Cheap Fleece and another tip

[Phalaeo]

I'm sure many people have done this, but I'ma going to post it anyways.
I HATE ratty laundry.  I don't have a washing machine, so every load that I put in counts and I really don't want to throw in pee-soaked ratty cloth in with my delicates.
So, I've been going to the Salvation Army and buying whatever fleece that they have.  Usually they have sales on a particular color tag, so I hunt down the ones that are the tag of the day in the men's section (more fabric for the buck), and take em home.  The sleeves and legs get strung up into tubes and the excess fabric gets shredded for bedding.  Once it gets gross, it goes out in the trash.  It's much cheaper than the 3oz. worth of overpriced bedding that you pay for at the pet store.  They have corn cob on the bottom of the cage and the bedding goes on the shelves.

I've also found a way to make it easier to serve ratty salad.  I live by myself, so I don't always have a diverse selection of veggies to choose from.  I've started going to the salad bar at the supermarket to pick up ratty salad ingredients.  A clam shell container lasts five days and I can throw in foods that I don't normally have around because I don't like them.  Today I got red cabbage, sunflower seeds, blueberries, broccoli, boiled egg, shredded carrots, chick peas and melon.  Already bite-size!    I can throw in veggies that I'm eating for dinner (collard greens, etc) and defrost some peas/other frozen veg in some warm water and I've got diversity.  And my clamshell of goodies only cost $2.49   That and some rat blocks, grape nuts and cooked rice, and we're ready to eat!

[ArcticSilver84]

That ratty salad is a wonderful idea...im going to have to try it next time I go to the grocery store. Thanks for the tip. Also if you want fleece that is cheap for rattie bedding post on freecycle. I do it all the time thats how I get scraps of fleece and other material that no one wants anymore, just another tip.

[ladytiger7647]

A cheap way of getting fleece and flannel;D.Throwing the fleece away isn't very eco friendly, though. The rattie salad idea is great though but couldn't you pick up packaged salad with no preserves and get more for less?

[BarbedDragon]

Ah you've discovered the trick with the salad bar! Ha I thought I was the only one who had thought of that! I have a bearded dragon, a mali uromastyx, and a red footed tortoise that all eat greens aside from my rattie companions, so the salad bar is awesome! I go there every 3-4 days and they always have fresh blueberries, melons, shredded carrots spring mix salad, eggs, and other random assorted yummies.

I have found that the only way I can get my salads to last is if I buy it in the plastic tub (yes the organic stuff) They last about 1 week if that. I always have to throw out the leftovers (you'd figure it would be gone, but I rotate meals with veggies/salad/fruit so it doesn't go quite as fast) I like my animals to have fresh food, so I've been doing the salad bar thing for about 7 years. I find that I get more salad if I get it prepackaged, but I end up wasting more too. And thats just more money out of my pocket 

 Buying whole fruits like melon go to waste as I don't eat that all by myself (I get ulcers in my mouth from too much fruit juice ), and the same with salads. The salads the store uses are fresh and are relative to what I buy off of the shelf, but I also get wheat grass at my local heath food store (YUMM thats a fun treat if you haven't tried it)

Good for you!

[Phalaeo]

A cheap way of getting fleece and flannel;D.Throwing the fleece away isn't very eco friendly, though. The rattie salad idea is great though but couldn't you pick up packaged salad with no preserves and get more for less?

Well, if I get packaged salad, I don't get all of those goodies, do I?  With the salad bar, I get small amounts that can be used before it rots, and I get colorful fruits and veggies, not lettuce.  Plus, I supplement with frozen peas, green beans, and then whatever I have for dinner.

As for the fleece not being eco-friendly, I think that it's a lot more eco-friendly to recycle used clothing instead of buying "bedding" at the pet store that's been bleached and chemically treated.  Not to mention the wastewater and chemicals when it is washed.  Cotton fleece is biodegradeable as well.

To each is own...these ideas work for me and I get to spend more time with the ratties....

[ladytiger7647]

Now that I think of it it is better buying it from the salad bar more varity....I got to do that tomorrow.

[Eileen]

I always go to the salad bar for my turtle - it costs me like 90 cents twice a week & the stuff is always fresh that way. Good selection & you can mix it up.

[pinkie1205]

The salad bar at pizza hut is only $2.

[trubandloki]

The salad bar at pizza hut is only $2.

They give you a 'to go' container for that price?  Do you have to buy other things?



I love salad and fruits and veggies, but I have to admit that I have been known to use the ratties as an excuse to buy from the salad bar just like you do.     That way I do not have to cut things up myself when I'm not in the mood (lazy).

[TheChicagoCrew]

What salad bars is everyone going to? The only one I know of is at Pizza Hut, unfortunately LOL

-Melina

[trubandloki]

What salad bars is everyone going to? The only one I know of is at Pizza Hut, unfortunately LOL

-Melina

My local grocery store (Wegmans) has a salad bar type thing.  I get it there.

[Kimmiekins]

Our local grocery - Kroger - has nice salad bars. Since we moved here two weeks ago, we decided to get all the rattie yummies there. Our old grocery, though - Publix - didn't have salad bars.

It's fantastic. There's all sorts of fruits and veggies. The boys get a huge variety. I feel great about it.

[1lila1]

About once a month or so I buy a ton of greens and other fruits and veggies.  I use kale, bok choy, peas, bean sprouts, green beans, squash, etc.  I chop them up, lightly steam them in a big bowl in the microwave, then freeze them in a gallon sized freezer bag.  I do the same with fruits that I chop up and freeze.  I don't steam the fruit though.  They also get other things like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, etc but those things I have on hand every day and when we eat them they get some too.  That way they always get vareity but still have an easily available supply of veggies for them in the freezer so I just pour some into their bowl and put it in the cage while they're snoozing.  By the time they wake up they're thawed and gone by the next morning.  It works great for our house and saves me from preparing tons of veggies everyday.