Best Bedding for Hairless

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Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Messages
16
Location
Davie, Florida, USA
I would like some opinions on the best bedding for hairless rats. I have a female pair, one is hairless. At first I got ASPEN cause I read that it was the best bedding, however, I later read that it's not the best for hairless. I then got so phresh (paper bedding), but I seemed a bit expensive ($16 the block and I could only use it for 2 cleanings, cause it doesn't expand as much as aspen), so, my main priorities are odor control, and suitability for my hairless rat.

I'd appreciate any input!!!
 
I'd recommend Exquisicat Multi cat unscented paper bedding. I get a 20lb bag for $20 US. The paper is recycled it lasts me a month or two, but I use it in litter boxes only, so I don't know how long it'll last for you. I really like it. Never get an odor issue. Never seemed to bug my elderly rex (rexes can sometimes go bald by old age).
Another member on here would recommend Yesterday's news. I've never used it. A rat breeder I know uses it for her rats and she has hairless and they never have an issue.
Fleece could be a good alternative as well, but bedding works just as well.
 
I have read good things about fleece, but in all honesty, the idea of having to do laundry for the rats is not very appealing, as I barely do laundry for my family (laundry is the single chore I hate the most). I will check Yesterday's news and Exquisicat!! Thank you!!
 
many of us use unscented yesterdays news in litter boxes but I would not use it as bedding

Ask lilspaz68 as she is experienced with hairless rats


the bedding people seem to use for rats are:
- thick fleece blankets made specifically for the cage
- paper such as news paper with vegetable dye ink
- unscented dust free paper sold for bedding
- hardwood shavings such as aspen or maple
- kiln dried pine shavings (supposed to be ok)

(corn cob can cause health issues, and softwood bedding will slowly destroy lungs)
 
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Thank you! I read somewhere that ASPEN shavings were the best bedding for rats EXCEPT if they were hairless rats, but I have read so many things that now I don't remember the reason or where I read it. I am going to prefer to stay away from Pine and fleece, Pine because I read in more than one place that it's toxic (and I know it's toxic for other types of animals as well) and fleece because, as I said, hate doing laundry, barely do it for my family.
Yesterday I bought So Phresh Soft Paper Bedding Unscented, I'll see how much it expands. i'd love to ask lilspaz68, but I'm a forum newbie and I have no idea how to DM another member.
 
Thank you! I read somewhere that ASPEN shavings were the best bedding for rats EXCEPT if they were hairless rats, but I have read so many things that now I don't remember the reason or where I read it. I am going to prefer to stay away from Pine and fleece, Pine because I read in more than one place that it's toxic (and I know it's toxic for other types of animals as well) and fleece because, as I said, hate doing laundry, barely do it for my family.
Yesterday I bought So Phresh Soft Paper Bedding Unscented, I'll see how much it expands. i'd love to ask lilspaz68, but I'm a forum newbie and I have no idea how to DM another member.
Careful with the So Phresh, it has baking soda which is toxic to rats. Even the unscented.
I use Yesterday's News. They sell a softer version on Chewy. Been really happy with it.
 
OMG!! as soon as I read the post, rushed to check the bag and it indeed says "with baking soda" (it is unscented). Question: The baking soda is toxic if they are exposed to if for a long period of time? Or a small exposure can be enough?? I am definitely not buying it again, but I need to know if I need to remove it right NOW, or if they can use it until I find something else. They have had it since yesterday.
 
OMG!! as soon as I read the post, rushed to check the bag and it indeed says "with baking soda" (it is unscented). Question: The baking soda is toxic if they are exposed to if for a long period of time? Or a small exposure can be enough?? I am definitely not buying it again, but I need to know if I need to remove it right NOW, or if they can use it until I find something else. They have had it since yesterday.
I used it with my guys for a few days before I realized. I noticed they were sneezing like crazy and when I swapped it out, they stopped sneezing.
It's really more toxic if they eat it. It's an ingredient in some rat poisons because it causes gas to build in their digestive tract and since rats cant burp or vomit, it kills them :( I don't know for sure if you need to remove it right away. Maybe SQ knows??
But Yesterday's News is a good alternative that I found to paper bedding. I don't like wood shavings because they get all over the house and stick to my socks. Lol.
 
:( Poor things. I have already got Yesterday's news on my amazon cart. The soft texture version. But I have also Dm lilspaz68 to check her opinion about hairless rats bedding. Hopefully, I'll have enough info to decide today. My girls are in a Critter Nation cage and the bedding is restricted to about 1/3 of the cage, in a plastic bin, they don't have to be on it if they don't want to, I hope I can have them out of there within 48 hours.
THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REPLY :)
 
Sounds good! I don't own hairless so I'm not sure, but Yesterday's News isn't scratchy so it would probably work. But I'd definitely listen to lilspaz68.
Hope it works out for you and you can find something you like! :)
 
The rat guru on youtube has a video in her rattiepedia playlist about rat safe beddings. She also has one called all things hairless rats I believe, where she mentions hairless safe beddings. My two hairless boys did best on fleece and natural unscented paper bedding like carefresh and critter care, but I’ve heard that they critter care brand should be frozen for a few days in case of mites, so I may just use my current supply of paper bedding for the hamsters and switch to fleece. Hope this helps :)
 
I have now removed all the bedding and, since I didn't get a reply from the DM I sent to lilspaz68, I went ahead and ordered Yesterday's News online. It should arrive tomorrow, for now, they are on plain newspaper, which is what I had on hand for these couple of days.

I also checked the Rat Guru's video on hairless rats, however, the bedding she recommends is paper bedding, but I read somewhere that paper bedding dries the hairless rats' skin cause paper absorbs the humidity in general, so, I'm kinda puzzled now. Is there another type of paper bedding other than So Phresh that doesn't contain baking soda??
 
I have now removed all the bedding and, since I didn't get a reply from the DM I sent to lilspaz68, I went ahead and ordered Yesterday's News online. It should arrive tomorrow, for now, they are on plain newspaper, which is what I had on hand for these couple of days.

I also checked the Rat Guru's video on hairless rats, however, the bedding she recommends is paper bedding, but I read somewhere that paper bedding dries the hairless rats' skin cause paper absorbs the humidity in general, so, I'm kinda puzzled now. Is there another type of paper bedding other than So Phresh that doesn't contain baking soda??
You could always try fleece, but I just started using it and my hairless boys loved it
 
I have now removed all the bedding and, since I didn't get a reply from the DM I sent to lilspaz68, I went ahead and ordered Yesterday's News online. It should arrive tomorrow, for now, they are on plain newspaper, which is what I had on hand for these couple of days.

I also checked the Rat Guru's video on hairless rats, however, the bedding she recommends is paper bedding, but I read somewhere that paper bedding dries the hairless rats' skin cause paper absorbs the humidity in general, so, I'm kinda puzzled now. Is there another type of paper bedding other than So Phresh that doesn't contain baking soda??
Yesterday's News is paper bedding. Paper bedding brands are Kaytee, Carefresh, etc. But I found them to be dusty. Yesterday's News is newspaper pellets. It's definitely not soft, but it seems to do okay at odor control and absorption.
Fleece is just a pain because it needs to be washed so often, but it's good too.
 
There are many types of paper bedding - just make sure it is not dusty
yesterdays news is a pelleted paper kitty litter ….. imo good for litter boxes but not good for bedding
when wet it becomes small partiles
 
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