From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2008-08-28 18:00:01 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: ferret litters and bedding, and is drs foster and smith and evo foods good
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Aspen is a harder pine with lowered amount of volatile oils than softer pines tend to have
from what I have read. let's see if I can find how much.
This is not a ferret resource but has Kenmare Veterinary Center comments on that score:
http://www.kenmarevc.ie/rodentnhc.htm
including
BEGIN QUOTE
The current RC (rodentially correct) litter is either aspen chips/shavings which have no
such oils or a reprocessed paper litter, most often Care-Fresh. I have found the animals
prefer the aspen chips. I have found that Care-Fresh seems to absorb odors better. There
are actually two types of reprocessed paper litters, one is in the form of chips that most
closely resemble wood chips or shavings, the other in the form of pellets...
END QUOTE
In another vet hospital site, Petcare, this is to be found:
http://www.petcarevb.com/hamsters.html
BEGIN QUOTE
Bedding can be shredded paper (avoid shiny ads that can contain toxic substances),
hardwood shavings, or composite recycled newspaper pellets. Aspen shavings are free of
volatile oils and are another preferred bedding choice for hamsters. In addition, tissue
paper, paper towels, facial tissue, old mittens, or socks make excellent nesting materials.
Cedar and pine shavings are not recommended, because they contain resins that can be
irritating to a hamster's skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.
END QUOTE
Veterinary Partner says:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=PRINT&A=2099
BEGIN QUOTE
Shavings
Aspen and pine shavings may be used for snakes and fossorial lizards. The shavings
cannot be cleaned and so have to be removed and replaced with fresh shavings when
soiled. At least once a month, all shavings should be removed and disposed of, and the
entire enclosure cleaned and disinfected before new shavings are placed inside. Cedar
shavings are toxic for all animals and should never be used in predator or prey
enclosures. Cedar and redwood should not be used in constructing housing for any
animal, nor in any furniture or paneling in a room in which any animals are housed.
END QUOTE
There are some ferrets who are allergic to pines in general and should not have them.
Pine pellets are processed to remove volatile oils to some degree.
Cedar has some very dangerous volatile oils which can cause serious health damage.
For a change of pace for myself I won't go to the Archives first, but recommend that FHL
members do so. This strongly recommended resource can be found here:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
and can always be linked to from the FHL homepage in several locations on that page.
Since the FHL is 7 is seven and half years old it has a lot of info on almost any health
related question a person and think of, and it is very, very easy to use with clear
instructions right there. For some things, like any food type a person can image there is
probably more info than a person would imagine, so no need to repeat what has already
been covered... Pam and Eric have done marvelous work making it available to all.
Here is what a university has chosen for various uses after their consideration of the
options and it gives a bit of an idea of what to expect with each of these alternatives.
There are also recycled cardboard litters, recycled newspaper litters, some paper of paper-
like ones such as the ones being used for pregnant Black Footed Ferrets at the National
Zoo (more info in the archives), etc.
http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/purch/contract/wp5073.html
This looks like it might have some new info that might be of interest to some FML
members for other reasons:
http://www.earthplatform.com/aspen/chips
See also:
http://www.trifl.org/cedar.shtml
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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