What should I put on the flooring of a (Pet) Rats cage?

Please advise! Links aswell please, I've heard wood pellets can be used for cage flooring but my local P@H only stock Recycled Paper, it's cheap - can it be used as flooring?


Thanks!What should I put on the flooring of a (Pet) Rats cage?
http://www.ecopet.co.uk/





I swear by ecopetbed...keeps the smell to a minimum its absorbent, isnt prone to ending up on the floor around the cage, and the big bale lasts AGES so it works out really cost effective...the big bale might cost a lot but it works out much cheaper than recycled paper.





Your other option is paper cat litter...only the Biocatolet brand is proven dust free enough, its its expensive, or plain newspaper with a blob of wood pellet cat litter in each corner of the cage (rats usually go in the corners). Carefresh is an option but EXPENSIVE. Please dont use shavings, these people dont know what they are talking about, they are terrible for rats lungs. But honestly, ecopetbed is awesome.What should I put on the flooring of a (Pet) Rats cage?
Wood shavings can be very harmful. If you HAVE to use wood, go with aspen. it is acceptable. They also have carefresh which is basically a safe form of newspaper, it may also be called woodfibers and they work pretty good. Corncob is also another kind. It hides the smell but isn't very absorbent, you have to change this often or it may rot. Coco is the kind that I use. It is actually a reptile bedding but I have had two different sales people tell me that it is the best kind. It absorbs the pee and evaporates it. The smell is completely natural. A large bag at my local pet store costs $11.99, i used half a bag on my cage, the bottom being 30in by about 24in. The smaller bag is probably $6.99. It has worked the best by far. You dont even have to change it all at once. Do not use newspaper, the ink will run when they pee, getting it on their fur, and they can eventually get ink poisoning.








http://www2.shopping.com/xPC-CaribSea-Coco-Soft-Reptile-Chip-Bedding-10-Quart-Blue-Iguana-Coco-Soft-Chip-10-Quart~PD-72000025~FD-96443~kworg-reptile%20coco%20bedding%20Caribsea%20Coco%20Soft%20Reptile%20Bedding%2010%20quart~linkin_id-8035944~DMT-4~VK-8035944














http://www.petsmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2769311%26amp;f=Taxonomy%2FPET%2F2769311%26amp;fbc=1%26amp;fbn=Taxonomy%7CBedding+%26+Nesting
Pets at Home do cat litter that they advise you use - I use one called Bio Catolet, it's one of the cheaper ones, but you need to use cat litter to absorb the smell and also bear in mind their little lungs! They can't use sawdust or shredded paper really, you can put some in so they can make a nest but the flooring should really be cat litter.
im pretty sure recycled paper is fine just make sure it had no ink or anything in it.


my vet recomended for my girls either carefresh,or aspen bedding(type of woud chips but ok for rats and does not cause respitory infections).


but im not to sure about recyled paper ill have to call my vet then.


hope i helped.


well nevermind i just remembered carfresh is recyled news paper.so yas it should be fine or you could use pupy pads ive heard but i think that rats would have a blast shredding that.haha.and i also read you can buy a paper shredder and make your own bedding.
Don't use wood pellets they are too abrasive and will cause bumblefoot, if you get a litter tray they'll use it, I line my shelves and the bottom of cage with fleece fabric cut to size, I have two of each sized piece i need then all I do is take it out shake and brush it over the bin and wash it, when they are young use newspaper in the bottom, till they stop chewing, the paper pellets I presume you mean biocatolet are good in the litter tray, if you have a multi level cage put another tray higher up, drill a hole %26amp;put a split ring and hook on it so they don't knock it off, on ebay there are some small litter trays with grids in, the waste drops through and they can't dig in it, ripped up newspaper in the litter tray works but it'll need emptying everyday, as newspaper gets soggy quick. p.s the biocatolet pellets are too hard to be used for the full bottom of the cage and it would work out not to be so cheap. a friend of mine buys cheap pillowcases and tea towels,
mmm... I wouldn't I'm a bit worried that it may get a paper cut.


My auntie who breeds uses Puppy pads from argos for her rats, it soaks up pee very well, it's very comfy and she prefers it to any other bedding as she only has to remove the pad and then place a new one in!


http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores鈥?/a>





They fit perfectly in the bottom of her cage and do her for half the year!
hi


please do not use sawdust or wood pellets as these can cause resp problems, i use off cuts of tea bags which a nearby petshop ger in in bales, but not everyone can get hold of this, i am a memeber of a rat club %26amp; most people use cardboard squares, recycled cat litter (paper based), carefresh, fleece blankets.


hope this helps


x
A lot of people think you have to put bedding on the whole cage- that's not true. Just use some old fabric (fleece, pillowcases, etc.) on the flooring, and then put the bedding in the litterpan. Assuming they're litter trained. If not, litter train them, it'll be a whole lot easier.
yeah that or i just put newspaper at the bottom of the cage and then either shredded paper of recycle paper on top to soak up moisture. This website has useful info that might help you.


www.ratz.co.uk/ratbedding.html
CareFresh is DEFINENTLY the best bedding to use!





It keeps the stink wayy low and you can get it in pretty colors ;)





You can probably get it at any pet store, but i get mine at petsmart.








Hope this helped!
Anything from shredded paper to wood chips is fine for a rat. Cage bedding works the best for me, here is a great site with info and links:





http://ratguide.com/care/environment/cage_bedding_litter.php
I use Carefresh which is recycled newspaper shredded up, you can buy it in different colors if you want. DON'T USE PINE SHREDDINGS
Recycled paper products are best. Wood shavings and chips contain dust that is terribly bad for the health of your rat.
dont get wood chips alot of rats get allergic reactions to wood chips. newspaper/paper is fne as flooring
i use old t shirts in my rats cage, its alot easier to clean
I've tried alot of products but nothing has beat Sun Sead bedding, made from recycled newspapers and magazines and has baking soda in it for odor control. I line the bage bottom with a layer of newspapers and spread the bedding around.


It has virtually no dust and is great for odor control.


I get it at PetCo.


Good luck !
try wood shavings you can find them online or at a pet store.














try this website!!!
saw dust or hay guineas like it so same thing check with your pet shop
sawdust...