A number of suppliers make chopped corrugated cardboard which is very low dust. I put a good deep layer of it on top of the newspaper in the guinea pigs cage. They don't seem to mind and it is really very absorbent and the liquid goes through leaving the top dry avoiding "soggy bottom syndrome". All of our animals are now on this as it doesn't upset my allergies at all. The Jirds and Gerbil rip it up and mix it with their bedding and can actually make tunnels in it if you add things like ceramic tubes and boxes to support it and never get sore noses. Earthly Enterprises currently do a large bale (21kg) for around £20 with delivery from Earthly Enterprises, but it's nearer a fiver if you pick it up if you can drive over to Worcestershire and filling the car or if you order a whole pallet. There are a number of other suppliers of similar products in different parts of the country - see here.
Pros: Very low dust and allergy. Cheap in bulk.
Cons: Not that burrowable. Not that easy to get hold of, bulk buys need to be stored.
Dust Level: Very low - ideal for allergy sufferers.
This is a similar bedding to Ecobed but is shredded rather than chopped. Dilip kindly gave me a couple of bales to try out and they were very good. The guinea pigs seem quite happy on it (see picture at bottom of page). It is softer than Ecobed, but it doesn't seen to stay clean quite as long - but there is very little between them. I found it better for gerbils and jirds as the finer cut allows burrows to hold up better (see picture at bottom of page). This is probably the best thing for them if you have a dust allergy. There is a website here and is based in Cambridge. One bale (15kg) can be delivered for £15 and 25 at £5. They are available to be collected from East Anglia, Kent, Hampshire, Worcestershire and Derbyshire and soon from Sussex and probably Devon. Please contact him at info@finacard.co.uk
Pros: Very low dust and allergy. More burrowable than Ecobed. Cheap in bulk.
Cons: Not that easy to get hold of, bulk buys need to be stored.
Dust Level: Very low - ideal for allergy sufferers.
The bedding that everyone recommends for small animals. It's very absorbent and keeps smells down really well but it is impossible to get in any kind of economy bulk size in the UK. We used it for our guinea pigs until recently but had to mix it with other bedding to keep the cost down as a £3 10 litre bag isn't enough. It's difficult to get hold of and works out very expensive for guinea pigs although less so for the smaller cages of rats and degus. There are some reports of people having allergies to it although it is certainly less of a problem than hay/ straw or shavings.
Some online shops stock it - try the Pet Shopping Page - becoming more common in pet shops.
Pros: Low dust and allergy. Very absorbent and keeps odours down really well.
Cons: Expensive and difficult to source. Some people seem to get allergies to it.
Dust Level: Low
Megazorb is nicer than Carefresh and much cheaper if you can find a local supplier. It is low dust, absorbs smells well and is clean and pleasant to handle. For Jirds and Gerbils, whilst it doesn't compact as well as shavings, with a few boxes and tubes it made a good burrowing medium (see bottom of page). It is very light and so when it collapses, they just dig themselves out. It worked very well for the Degus and Chinchillas and doesn't mess up their fur. It was very good for the guinea pigs (see picture at bottom of page). Unfortunately I developed an allergy to the dust after a few months, but I would still recommend it as it caused me less problems than shavings and the animals no problems at all. The web site is at Megazorb with a list of distributors throughout the UK or phone around your local horse feed dealers as many are now stocking it at about £5 a bag. Bunnymail are now also stocking it at £15 + their normal postage charge - it costs this much because of the size of the sack.
Pros: Low dust, pleasant smelling and absorbant. Cheap in bulk.
Cons: Getting hold of it - comes in large sacks so you need somewhere to put it.
Dust Level: Low - Lower than Carefresh.
J&M Products have sent me a sample of their Snooze Flakes medical grade flaked paper for small animals. It is very soft, doesn't seem to have any dust and because it is flakes animals won't get tangled in it. They claim that the paper inhibits ammonia formation but I didn't have enough to trial. It's certainly looks worth a try if you are allergic to dust. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has tried it. I should think that it would compress well enough to be burrowable for gerbils and Jirds. At the time of writing (March 2005) a 12kg bale is £19.85 delivered and £11.75 collected (from Norwich). There are other sizes and discounts for bulk so contact them via their site for a quote and more details.
Pros: Non allergy, soft and comfortable, burrowable.
Cons: Could get soggy - but I could be wrong because I haven't tried it with piggies.
Dust Level: Very Low
This the traditional rodent bedding. However, there seem to be studies that show that pine shavings are not good for the health of our rodents. They can cause breathing problems, sore noses and possibly even liver damage. I have had a lot of problems with gerbils getting very sore noses on shavings and at least one of my guinea pigs is violently allergic to them. They also set my asthma off. Some brands are definitely better than others so it's worth shopping around.
Pine shavings are traditionally used as a deep burrowing material for gerbils. Peat it is often recommended as another alternative although I found it to be a bit damp which might cause respiratory problems. I think that the best bedding for burrowing rodents is probably Megazorb or Finacard/Ecobed with plenty of boxes and tubes.
Pros: Cheap and Easily available. Nice burrowing medium for gerbils.
Cons: Dusty, potentially harmfully, causes allergies in people and pets.
Dust Level: Depends on the brand but medium-high.
I used Russell Rabbit for a long time with my guinea pigs and degus. It is chopped straw that is nice and soft and doesn't cause injuries. It does not absorb that well and gets smelly quite quickly but is reasonably cheap at about £3 for a large bag and easy to get hold of. I also find that it makes my asthma bad. The product also can vary quite a lot in quality between bags.
Pros: Cheap, non-toxic. Very soft and quite good for guinea pigs.
Cons: Dusty, not good if you are allergic to hay. Can't burrow well in it. Need cleaning out a lot as not very absorbent.
Dust Level: medium-high.
This is a bedding made from Hemp. It is quite coarse and wouldn't really do for burrowing but is good for lining the bottom of the cage for chins, degus and guinea pigs. It seems to be fairly absorbent and low odour but at £7.50 for a 30 litre bad it isn't the cheapest bedding here. Slightly dusty but it doesn't have the allergy factor of shavings or hay.
Pros: Low dust and allergy. Quite absorbent and non smelly.
Cons: A bit rough on the little feet. Not that cheap or easy to get.
Dust Level: medium-low
I have used this in the bottom of the chinchilla cage but since it is made out of compressed sawdust it still gives off phenols and is a bit hard on feet. They just didn't go on the floor when it was there. It is, however, excellent for putting under the bedding in the corner of guinea pig cages to absorb the worst of the urine and for use in litter trays for rabbits and chinchillas.
Pros: Very absorbent.
Cons: Not burrowable, hard on feet - only suitable for surfaces that aren't walked on.
Dust Level: Medium
"Made from specially developed, long lasting polyester that won't support bacterial growth, it's hygienic, non-irritant, non-allergenic, stain resistant, non-toxic and machine washable." It is particularly suitable to make beds for house trained rabbits, but as it allows water to pass through remaining dry on top it is also suitable for guinea pigs. I haven't used it myself but I have been told that it works very well with the top staying dry even when they wee on it. Dust allergic piggies react well to it. It does have to be brushed off and washed every two to three days.
Pros: Non allergy, soft and comfortable.
Cons: Obviously not burrowable, needs to be washed in washing machine. Rabbits and Guinea pigs only.
Dust Level: None
