Fillers for rodents

Domestic rodents delight their owners with funny behavior, cute appearance. They are unpretentious in everyday life, however, small pets need care and attention. To prevent unpleasant odors, maintain cleanliness and ensure a comfortable existence of the animal, you need to choose the right filler.

The type of litter plays an important role in maintaining healthy hygiene in pet rodents. Correctly selected flooring helps to maintain a good mood of the domestic animal, prevent the appearance of parasites. The flooring helps to clean the wool and serves as insulation.

Prior to the appearance of ready-made formulations, the following fillers were used.

• Paper... Cheap flooring, it does not absorb moisture well, does not cope with unpleasant odors.
• Sand. Effective in eliminating odor, absorbs moisture well, however, it must be changed frequently.
• Clay. The substance copes with the smell and absorbs moisture well, but sticks to the paws. The composition may contain quartz dust, which is unsafe for health.
• Hay. A natural component of plant origin effectively copes with odor, but does not absorb liquid. Tough stems can cut your pet's skin.

Modern fillers are made on the basis of:

• organic materials: corn, timber, grain waste;
• mineral components, for example, silica gel.

Wood based filler is in high demand. It consists of small particles that are made from compressed sawdust.

The advantages of this type of bedding include the following points:

• effective moisture absorption;
• fast neutralization of odor;
• profitability;
• the material prevents the appearance and spread of bacteria;
• the composition is dominated by natural ingredients.

Disadvantages:

• inconvenient for small rodents and babies who like to dig in the litter;
• in the presence of wood dust, an allergic reaction is possible;
• you should be careful when choosing a wood species - not all breeds are equally suitable for one or another type of animal.

For the production of litter, components from recycled wood are used. They are ideal for small animals.

Among the pluses:

• naturalness of the composition;
• environmental friendliness;
• availability of a choice of chip size;
• acceptable cost;
• can be disposed of in a refuse chute.

Such a filler also has certain disadvantages.

• Excessive airiness. Sawdust is easily scattered in different directions, so you will have to often clean it.
• The material does not absorb moisture well enough.
• Poorly neutralizes unpleasant odors.
• An allergic reaction is possible. To avoid this effect, it is recommended to sift the flooring before use.
• The presence of hard chips can be dangerous to the rodent. It can get hurt or scratched.
• Short-term effect.
• Care should be taken when choosing the type of wood.
• Wood particles easily get stuck in wool.

Litter is considered the safest for small pets.

Among the advantages are:

• lack of an allergic reaction;
• the material does not get stuck in the fur of animals, and does not create any inconvenience to them.

Among the disadvantages are noted:

• volatility - the material is easily scattered in different directions;
• low efficiency in absorbing unpleasant odors;
• Difficulty in acquiring - these types of flooring are rarely brought to pet stores.

Corn cob filler is considered to be of the highest quality, convenient and safest. It is suitable for both large and small animals.

Positive qualities of the material:

• effective moisture absorption;
• quick elimination of unpleasant odors;
• long lasting effect;
• security;
• the material does not get stuck in the wool, does not scratch the skin of the rodent;
• does not negatively affect the health of a little friend.

There are also negative sides:

• price;
• the animal will constantly scatter the filler;
• like cellulose, it is difficult to buy.

It is recommended to purchase the flooring at pet stores. It is better to choose proven brands, because a poor-quality product can cause irreparable harm to a pet. When choosing, it is important to consider some characteristics.

• Pet sizes. For small animals, litters with small granules will be comfortable. Larger ones will like larger granules. You can test several types of flooring and see what the animal likes best.
• The ability of the filler to absorb moisture and unpleasant odors. This is especially true if the house contains many animals.
• Composition safety. It is important to remember that the presence of synthetic impurities, wood dust and fragrances can cause allergic reactions. It is recommended to give preference to natural formulations. If you are prone to allergic reactions, you can choose a composition based on cellulose.

When buying wood flooring, remember that any type of wood will work for rats. Chinchillas prefer dry sawdust of any species. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, are more likely to choose large sawdust from soft woods such as alder or poplar.

You will learn more about litters for rodents in the following video.