Best bedding for non wire floor?

[PSFAngoras]

So I have my doe I'm bringing home to kindle, and I don't have anything large enough bedsides a Rubbermaid container to put her in at home. obviously there's no wire floor in the container, so I was going to put down those pine pellets that are super absorbent and call it good, but now that I see it, I seriously doubt she won't try to eat a few, and those suckers expand. I could cover it with a layer of hay and that might help, but I don't know for sure. She's only going to be in there for a week until she and the babies are safe, then it's back to the barn and wire cage with all.

Anybody have any better bedding ideas? I have paper shavings too, but I can't see them being absorbent enough to keep the mess down. I'm not even that worried about stuff getting in her coat(angora), but I need something that won't be a danger for her to eat and will keep the container relatively clean for a week. (I'll be cleaning it too, but just pointing out long term practicality isn't a big issue.)

I've kept rabbits on wire the whole time I've had them, so any suggestions help!! Thanks!

 

[shazza]

i've always kept small animals on aspen with fairly good results. it doesn't have the oils in it that pine or cedar does, and contains the urine smell pretty well. i would count on you only having to change the bedding once a week though - one of my quarantine cages is solid-bottomed and i usually change a couple times a week or more, because the rabbit's feet start smelling like pee after a few days.

 

[bigfoot_158]

I went to tsc and got the pine shaving for horses works great. Even if they do try to eat no biggy just wood which I give them to chewy on anyway.

 

[Homer]

Cover the pine pellets with straw. That way the waste will go through it and help keep her and the kits clean.

 

[shazza]

I went to tsc and got the pine shaving for horses works great. Even if they do try to eat no biggy just wood which I give them to chewy on anyway.

do the horse shavings have less oil in them? pine shavings are generally considered inappropriate for small animals because the oils in the wood can give them respiratory issues. i know pine is cheaper though, so if it's actually safe i could probably save some money on bedding when i have anyone in quarantine..

 

[akane]

Definitely a layer of pine pellets for absorbency. You can't beat them. Many then top it with something like pine shavings, straw, or hay because they are rough to lay on and slide around. Personally I don't use aspen anymore. I got too much splint heavy aspen and I saw a hedgehog that just had his ears covered in splinters. They had to be pulled out and he was so friendly afterward. The reptile aspen tends to be better but expensive.

 

[PSFAngoras]

Thanks guys, I stuck with the pine pellets and just put a thick layer of clean hay on top. *hopefully* she'll just eat the hay. She's going to be ticked enough anyways since her nest is too big and I'll have to put a smaller one in there for her to kindle in (my normal nests are way oversized anyway) so she has to rebuild. She's got time though, not due till Wednesday/Thursday.

It's amazing how those 30x36 cages look spacious with a 12x24 nest in them and you try to put that nest in a container big enough for a hay bale. Doesn't leave much room for a 7 pound doe. Glad I won some smaller metal nests in the rabbit raffles!!!

 

[bigfoot_158]

I went to tsc and got the pine shaving for horses works great. Even if they do try to eat no biggy just wood which I give them to chewy on anyway.

do the horse shavings have less oil in them? pine shavings are generally considered inappropriate for small animals because the oils in the wood can give them respiratory issues. i know pine is cheaper though, so if it's actually safe i could probably save some money on bedding when i have anyone in quarantine..

Why is everyone worried about the oils for? In shavings there so be less due to it drying better. I give them pine boards to sit and chew on doesnt seem to bother them. I think it matter much unless you have treat wood.

 

[Nyctra]

"Pine is fine" - just avoid cedar. Bedding pine is kiln dried, and the oils basically get evaporated out of it. Cedar is harsher and the one you actually gotta worry about.
I usually just throw a coffee can's worth in my house bun's potty corner, and change it every few days. I used to use some pellets, but it makes it noisy when he walks around, like he has a bunch of gravel in his cage. :?
For an angora, I'd probably rather pellets with straw on top.
And no, I haven't had an issue with them eating the pellets...not that I've noticed, at least. :lol: