Carefresh bedding

[Olivia]

I just got my first chin this week. He was living with someone who didn't take care of him. A friend of mine took him, but he didn't get along with their female. Now he's with me. Anyway, I'm using kiln-dried pine as bedding right now but I want to use Carefresh. The pine stinks after a few days, and I'm not too keen on the woodsy smell either. I'm wondering what is the best type of Carefresh (natural, ultra, etc) for chins? Which is the best at odor control and lasts the longest? All of it is expensive but I want to get him the best so I don't mind paying. Thanks for any help!

 

[ChinnyMom]

from what i have read, too much chance for impaction with carefresh if the chin decides it's yummy enough to eat. it's a recycled paper product and can expand in the stomach/intestines and can cause blockage. i wouldn't use carefresh for a chin.

as for your mention on the pine stinking after a few days - change the bedding more often. if the whole bottom of the cage is shavings, then think about switching to a fleece liner and just using a pyrex or metal dish of sorts for a litter box. this will cut down on the amount of bedding you need to use. IMO a chin litter box should be cleaned up daily to remove the wet/soiled shavings. and fleece liners should be changed/laundered every few days at the most if the chin is peeing on them at all.

 

[Olivia]

Ah, I see how it could be a hazard if he ate it. Anything else you would recommend? I had used aspen with my guinea pig but it was worse at controlling odor than pine. Might switch back to that though because it doesn't smell so woody. I've heard of using fleece liners, but I'd rather just use a disposable bedding.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i've not been 'chinny' long enough to know of all the safe alternatives to wood shavings. hopefully others will chime in soon.

fleece liners will save you money in the long run, since you will be using a lot less bedding by just having it in a litter box, which in turn means you'll buy less bedding, and spend less money. plus, you'll be able to 'pimp out', lol, your chin's cage with neat designs or patterns on the fleece. and less shavings for your chin to kick out of the cage too, so less clean up, yay! lol. less bedding used may mean a decrease in the 'woody' smell that you don't like too, since the chin won't be moving around in it all the time, kicking up the aroma into the air?

 

[Olivia]

That does make sense. I just don't like the idea of washing peed on fleece multiple times a week. Just a personal preference, lol. Also I've read that chins won't only go only in a litter box?

 

[greychins]

Some chins will pee in a litter box, but the poop... that's another story. I've never had luck litter training any of my chins, they pee wherever they want, but some have luck.