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Post by michaeljack on Feb 1, 2021 14:02:13 GMT -8
My primary bedding is alfalfa hay for the current 19 gerbil cages. To that I'll add a 6" x 6" burlap piece for nesting and fluffing and a small section of cardboard egg carton. Someone gave me a bag of small rodent colorful paper bedding. I've used it sparingly in the cages. We eat a lot of unshelled mix nuts, so I add the shell pieces to the bedding. I've also used aspen in the past occasionally.
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Substrate
Feb 2, 2021 7:13:42 GMT -8
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Post by PipSqueak on Feb 2, 2021 7:13:42 GMT -8
My primary bedding is alfalfa hay for the current 19 gerbil cages. To that I'll add a 6" x 6" burlap piece for nesting and fluffing and a small section of cardboard egg carton. Someone gave me a bag of small rodent colorful paper bedding. I've used it sparingly in the cages. We eat a lot of unshelled mix nuts, so I add the shell pieces to the bedding. I've also used aspen in the past occasionally. Sorry I don't mean to be rude or anything. You should a different bedding other than hay because hay doesn't make good burrows and it is not very smell absorbent. I recommend using Kaytee clean and cozy and some hay added in because when you add hay to paper bedding it can help hold burrows better. Also, you shouldn't be giving them burlap. They will chew that and it isn't good if ingested. It can cause blockages in their intestines. The nut shells you add in isn't the best. I haven't heard of anyone using that but it would just be sharp. You can give them.some safe unsalted unfrosted shelled nuts for them to crack open but adding that into bedding really isn't good. I use currently mostly Kaytee clean and cozy with some carefresh bedding and a little bit of hay for burrows and nesting and add in a bit of Aspen bedding.
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Feb 2, 2021 8:41:22 GMT -8
I use Hemp, and I used to use Aspen. Both are good. You can mix paper bedding in or either of the two I've said (There aren't many other safe woods) but hay on its own isn't the best, I do agree with PipSqueak.
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Post by Markpd on Feb 2, 2021 14:19:25 GMT -8
Yea I use hemp too, currently they got Aubiose, but I don't think that holds tunnels as well as the Hemdbed did, but atm I can't get hold of it! Which was why I was glad to see this post I somehow missed recently! And yea I was thinking that shell casings would probably be sharp too. What is burlap? I tried a new hemp bedding last week - Ecoshiv. It’s pretty much the same as Aubiose, much darker in colour but that’s a style point and doesn’t matter to me I also noticed it has sort of fuzzy bits in it which I haven’t noticed in the aubiose - little bits of fibre from the hemp. I thought the gerbies might’ve made nests out of it but they couldn’t give a toss XD. I’ve also noticed it’s quite soft, in comparison to other hemp beddings I’ve tried, I wonder if that’s the fuzzy fibres in it softening it... I’m not sure. It, like most hemp beddings, has low dust and smells very lovely - fresh and natural... it’s ultra compostable, carbon negative, grown pesticide-free, and is grown in the UK, (as said on the bag) so that’s why they call it ECOshiv I suppose, although that’s probably the same for any hemp bedding so meh. price - £12.50 for 20kg, excluding delivery. The gerbil review - “Squeak.” Think I might try that if Hempbed isn't available soon. Thanks for the quick review .
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Post by gerbilord on Feb 2, 2021 14:56:47 GMT -8
thats where I've been buying it from :D
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Post by Markpd on Feb 2, 2021 15:23:53 GMT -8
, seems to be the only one with stock and delivers! I'm going to order one tomorrow afternoon if I don't hear back from the Hempbed supplier by then.
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Feb 2, 2021 17:18:42 GMT -8
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Post by PipSqueak on Feb 2, 2021 17:18:42 GMT -8
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Feb 3, 2021 0:15:50 GMT -8
Thanks gerbilord, I might get some even though I currently don't have gerbils! I don't *think* there was much wrong with Hempbedz that I got, but just being extremely cautious and getting a different bedding for future gerbils and then I'll try Hempbedz on them once they've properly settled in. The hempbedz just had some larger bits in it so I probably wouldn't buy it again.
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Feb 3, 2021 2:48:22 GMT -8
I ordered some and it's meant to come of Friday! I probably won't have gerbils by then haha, but I'm going to contact my nearest rescue in an hour or so to ask if they have any younger gerbils (I'll say 6 months or below).
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Post by Markpd on Feb 3, 2021 11:50:03 GMT -8
I haven't heard back from the ebayer about Hempbed yet, but I'm going to give him 1 more day.
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Thea
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Post by Thea on Feb 5, 2021 5:02:43 GMT -8
Have you ordered any bedding yet Mark?
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Post by michaeljack on Feb 5, 2021 6:45:05 GMT -8
My primary bedding is alfalfa hay for the current 19 gerbil cages. To that I'll add a 6" x 6" burlap piece for nesting and fluffing and a small section of cardboard egg carton. Someone gave me a bag of small rodent colorful paper bedding. I've used it sparingly in the cages. We eat a lot of unshelled mix nuts, so I add the shell pieces to the bedding. I've also used aspen in the past occasionally. Sorry I don't mean to be rude or anything. You should a different bedding other than hay because hay doesn't make good burrows and it is not very smell absorbent. I recommend using Kaytee clean and cozy and some hay added in because when you add hay to paper bedding it can help hold burrows better. Also, you shouldn't be giving them burlap. They will chew that and it isn't good if ingested. It can cause blockages in their intestines. The nut shells you add in isn't the best. I haven't heard of anyone using that but it would just be sharp. You can give them.some safe unsalted unfrosted shelled nuts for them to crack open but adding that into bedding really isn't good. I use currently mostly Kaytee clean and cozy with some carefresh bedding and a little bit of hay for burrows and nesting and add in a bit of Aspen bedding.
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Post by michaeljack on Feb 5, 2021 6:48:11 GMT -8
Thanks PipSqueak, for the input! I appreciate your attention to my post. My methods have worked successfully for over ten years.
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Post by gerbilord on Feb 5, 2021 6:57:33 GMT -8
so I've used ecoshiv for just over 3 weeks now (I think?) and I think its the best hemp bedding I've tried for constructing and holding up tunnels - I think this is because of the fuzzy bits mixed into it. it held burrows well even before I added some hay in. For hempbed and aubiose I had to add in cardboard shreddings and hay before it really started making and holding good burrows, but this one is working nicely :) So I'm a happy gerbil owner.
michaeljack - It's good that it works for you. I'm intrigued though, how well does the bedding retain odour? I wouldn't have thought a hay base would be very absorbant. How often do you have to change it? And aren't the nut shells a bit... hard? Or scratchy?
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Substrate
Feb 5, 2021 7:44:24 GMT -8
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Post by PipSqueak on Feb 5, 2021 7:44:24 GMT -8
Thanks PipSqueak, for the input! I appreciate your attention to my post. My methods have worked successfully for over ten years. Just because they work doesn't mean that they should be used. I wouldn't think that hay, burlap, and nutshells would be that comfortable. They are always in their bedding so you want it to be something that's soft and smell absorbent. Hay isn't smelled absorbent and aspen isn't very smell absorbant and if that's all you use. Try using paper bedding like carefree and Kaytee and mixing a bit of aspen and hay into it. But do not use any shells or burlap. I don't see the point of any of those besides being dangerous. Shells will scrape them and could possibly cause them to get a bad cut and burlap is something they can get wrapped around their feet and they can ingest it. Also just wondering how often do you usually change their bedding?
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