What kind of bedding do you use?

[Anna]

Just wanted to know what the consensus is out there.
Anna

[Anna]

I don't know why this posted 3 times! Sorry!

[Suebee]

I deleted the other two for you... unfortunately, that means everyone who voted and commented in the other two threads will have to do so again. Apologies!  

[Anna]

Thank you subee!

[DesertSands]

I had to vote other just because I use a variety of beddings. Aspen is the base, but I also offer straw, shredded paper and other soft bedding materials.

[Nellybird]

Aspen for me. Everybody says that carefresh is pretty dusty, and it's also more expensive than aspen.

[Ruckers Ratties]

I had to put other, cause I use cloth

[Ratty Corner]

I voted 'other' too. I used the ratties as an excuse to buy some new bath towels, so they have the tatty old ones we've had since we got married 16 years ago.
I like the way I can just roll up the towel with all the mess in it, shake the bits out and wash the towel. I've also got some cheap tea towels for their igloo and other dens. The children make so much washing anyway that another load every couple of days makes little odds.

[Christy]

I also voted "other".  I am currently trying the cell-sorb plus bedding.  I've had it in the cage since Wednesday and so far I'm really liking it.  We'll see what happens after a week with 9 rats

[Yresim]

We use newspaper, but are trying out three new beddings:
1.  Carefresh
2.  Cell-Sorb Plus
3.  Toilet Paper

We will see which, if any, of these get placed into our routine.  It is mostly up to Ennoia.

[JulesDoug]

In the UK we dont have alot of the products you use in the states so I use Catolet a cellulose cat litter which doesnt clump and can be put on my compost!!  The girls like it fine as well!

[Vouivre]

ok this is a pretty stupid question. but what is aspen? i dont think i've come across it before

[Nellybird]

Aspen is wood shavings/particles, but it's not toxic like cedar or pine, since there's no phenols in it.

[unity]

I usually use pine shavings, but tried Yesterday's News because I've recently read that pine can be bad for rats. But the Yesterday's news didn't control potty odors at all, so it's back to pine for now.

Is Carefresh good? That's what I'd like to try...

[Nellybird]

Use anything BUT pine and cedar! It'll give your ratties respiratory diseases! Carefresh is expensive and can be dusty, but just use aspen. It's cheaper than all those paper-based beddings. If you don't wanna spend alot of money, stop using pine and just use aspen.

[Jodi]

I use cloth (waterproof crib sheets) covers on the floors/shelves and hammocks that I make from denim and fleece, but in the 2 corner litter boxes I use a layer of Marshall Premium Ferret Litter (smaller pellets than Yesterday's News, doesn't break as easily so isn't as dusty or so much wasted) with a thin layer of Small Pet Eco-Bedding over the top of it. Seems to work really well, and I'm happy to report that even my youngest boys are finally getting the hang of using only the litter boxes instead of "going" all over the cage!!  

[Tracy]

I am a neat freak.  I hate weird smells.  I even threw away my white bouquet air freshener oil thing after 1 month because white bouquets should not smell like that.  
I initially used carefresh.  I cleaned the rats every day because something was not smelling right.  Then someone told me that, although my room did not reek like a stinky animal farm, it did smell like a petstore.  So, I stopped using Carefresh and started using Aspen.  It saved my nose and my rats from being cleaned all the time.  
Also, if your rat has alot of myco flair-ups, then I say cloth all the way.  You need something that is non dusty for them. Living in a dorm, it's hard to use cloth. Quarters don't grow on trees for the laundry machine. Interestingly enough, $100 bills do seem to sprout when I would go the petstore for supplies.

[Sabriel]

I voted Yesterday's News, because that's what I use for my rats and sometimes for the rescues.  I also sometimes use aspen or just towels for the rescues.  )

[amymckee]

I use carefresh, but I also have polarfleece for my girls that I change every day, and paper towels for my boy; also changed everyday. Dont worry, my boy isnt getting a raw deal- he LOVES paper towels.

[mustang_grl143]

I used carefresh for the longest time but it was super messy and smelt like dirt I switched to yesterdays and I love it no more smell at all

[Blue Steel Rats]

I put "Other".  Currently we're using several layers of newspapers as the base, and cover that with several layers of old t-shirts, flannel shorts, etc.  We change out the papers when they get soiled, which is about every other day now, and change the clothes (the old t-shirts/flannel shorts) every day and launder them with an uncented laundry soap, followed by a second rinse with 1 cup of plain, white vinegar added.  The vinegar breaks up and removes the uric acid as well as any soap residue that may be present.   After drying in a HOT drier ... TAH-DAH!  No more odors!  

When the rattie linens get too chewed up, we just toss them in the trash and replace with "fresh" worn out Ts.  

Also, every day, twice a day, morning and evening, (at one time it was more often than that) I go over all the balconies/solid flooring with a warm washcloth and clean up any areas where they chose not to use their litter box.  Then dry what I just went over with a dry dish towel.  Works good!