Chinchilla Community Forums

Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: texchin on September 09, 2011, 07:35:53 AM

Title: Safe litter?
Post by: texchin on September 09, 2011, 07:35:53 AM

What is a safe litter to use in the potty box? I use a compressed pellet made from recycled newspaper for the rabbit. Will that work for the chin also?

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: jmdebb on September 09, 2011, 06:56:18 PM

i don't know if that one is safe, but..

carefresh as long as it isn't eaten,
pine bedding and aspen are safe

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: chinclub on September 10, 2011, 07:05:30 AM

Recycled paper is fine, however the pellet form concerns me a bit.  Chinchillas will eat a little of whatever new shavings (litter) you put in the cage.  Since your litter comes in the shape of chinchilla food you are giving him something much easier to eat.  While a few nibbles of paper won't hurt, a lot could cause some digestive issuesand impaction.  Keep an eye on your chinchilla to gauge his interest in the litter.  If he starts chowing down I would suggest a different litter.  Carefresh in the larger pieces or  basic pine or aspen wood shavings.

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: texchin on September 11, 2011, 06:02:58 PM

I have aspen on hand, so maybe I'l try that.

Pine shavings are safe for chins? It's a huge no-no with rats, gerbils, hamster and the like.

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: hayandraisins on September 12, 2011, 02:18:07 AM

I use Megazorb (https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Litter.11/Megazorb.174.html (https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Litter.11/Megazorb.174.html)) in the trays underneath my Chin's cage then hay on top. It's good for litter trays too as I use it for the Buns when I run out of wood pellets! Very absorbant and very little dust - it's basically a wood version of Carefresh.

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: chinclub on September 12, 2011, 06:13:08 AM

I've used pine shavings for 15 years with no bad effects.  I have a herd of 500 chinchillas.

Title: Re: Safe litter?
Post by: texchin on September 12, 2011, 06:37:14 AM

Interesting about the pine. It's much cheaper than aspen, but since I have other critters that do not tolerate pine, I'll stick with aspen--the lowest common denominator.

hayandraisins--a lot of people in the pet rat communty use wood stove pellets--a similar if not exact product, but much cheaper because of the intended use.

Thanks for all of the responses. They are helping me sort out what I can and cannot use.