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Post by BoxRAddict on Oct 15, 2015 13:58:21 GMT -8
Used shredded aspen, aspen, carefresh natural, carefresh ultra and eco bedding. Liked all except eco bedding.
I use kaytee soft granule blend now. The look of it is so nice and neat, stays that way which is tough to do in gerbil setups. Doesn't hold tunnels. But looks so clean.
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Post by dave77 on Nov 16, 2015 12:36:59 GMT -8
So we are about to get our first gerbils and I am reading around to find out the best substrate to use for creating tunnels etc. My question is how often do you clean this out? Do you replace it all in one go? I am expecting to clean out the topper regularly but I am not so sure on the substrate in the tank? Any advice would be greatfully received.
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Post by blanknote on Nov 17, 2015 9:57:02 GMT -8
Dave77: What kind of setup do you have? Smaller setups should be cleaned roughly every 2 weeks. I usually like to take a bit of their old bedding (they usually get plenty of cardboard to chew, so the top layer is usually freshly chewed cardboard) and put it on top of the new bedding.
Where abouts do you live? Just asking as then it would be easier to give you tips on what substrate to get, etc.
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Post by dave77 on Nov 21, 2015 0:39:40 GMT -8
blanknote I have used a large 40L plastic box as a tank and built a wooden topper for it so it's a decent size. I assumed that the top bit might need more regular cleaning than the bottom section where they build their tunnels. Do you normally throw away all of the contents of the tank? We are in Devon UK by the way
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Substrate
Nov 21, 2015 3:07:49 GMT -8
via mobile
Post by blanknote on Nov 21, 2015 3:07:49 GMT -8
blanknote I have used a large 40L plastic box as a tank and built a wooden topper for it so it's a decent size. I assumed that the top bit might need more regular cleaning than the bottom section where they build their tunnels. Do you normally throw away all of the contents of the tank? We are in Devon UK by the way If the box is only 40L, that is about 10 gallons, so should be cleaned roughly every 2 weeks. You could put something in the topper that they could use as a toilet, eg sandbath, cardboard or tiles, that way the bottom but would stay a bit cleaner. I usually keep a bit of the old bedding to give them familiar smell, and I obviously don't throw out toys. I would recommend checking out Fitch bedding. It's 20 pounds for 20kg bag, and lasts for quite a while! I like to mix it with hay so it holds tunnels better, although it does hold tunnels on its own as well.
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Post by dave77 on Nov 21, 2015 4:40:48 GMT -8
I'll check that out, thanks for the advice
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Post by chelseam on Nov 29, 2015 7:10:26 GMT -8
I am currently using the Sunseed brand Fresh World bedding because that is what my most local store carries. It is a recycled paper granule bedding that doesn't really hold tunnels all that well. It has NO dust, no smell, and I can get it cheaper than most other beddings, so I really like it. Is there something anyone could recommend I add to it to make it easier for Scout to tunnel in?
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Post by Ryan and Allie on Feb 8, 2017 7:39:42 GMT -8
Aspen bedding: pros: cheaper in bulk on amazon works well for tunneling smells pretty nice (not strong)
Carefresh pros: excellent for tunneling great for absorbing odors cons: very expensive for a large enclosure
Personally we use a mix of aspen, carefresh and timothy hay. Using the most of aspen, and least timothy hay.
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Post by Markpd on Jul 4, 2020 9:30:27 GMT -8
Arggh, so many choices, nightmare! lol Thinking about getting Megazorb and hay (at least), I've seen quite a few people say it's a bit dusty though, yet the op says it wasn't (although that was 14yrs ago! lol). So is Megazorb dusty or not? (and now I'm seeing on Amazon that quite a lot of people think it stinks!). PS I'm not looking through 19 pages of posts to find out
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Post by betty on Jul 4, 2020 14:42:04 GMT -8
Ha ha - I was just coming on here to say that I have been trying a new cardboard bedding that seems to be dust free on purchase and they seem to love chewing it up and throwing it around the place.
It isn't cheap though, but needed dust free for my jirds.
It is called Pillow Wad EcoNest and I am quite liking it (although I do miss the fresh pine smell of my old wood shavings).
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Post by Markpd on Jul 5, 2020 8:06:05 GMT -8
Well, I ended up reading all 19 pages in the end! Lol, most of the activity is from 2006 - 2012 up to p18! Good to hear about another option So I've decided against Megazorb as many people say it has an odd smell. Carefresh seems expensive (and I'll be getting a large tank!). Aspen looks like a good choice, aside from the very occasional allergy issues (human and animal!). I could get a 14.5kg bag of Prorep Aspen for £24 all in at ebay! Seems to be well reviewed there, here and Amazon (occasional references to dust). Does that seem too good to be true?? (apparently it's on a sale from Huggle pets. Strangely these 14.5kg bags aren't listed on the makers website, maybe out of production?). Also looking at Hemp, not many comments on that, those that are their seem good. I could get 15kg of Premium hempbed (non Eucalyptus version) also from ebay at £20 (with Zooplus close behind at £20 for 14kg/150ltr of Hemparade(Siccofloor), mixed reviews there, a few people finding some batches are rather dusty recently though).
Too good to be true? Or expected prices for those size bags? Anything to watch out for when buying Aspen or hemp?
What's Aubiose like? Can get that in 20kg bags! lol For £18 (hmm quite a few people saying it's dusty at Amazon, costs slightly more there btw. And apparently can't hold burrows by itself).
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Post by betty on Jul 7, 2020 9:21:39 GMT -8
I did look at the Hugo hemp myself while researching the cardboard - but haven't used Auboise, Aspen or hemp yet myself.
I always got on just fine with the pine wood shavings always used in pet shops with my normal and fat tailed gerbils - cheap and easy to get hold of - but just these jirds threw a spanner in the works and now I need to get a mortgage everytime I stock up!!!
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Post by Markpd on Jul 7, 2020 11:38:18 GMT -8
Yea I was wondering about just using kiln dried wood shavings. Although I watched 1 video about it saying it dried her hands out when changing it! Which seems odd, but if true doesn't bode well for the Gerbils. But you say you've had no problems, so maybe I should give it a shot. Why's it costing you a fortune atm? lol
Not sure about Aspen now, read quite a few reports about some Gerbils being allergic to it! *sigh* It's never easy! Hemp apparently grows in the deserts where Gerbils live, I read somewhere (can't remember where), so their should be no allergy issues there! I guess the best thing, is whatever I try out 1st, is not to not get a massive bag of it! lol Talking of cardboard, I see a lot of people putting coloured cardboard in their cages to chew, but I thought the ink was supposed to be bad for them??
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Post by betty on Jul 7, 2020 15:10:14 GMT -8
Always used a the giant horse bales of the kiln-dried pine wood-shavings (soft to touch and curly - not the harder straighter wood chips). Cheap as chips and lasts ages.
And - as with all gerbils - all people can have different skin requirements - so wood shavings may have affected that lady's skin in a individual way (like some people are allergic to hay, and some people get little hives on their skin if gerbils scratch them). I wouldn't write off a substrate type due to a persons reaction especially if it could be just them rather than the bedding itself.
And weirdly Markpd, pine in the US is a totally different thing to pine in the UK. I learnt that way back after finding out that the US doesn't recommend any pine (as the definition in the US doesn't just mean the one tree we in the UK mean - if can mean all sorts of softwoods (most of which contains gerbil nasties).
My cardboard bedding is the expensive one - a 3.2kg bag can be over £6 a pop.
And as for coloured cardboard - gerbils are usualy fine with cereal boxes and things - just not chemical things or frozen food packaging and they should be fine. You can order your own sheets of cardboard from suppliers if you want though.
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Post by Markpd on Jul 8, 2020 16:51:17 GMT -8
I saw in this thread that you used Petfresh wood shavings from spr ctr, but I've just looked there & can't find it listed , which wood shavings are you using now? And where do you get it?
Re allergies, yea your right, but someone else has put me off now! Lol, I've been emailing Woodgreen pet rescue ctr and they mentioned they've had a number of animals over the years that have had allergic reactions to wood shavings, although it is unclear atm if they were dust extracted kiln dried ones, I've asked for clarification.
Yea I saw that about US vs UK pine, bizarre! Good to know about cereal boxes , what's wrong with frozen food packaging?? What a minefield! lol I wonder if the cardboard boxes from my work would be ok?? I work at a Suzuki garage and we throw out LOTS of boxes!
PS Re branches for Gerbils, why does Holly have to be poisonous!? It's the only darn tree in my garden! lol (neighbour has a Birch tree though). PPS Just bought a 1.5kg bag of Hay from Tesco's for £3, I wonder if it'll be any good!? (finally started buying things!). PPPS Seeing as you're the only one whose answered here (thanks for the help so far btw ), I'm going to start a related thread in this forum, hope that's ok?
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