|
|
Post by yasmin on Apr 3, 2012 21:47:17 GMT
I'm a Carefresh user. I have been using the White Ultra Carefresh because I like to see where the soiled areas are so that I can remove them, but I am going to try the Basic. It's alot cheaper; with three four-level cages to clean I go through a minimum of three of the 50L packs per month. I tried the new Kaytee paper bedding – alot cheaper and it says that the contents of the package expand to 3x the volume. It does expand to 3x the volume but is more like shredded paper. AND, my degus eat it!  I think they think it's hay. Won't use that again for the degus (my gerbils were good with it). |
|
|
|
Post by carl19692 on Apr 4, 2012 21:48:40 GMT
After reading this thread i have decided to order some Finacard as my wood shavings ran out this change. Has anyone tried www.hemptechnology.co.uk/bedding.php ? There is a shop near me that sells the Rapport bedding which is made from the straw of the oilseed rape plant is this Goo safe? |
|
|
|
Post by carl19692 on Apr 12, 2012 15:56:37 GMT
Finacard arrived yesterday so gave the boys an early clean out. Still some dust that people had mentioned but much easier to work with than shavings.
Also got sent a small sample of the Hemcore and Rapport but it is quite fine and i light so i think it will cause more mess than shavings.
|
|
mhb
Burrowing Degu
Mystified and Entertained on a daily basis
Posts: 173
|
Post by mhb on Apr 17, 2012 12:09:32 GMT
Got mine yesterday just as we finished the last of the wood shavings.
Impressed with the service etc.
Will see what the Degus make of it at the weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by luluzellbell on Apr 17, 2012 19:17:05 GMT
I use flax bedding for my guinea pigs in their indoor cage, as it is readily available to me as we keep horses at home. They seem to like it, but I was wondering whether it would be ok to use it as a substrate for the degus. It can be quite sharp, but it softens down after a day or two. Im not sure if it would be good for digging in, for the previous reason, so I'd use wood shavings, but for shelves, or mixed in with other bedding maybe? I'm probably just going to use finacard and/or wood shavings, but I'm just curious! www.horsebedding.co.uk/equisorb-flax-horse-bedding.htmlThe link is up above, thanks anyone knows anything. |
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Apr 23, 2012 4:24:14 GMT
From that page/link I would say that it sounds very good . . . but I am curious to know what it is like for dust? If it is little to no dust, I would recommend giving it a go!!
|
|
|
|
Post by luluzellbell on Apr 23, 2012 6:30:21 GMT
It's not dusty at all, that I can tell from shaking it in the air. I'll probably use wood shavings mixed into it, as is makes it that much softer, and is softer for their paws. Thanks for the advice!  |
|
mhb
Burrowing Degu
Mystified and Entertained on a daily basis
Posts: 173
|
Post by mhb on Apr 24, 2012 7:20:54 GMT
Decked out the newly acquired rabbit and the Degus with Finacard.
Have to say there is loads of it in a bale - now got a black bin in the shed full of it.
Not at all dusty which is great for the Goos and for me.
The rabbit kicks it about a bit but it is working and the Degus love it.
Plus they can't boot it out through the mesh of the cage as easily.
Got the stuff with the soft nest bedding and that is lovely for the nesting box and the rabbit's sleeping area.
|
|
|
|
Post by carl19692 on May 4, 2012 19:23:49 GMT
I have a couple of sample bags of Hemcore and Rapport if anyone would like to look at it just send me a pm and i will forward them on  |
|
|
|
Post by lessthansign3 on Dec 16, 2012 12:59:02 GMT
I don't have my degus yet, but I've been using aspen from my rats for years and it works great. You can buy plain pet store aspen shavings here in the US anywhere, but I've been buying GIGANTIC bales of the stuff from Fleet Farm (a farm supply-type store, obviously) that's intended for horses and it works just the same. It's a little bit dustier, but it's honestly the same quality as a cheap aspen bedding you'd buy from the pet store. My rats have never been bothered by it. It makes *me* sneeze a little when I put it in, but other than that, it works great and it is as cheap as it gets! $5 for a massive bale!
|
|
|
|
Post by rmazeds on Mar 12, 2013 18:12:39 GMT
Hiya, I've only had Degus for just over a month now but they seemed to sneeze a lot when I used any type of bedding! wood shavings made my allergies play up as well and carefresh set them off sneezing also, I also tried a mix of straw, bark, twigs, soil and grass that I got from the range which for some reason set them off too so I have ended up using just shredded paper over the entire floor of the cage, it was only £2.50 from pets at home and covered the entire floor quite deep and Sasha loves dragging it up to her hanging bed. Also it's good when I wanna tidy up a bit in there and can just shake the poo to the bottom and throw it out and she hasn't kicked any of it out. It's working out for now anyway! And it's cheap if I need to change it more often if it starts to smell.
|
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Mar 12, 2013 18:20:44 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by rmazeds on Mar 13, 2013 13:26:44 GMT
Ooh thank you :-)
|
|
jfrc
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19 
|
Post by jfrc on Mar 26, 2013 23:29:09 GMT
Massive fan of megazorb!
When I first took on my boys they came with a fresh bale of finacard and to be honest it was ok, just didn't like the look and wasn't too impressed with the absorbency of it. Then moved on to carefresh as I had a lovely staff discount on so bought a few big bag of that and loved it but I could never justify using a bag and half (£30 worth) every clean out.
Then I found a local supplier of megazorb who charged me £6 per bag and it is amazing! Smells weird for first day but then it just soaks up everything and looks good to! However if using a wire change I wouldn't use it as it will go everywhere, but if like me and using homemade degu mansion it is spot on!
|
|
|
|
Post by swiffermuis on May 16, 2013 13:19:24 GMT
I've got finacard now as well. The woodshavings were getting a bit annoying as they stick to the carpet and even the vacuum isn't able to get rid of them. I love the finacard! At least it's something my vacuum can battle with  The bale you get is huge though, I didn't expect that! I wrote in the comment box, if no one is home (I work full time) just leave it in the porch. Well, bad luck, my porch was too small haha. There is no dust in there at all, I was really suprised. The bale will probably last for about 4 months, better than the expensive P@H wood shavings for 5 pounds, lasting only 2 cage cleans max. |
|
|
|
Post by bijett on May 16, 2013 21:13:17 GMT
I recently ordered a finacard sample and I'm converted!
|
|
|
|
Post by Kins on May 17, 2013 8:25:54 GMT
I've pretty much always used finacard and the newest 'version' is really fantastic. Cheap, lasts for ages, deals with odours (I love that word) and the goos seem to enjoy carrying the larger pieces into their nest box (particularly Stanly Manly), regarless of how many attempts it takes to get it from shelf to shelf |
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Nov 24, 2013 16:10:35 GMT
I got some Aubiose hemp bedding to try.   You get a massive sack and it's really cheap, I think it was about £9 from a farm supply petshot type place. It's made of hemp, but it looks like little wood chips. The advantage apart from the price is that it is really low dust, the disadvantage I'm finding is that it tends to smell quite quickly when it gets urine on it. I'm having to use megazorb for all high urine places, and will probably go back to just megazorb when the aubiose is used up. |
|
|
|
Post by toothbrush on Nov 25, 2013 20:27:00 GMT
Aubiose is designed to be used pre-misted as that makes it more absorbent than straight dry (says so somewhere on the bale, I think). When putting fresh in cages I tend to lightly mist with a plant spray. And after that I don't quite take all of it out, so that the older stuff provides a little moisture when mixed in with the new.
However I'm not sure whether that translates suitably for degus either in terms of usage, or whether there's something about degu pee specifically which would make a bad smell on it.
The other advantage of Aubiose is, if you have the storage space for more than one sack/ bale of substrate, it mixes up really well with other substrates. Chopped cardboard and Aubiose or Fitch and Aubiose or cross-cut paper and Aubiose mixed together provides a very light but diggable sunstrate. Mixing together also results in a total volume depth deeper than if you had just layered the two - I assume due to air pockets.
|
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Nov 26, 2013 14:11:46 GMT
Some good tips there and extra info, thanks Toothbrush. I probably didn't even look at the instructions on the bag! I imagine it would mix well with other products, it mixes well with the megazorb. I think preferences for smells of different products with pee on them are very individual and personal, so other people might well like the Aubiose better than me.
|
|
I think they think it's hay. Won't use that again for the degus (my gerbils were good with it).
The bale you get is huge though, I didn't expect that! I wrote in the comment box, if no one is home (I work full time) just leave it in the porch. Well, bad luck, my porch was too small haha.
