I was wondering if i could use cedar bedding for a rat. I was thinking of getting one and I have left over cedar bedding from my hamsters (which i have just discoverd is the cause of their death :'( ) so i was just wondering if I could use it on them. If not what kind of animal can use cedar bedding?
Any advice would be great....
2007-09-10 16:10:12 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
Safe beddings for rats are shredded cardboard (Ecobed etc - made for stables, very cheap), hemp bedding (Aubiose, Hutch Hemp etc - again, Aubiose is made for horses stables, so very cheap), 100% paper cat litter (NOT paper based or wood based, only 100% paper - Yesterday's News, Biocatelet etc), corn based bedding, shredded paper (not glossy), fleece bedding, or even old towels. I prefer the hemp bedding myself, it's cheap, it's much more absorbant than wood shavings, totally safe, and it smells lovely too. But if you have a shallow based cage, it can get kicked about a lot - so I also use cardboard bedding in my shallower cages.
No wood based bedding is safe, someone said shavings were unsafe but pine pellets weren't - sadly that's untrue, pellets are no good either as all pine based beddings contain phenols which are released when wee'd on, which cause respiratory problems and liver enzymes to rise, causing irreperable damage to the internal organs. If I remember correctly, the only safe woods are spruce and aspen, but as many pet stores dont label their shavings with which type of wood they are, they're all best avoided. They're not that absorbant anyway!
So no, sadly your bedding isn't safe for any rodent. Best of luck finding an alternative :-)
2007-09-11 01:32:10 · answer #1 · answered by groovygreys 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both CEDAR and PINE are known to release toxic fumes that can cause multiple ailments in Rodents, including Rats. This can include respiratory problems, liver and kidney failure and severe allergic reactions.
Because of this I would suggest that you use either ASPEN or CAREFRESH. CareFresh is the best option, however it is also fairly expensive, it can run as much as $27 for a large bag. Aspen is safe to use and is a fair bit cheaper. A large bag of Aspen only costs around $7-$9.
I would really not reccomend using Cedar Bedding with any animals. Just throw it out and buy some new stuff.
2007-09-11 04:18:35 · answer #2 · answered by PetWoman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely not. Cedar (and pine) bedding is not safe for any rodent, since it contains oils called phenols which are toxic to small animals.
In my rats' cage, I used a combination of aspen shavings and Carefresh, both of which I got from PetSmart. I guess all Carefresh probably would have absorbed the smell better, but it's more expensive, and I had a pretty big cage.
2007-09-11 11:03:39 · answer #3 · answered by xfilesfan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you realize that the cedar bedding was the cause of your hammies' deaths, then why would you want to use for your other rodent rat? Why have you not thrown out.
I was told that yellow cedar is poisonous to rodents and that the toxins causes them to have seizures before death.
I wouldn't trust any cedar with a possible mixture of other types in it. Red cedar's suppose to be ok,... but never get mill scraps from a saw mill coz you do not know what type of shavings are in them.
When in doubt, use plain newsprint paper,...the critters would have fun shredding themselves a bed.
2007-09-10 21:46:42 · answer #4 · answered by deltadawn 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Both cedar and pine cause the same problems in all animals small enough. A rat is no different from a hamster.
2007-09-10 17:31:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Cedar gives off phenols. That's why it smells as it does. But phenols are damaging to the respiratory systems of rats and hamsters. There was some discussion on one forum I was on that cedar might be safe for a rabbit in a well ventilated hutch. I use aspen shavings or Carefresh for all my critters.
2007-09-10 16:57:40 · answer #6 · answered by nanaofsugar 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I don't think cedar or pine are good for *any* small animal & I am upset that they still sell it. They're definately not good for rats, mice, hamsters or guinea pigs. Aspen is ok, but Carefresh, Total Comfort, Softsorbent etc. seems more comfortable.
2007-09-10 18:32:34 · answer #7 · answered by Catkin 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No animals should be on cedar or pine bedding. Use carefresh litter it's the best.
2007-09-10 16:17:08 · answer #8 · answered by altaira 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
dont use cedar bedding... Especially if it caused the death of your hamsters. at the pet store see if they recommend anything.
2007-09-11 04:12:30 · answer #9 · answered by HappyEquine 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
NO! You'll kill the poor thing.
ONLY use Aspen or paper beddings. NEVER pine or cedar.
2007-09-11 04:09:04 · answer #10 · answered by Bryanna 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋