a mix of Aspen (I bought a large bag with buy 1 get 1 free at petsathome), care fresh and kaytee, and they work really well together. I add hay every couple of days and it's fine for tunnelling etc. Cheapest place I've found previously for kaytee clean and cosy is Porton aqua pets so it's worth checking if they are still offering better discounts
I did try sawdust to begin with but it was very dusty and I kept getting large chunks of wood when I was refilling the bedding and would get splinters so I gave up and switched to aspen. I got the sawdust from petsathome so Betty's supplier is likely to be better. That said when I switched from sawdust to aspen my girls didn't like it as much as they were over 2 when I changed it, and clearly very set in their ways. The boys don't seem to care, but we've started them on it straight away. Given that there's allergies, I'd buy small bags and see how it goes. I think kaytee clean and cosy is nicer than care fresh. I do have an unbleached version of the kaytee clean and cosy, although I haven't tried it yet, but it does appear to be as stiff as the carefresh. I have tried teabag bedding, but that came with lots of tealeaves so it's still very dusty!
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Post by Markpd on Dec 27, 2020 9:54:03 GMT -8
Sawdust should never be used for Gerbils (and other rodents too I believe), but you probably meant wood shavings? That can be ok and is what betty was referring to.
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Post by tanzanyte on Dec 27, 2020 11:21:14 GMT -8
Yep, sorry. Old habits die hard, it's always been called sawdust in our household, but it's the curled bits of wood.
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Post by Markpd on Dec 27, 2020 11:32:37 GMT -8
Cool, I thought so, I occasionally do exactly the same thing when I talk to friends about it , even though I've got hemp not wood shavings! lol.
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Post by creativecat on Dec 28, 2020 4:11:53 GMT -8
Thank you for all the suggestions, Auboise was slightly dusty so it could be that too. I have tried Kaytee, but going forward, I think I want something slightly cheaper. Auboise can also be found on eBay 👍
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Post by creativecat on Dec 28, 2020 4:24:46 GMT -8
I also tried tiny friends farm paper bedding- the grey one and it was very dusty and had a terrible Smell! I want to finish using the Auboise as it seems a waste, is there any way to make it less dusty?
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Post by Markpd on Dec 28, 2020 5:15:47 GMT -8
Someone here said that they had the hoover tube by the top of the tank as they poured in the bedding, that way at least some of the dust is sucked out. You could enhance that by putting the bedding in in stages, then lifting and dropping it a few times to get more dust out. Although you might find that's not necessary. Let us know how it goes, it will be useful to know if it was the dust or the hemp itself they are allergic too.
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Post by tanzanyte on Dec 28, 2020 11:04:25 GMT -8
Some people sieve their bedding to reduce the dust.
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Post by Markpd on Dec 28, 2020 14:52:56 GMT -8
Yea that would work I guess, but if you've got a large tank it would takes ages! I put about 150lts of bedding in mine, I wouldn't try sieving that lot! lol
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Post by creativecat on Dec 30, 2020 9:41:14 GMT -8
I will be doing a cage change soon do I will try shaking it out and update everyone 👍
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Post by PipSqueak on Mar 3, 2021 9:31:20 GMT -8
I will be doing a cage change soon do I will try shaking it out and update everyone 👍 [b Could you give us an update? What bedding did you choose and how did you like it. I recently changed my gerbils cage and used new types of bedding. It holds burrows very well. I did pet supplies plus brand bedding on the bottom in the natural color to use the rest of what I had and then layered a bit of hay and natural colored carefresh with the all living things bedding in the natural color. There are already 2 huge burrows that have held up for a few days already which they never do.
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