Why can't I find a Litter that I like?

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OldsGal

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
428
Location
Nebraska
OK so I have been trying everything out there under the sun trying to find that perfect litter for my rattie litter boxes. Other than the litter boxes my crew are all in FNs with fabric on the pans and shelves. I just can't find a litter I am happy with. I have tried the usual suspects...Care fresh, Aspen, Yesterdays News. Care fresh stinks after a day or two and is too light so it gets tossed around the cage. Aspen seems to bring in more mites then other bedding and also gets thrown around the cage. Yesterday's News is too dang expensive for my tastes. Eco Bedding seems like it would be no better then me shredding up paper for them to use and for that price no way. I have not tried soft sorb but it looks too much like care fresh to me and it again expensive if you ask me. OK so I tried Aspen pellets. Again expensive and they were very very strong aspen smelling and again they didn't hold up for more than a day or two before they started to crumble and break down. I used to love using Rabbit Food Pellets. They are super cheap and they do great at odor control. That was until my boys suddenly decided to eat them and their poos started to smell god awful. And finally I decided to give Woody Pet a try just to see. Well as I guessed it broke down too easily and my rats sneezed while using it.

Waaaaahhhhhh Someone please develop a perfect litter. One that is pelleted so it can't be kicked out of the box yet holds up to wetness and doesn't crumble and actually does well to control odors. And finally is reasonably priced. I mean come on. The rats do their business on the stuff. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it.
 
I have to admit, I was a bit amused at this rant.

Shred newspaper yourself? That has to be the cheapest alternative, if nothing else.
 
Try getting a litter pan with a grate over it, that way they can't kick it out or eat the litter. I have three of those in my cage and the boys love using them!
 
lilspaz68 said:
Yep, Mews Print here. 26 lbs for $9.99. Its softer and even more odor absorbent than traditional YN :)

Just picked up another bag today :thumbup:
Click to expand...
I need to get some more myself, i love it!
 
I think MewsPrint must be a canadian thing or something cuz I did an internet search to find out where I can buy some and I can't even find it on the internet let alone figure out who sells it. I have never seen it at either petsmart or petco nor does my feed store sell it. Now at Petco they do have a knock off of yesterdays news in the cat litter dept that is called I think Yesterdays Mews or somethign like that and it is actually more expensive then YN.

Staci
 
I am now using *gasp* pine cat litter in the litterboxes. (It is actually pine mixed with bentonite, so it looks just like the Super Pet Critter Litter which is why I tried it in the first place.)

I love it, and my rats actually use the litterboxes with it in it. They wouldn't with Yesterdays News in the boxes.

I have watched my rats like a hawk for any sign of respiratory sniffles and there hasn't been so much as a sneeze. (Unlike when I tried Carefresh, yeeesh!) I am quite confident using it now.

Of course, each to their own. No flames please. :)
 
I use cat litter too, the same stuff I put in my cat's litter boxes.
It's made from 100% corn. The rats try to reach their arms through the grates to grab fistfulls of it, they must know its made from food! :lol:
 
I've got this stuff called Crown Animal Bedding - made from recycled natural paper. It looks like rabbit pellets... I think it works pretty good, my kids don't eat it (but of course my kids are perfect) :D
 
Usually use Carefresh but having troubles with it - rather expensive for the amount I need (5 to 6 large bags), gets soiled easily, smells weird. But it's so soft, which I love.

I'm going to have to check out the Mews stuff.
 
Oh, good!
I really like them, I couldn't litter train my ratties until I got them, beacuse they would just toss litter everywhere and tip the trays over. Now each litter tray actuall gets FULL, in a few days. Truly amazing. :lol:
 
Cat country is nice it's made from wheat grass and keeps the odor down, it's in pellets also :)
 
I use wood stove pellets :) The only problem with them is that they're a seasonal thing, so you have to stock up before the warmer months! I get a 45 lb bag of WSP for $4 at my local (well, not exactly local) Tractor Supply Co. store. They're great!
 
Do the wood stove pellets break down at all when they get wet? Are they dusty? I expect them to be made from sawdust or pine so they worry me a bit. Can you tell me a bit more.

Thanks
Staci
 
Staci, I wouldn't use anything made with pine (or cedar for that matter) in my rat's cage! Wood stove pellets are made with hardwoods, so they're safe. Just to be sure, I always quickly check the labels on the bag to make sure they specify "hardwood," or I call the manufacturer to ask. This also reminds me that in the next couple weeks I have to make the (slightly long) trek out to TSC to pick up another year's worth of bags.

They do disintergrate a bit when wet, but only when there's a considerable amount of moisture on them (like if a water bottle breaks). I've never had the pellets breakdown in the litter boxes, that I can think of. They're not dusty at all, which I love. They do smell a little wood-like at first, but if you take them out of the bag (I keep them in a big storage container), it airs out in a matter of minutes.

I started using them with my (RIP) rabbit, BunBun, because every info site and rescue mentioned/recommended them. I've used them, for a plethora different animals, for about 6-7 years now. They're cheap, extremely absorbent, and just an all over good bedding.
 
you guys are so mean! reccomending mewsprint :p

it's pet valu's home brand and only availible in ontario and some us cities (new york state, and some other ones close by)

try a mix of aspen or carefresh with yesterday's news.
 

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