Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I know that this was posted further down, but only 2 or 3 had replied that they have either used the pellets or are currently using them. Just wondering if anyone else has tried them or is currently using them and what there experiences with them are? I am considering switching from pine shavings to the pellets. Seems a bit less mess, and the cost may be just a bit cheaper then the pine. The biggest reason for me to switch would be odor control, although I believe someone stated in the last thread that they noticed little to no difference.

thanks
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0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons
0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons (on breeding loan)
0.1 Sub-adult
1.0 Normal ball python
1.1 Bell Line Pastel Ball pythons
1.0 Adult Het Albino Ball Python
1.0 Het Pied Ball Python
1.0 Het Carmel Ball Python
1.0 66% Het pied Ball python
0.2 50% Het albino Ball Pythons

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Edited on June 28, 2004 at 15:22:46 by phwyvern.

3 problems I see with this.

1) It will be very heavy when dirty. (It's pretty heavy when dry) Depending on how you dispose of it, this could be a problem.

2) It will mold readily when it gets damp, so you may actually have to clean more often (depending on population density of your cages).

3) Cost. While it is pretty cheap, and can be spread thinner, it isn't nearly as inexpensive to use as pine shavings. I can get about 1 and 2/3 large bales of shavings for the price of one bag of rabbit pellets. I would guess about 6-8 times as much volume of bedding per dollar.

I like to use sani-chips on my mice. It reduces odors considerably. Try aspen instead of pine if odors are a problem. Also, smaller chips will evaporate moisture off of them faster than larger chips, so a smaller chip will give off less ammonia smell since it stays drier. (One tip though, don't use sani-chips with automatic watering systems. They fit perfectly in the nozzles. They stick to the moisture, swell, push the valve, and cause flooding problems. This stuff works great on lab style cages with water bottles though. For racks, use cell-sorb plus if you can find it.)

Rodney

>>3 problems I see with this.
>>
>>1) It will be very heavy when dirty. (It's pretty heavy when dry) Depending on how you dispose of it, this could be a problem.
>>
>>2) It will mold readily when it gets damp, so you may actually have to clean more often (depending on population density of your cages).
>>
>>3) Cost. While it is pretty cheap, and can be spread thinner, it isn't nearly as inexpensive to use as pine shavings. I can get about 1 and 2/3 large bales of shavings for the price of one bag of rabbit pellets. I would guess about 6-8 times as much volume of bedding per dollar.

I am the one that likes rabbit pellets. But this is my take.
Yes, they weigh more....no way around that. They are a nice and cheaper alternative to cellsorb or yesterday's news.

I only have mold if it is in a way overcrowded cage on a day when condensation is forming or a water bottle leaks. For some reason my darn Russian Dwarf Hams build up a lot of damp....they get just shavings.

Cost for me is cheaper for a couple reasons. I can have it last 10 days to two weeks as opposed to 2 or more changes a week on shavings.(shavings are $4 for 9cu ft bale or $8 for 50# pellets) Plus I consider the time I spend doing changes.

If nothing else you might find you get the benefits of odor control without the down sides if you throw a healthy handful of pellets in each tub corner. With my mice it helps immensely.

My second reason for using it is that I don't put my rats on shavings. I have eliminated upper respiratory problems in any of my rats by using pelleted bedding. Since I am raising more 'pet' sorts (Dumbo, hairless, blues and blazed) sometimes they are more sensitive and I can't cull all that are.

PLUS, and this is a biggy for me, I am allergic....In my old age I am allergic to the molds but also react to the darn shavings in everything. So, the pellets save me being inundated with it.

Lastly I have other exotics that I put on pellets and not shavings. Hedgehog (where odor control is a MUST) and Sugar Glider (that can go months on pellets).
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

You have a hedgehog? Can I e-mail you with some questions about care and smell? My mom wants one but my step-dad is freaking about not knowing how loud they are or how stinky and messy. I told her I would try to research it if I ever got free time.
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Anna

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>>You have a hedgehog? Can I e-mail you with some questions about care and smell? My mom wants one but my step-dad is freaking about not knowing how loud they are or how stinky and messy. I told her I would try to research it if I ever got free time.

Yeah, go ahead and email. But the hedgie is kinda new to us so we just learned all the stuff that is on the online sites. Ours is a baby a friend bred. He is a couple months old. Upsides to me....they are silent, cute in a pig/hog sort of way, exotic enough that they have odd habits....like anointing....licking you then themselves, and they are pretty easy keepers.
Downsides.....setting up a diet that you and they are good with. Hedgie food is a fortune and I refuse to get it so found a cat food with good numbers...that he prefers anyway. They really are a pet to get as a baby and teach it a routine. Otherwise they are grumpy. They can get too fat. BUT, don't listen to any pet store employee that tells you otherwise and that hedgies don't use wheels and get a big running wheel. Ours (and my step mom has a sib that does the same) runs for hours at night. Get a plastic or fine wire mess wheel though. Little hoggy feet can't handle wire rungs. They need a moderately big cage for the beastie size.....Like couple square feet minimum, then add the wheel and all and you get the picture. And, biggest yuck to me is that if you surprise them or piss them off, ie wake them up from a sound sleep, they poop and pee....and poop and pee lakes(like deflating a prickly balloon!it seems. Scout, my son's HAS learned not to nearly as much, but it is a messy ferret like poop, not a nice neat ratty pellet poop.....so, something to think about. I use pelleted bedding on ours and the odor is okay for a week. They can be litter box trained and that helps for cage changes. I would also do a web search, there are several good ones.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I used rabbit pellets. Loved them. Will use them again when I start back up. I got so far ahead (in the freezer) that I took the winter off. Less smell, less fuss, less storage space, but most importantly less work. Pellets clean up easy and less often. I value my time. Pine shavings may be a little cheaper, but if I have to change them twice as often, they are no bargin.

I also mulched the used pellets. Great pumpkins last year.

DeMak
DeMak's Pics

DeMak:

Did you precess the bedding first or just tossed it on the vegetables?

Ben

I mixed it with some water to help break down the last of the pellets and set it in the sun in sterelite tubs. The first time I tried it I put too much water in it an dit took forever to dry out. It smells for a day or so, just like when you put cow manure on your lawn.

DeMak

thanks all for the input!

I did get the answers I was looking for. I think I will experiment a bit with them, perhaps only using a handful or two in the corners as suggested.

thanks again...
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0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons
0.2 Normal Adult ball pythons (on breeding loan)
0.1 Sub-adult
1.0 Normal ball python
1.1 Bell Line Pastel Ball pythons
1.0 Adult Het Albino Ball Python
1.0 Het Pied Ball Python
1.0 Het Carmel Ball Python
1.0 66% Het pied Ball python
0.2 50% Het albino Ball Pythons

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Edited on June 28, 2004 at 15:23:07 by phwyvern.