Bedding For Super Sensitive Rat?

[AnnShh]

One of my rats is super sensitive and gets upper respiratory infections at the drop of a hat. Bedding is the biggest problem for him. He was on aspen at the petstore, then switched to carefresh for about a week and then to fleece. He began developing an upper respiratory infection while on the carefesh and the vet put him on medication which cleared it up.

They have been on fleece for the last several months, during which time he came down with a mild upper respiratory infection but a few days of medication and he was fine. Last week I decided to try a bedding similar to carefresh that is supposed to be dust free. He was fine for about a week and then developed another URI.

I have put him back on fleece but I would like to see if there's something else he can tolerate. The problem with the fleece is that after a couple days, their cage begins to smell horribly. With the bedding I don't have that problem. I can clean their cage 1 or 2 times a week instead of 3 or 4 times a week.

Any suggestions on dust free bedding??

 

[LovinHedgies]

I have three female rats in half of a FN cage on fleece liners. I just change their liners everyday and usually put two in there. I haven't had any issues with smell. I would stay with the liners if they seem to help and just change them every day.
I don't know of any dust free bedding besides liners - sorry!
Are you sure that the bedding is what is causing the URI?? I would wonder if he is completely recovering from each URI or if it is one with exacurbations and remissions....have you had any xrays done? or cultures?

 

[GorillaJTA]

Are you finishing the antibiotic courses or just keeping him on them until he sounds better?

 

[blondeangel]

I used yesterdays news -soft texture for my ratties. It was pretty low on dust and clean.

 

[Rachelxx]

Ratties

Hi, I've had rats for a long time and spent ages getting bedding right as some can be so sensitive. I actually found that horse bedding is best. There are a few companies here that make bedding for horses that are sensitive to shavings and are dust free. I use one called megazorb, there's also finacard and aubiose, not sure if you can get them in USA? Definately worth looking into though, works out cheaper too. Was the answer to all my problems! Hope this helps.

 

[AnnShh]

I have three female rats in half of a FN cage on fleece liners. I just change their liners everyday and usually put two in there. I haven't had any issues with smell. I would stay with the liners if they seem to help and just change them every day.
I don't know of any dust free bedding besides liners - sorry!
Are you sure that the bedding is what is causing the URI?? I would wonder if he is completely recovering from each URI or if it is one with exacurbations and remissions....have you had any xrays done? or cultures?

They did x-rays the first time and put him on a course of antibiotics for 1 week. They also gave me extra antibiotics incase he or my other rat needed them in the future as this vet the only vet in the area that treats rats and he's 1.5 hrs away. Each time I've given him the antibiotics for a week and he sounds and acts noticibly better.

Are you finishing the antibiotic courses or just keeping him on them until he sounds better?

Yes, the vet put him on a 1 week course of antibiotics. Each time I use the antibiotics I use them for 1 week.

 

[menagerie]

They did x-rays the first time and put him on a course of antibiotics for 1 week. They also gave me extra antibiotics incase he or my other rat needed them in the future as this vet the only vet in the area that treats rats and he's 1.5 hrs away. Each time I've given him the antibiotics for a week and he sounds and acts noticibly better.



Yes, the vet put him on a 1 week course of antibiotics. Each time I use the antibiotics I use them for 1 week.

One week of antibiotics in rats is not enough. I dose for a minimum of 21 days, usually 30 for a respiratory infection. Respiratory infections in rats are hard to knock out. What medication is being used?

As far as bedding goes, I use a recycled paper product for most of my rat cages. I do have one cage of hairless rats that get eye issues with regular litter, so I use fleece for them and change it every couple of days.