Are there any *safe* wood chips?

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Prizm

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Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
From what I understand, Pine and possibly Cedarchips are bad for a bunny's respritory system. But since I can't find alocal dealer of "Woody Pet" and "Care Fresh" is a bit too expensive, Iwonder if there is a safe wood-based chip available? (I likeYesterday's News, but it isn't proving to be absorbent enough for thetwo bunnies.)
 
We use a low dust type of wood chip for thebottom of our cage, with Woody Pet in the litter box. I've been usingwood shavings for years with no problems with our rabbits.
 
Stephanie, whereabouts in Ottawa do you buyWoody Pet, and what does the price run around, if you don't mindsaying? I wouldn't mind getting some when I do get my rabbits thissummer. Do you know if PetSmart or Ritchie's Feed and Seed sells it?

Thanks! :)

Di
 
I use kiln dried aspen shaving in the drop pans for the cages. In the litter pans I use Woody Pet.

KayTee makes awood pellet litter/bedding that is supposed tobe very similar to Woody Pet, but I haven't tried it. I actually saw itfor the first time a few weeks ago at the PetGoods in our area. I knowthat there is a cost difference, though.

Here's some of the other most known manufacterers of wood pellets, too...

ABM
Dry Den
Equi-Litter
Equinepine
Gentle Touch Products
Guardian Horse Bedding
Lone Star Bedding
Magnum Horse Products
Pine Stall Horse Bedding
Pinnacle Pine Horse Bedding

~Jim
 
Di, Ritchie's doesn't sell Woody Pet, although I wish they did as I'm about five minutes from them!

We buy it at a place called Country Depot and it's around $6-7 for a 30pound bag, which last us forever and we have three rabbits. Here's theaddress and phone number:

613-822-0760
4836 Bank Street,
Gloucester

I think this is pretty much the only place in Ottawa that sells it.Usually we buy 2 bags of it at a time, since it's so cheap and is a bitof drive, however so worth it for the odor control alone.
 
Midori-Chan wrote:
Is pine really that damaging?
It's the airomatic oils that are considered harmful. There's a lot ofcontroversy on this subject, though. The kiln drying processes outthose oils. I've felt comfortable using pine shavings that were kilndried.


 
Oh wow...thanks for the info Stephanie! I will look into that once I'm ready to get my rabbits.

Hey, I was at Ritchie's not too long ago to check the price of floorwire for the rabbit cages ($5.00/foot!!:shock:). I live in the Vanierarea and don't have a car (can you believe I never did learn to drive?I feel like a dinosaur!), so my dogand I walk out there fromtime to time (combines the dog walk with going to the store). It'sabout an hour, but I enjoy it cuz I get my exercise along with her.;)And Kaya - my dog - absolutely loves it there, esp. sinceshe discovered that they dish out dog treats at the cash. LOL...I can'ttear her away from there when it's time to go!

Maybe we will run into one another there sometime. If ever you're atRitchie's and see an undertall female with a crazy dog that bears anuncanny resemblance to a dingo begging for treats, that'll be us. And Iwill definitely have to look up Country Depot...I've never heard of itbefore (but then, I never heard of Woody Pet before coming to this siteeither...LOL). I gotta get out more! :p

Thanks again Stephanie...:D




 
Prizm wrote:
Doyou know if there's a way I can tell if it has those oils in it? Ithink *all* chip based wood kind of smells like pine.
It will say it right on the package.

I use KayTee Aspen Shavings in the drop pans. On the front itsays No Airomatic Oils. And if you read the information on theback it says that it is kiln dried.

:~) Jim
 
You're welcome, Di.

My hubby and I built a cage too, as nothing we saw in stores was bigenough for what we wanted. Of course, I wish I had known of those NICcube things, but ours is nice enough.

I do love Ritchie's too, they have the best stuff in there! I admit, Ihave no idea where Vanier is, as I've only lived in Ottawa since lastSept. LOL I live on Southvale Cres, which is in a decent location asfar as where everything is. I'm probably the only car you'll see with agreen license plate.
 
Stuff I've read tends to give pine a "pass" for being detrimental to buns' respiratory systems, but is not so kind toward cedar shavings. It would appear that the buns' urine chemically combines with the oils in cedar shaving to produce a toxic mix that will cause respiratory ailments orskin conditions when absorbedthrough bodily contact.

Initially, it was believed both pine and cedar would produce the same results, but later follow-up suggested pine might be a much safer product. If that is a concern for you, perhaps, it is best to avoid both products in any shape, form, whatsoever.Don't know that one can ever be TOO SAFE!

WoodyPet's processing claims allays my fears for my buns. Its primary use is for horse bedding and if equestrian types are comfortable using itthusly for their very expensive charges I don't imagine it would be too terribly harmful if used for relatively inexpensive pets, like rabbits.

WoodyPet does sell litter, but I have been unable to access any in order to make a direct comparison between it and the ProfessionalAnimal Beddingin terms of function or price.

Buck
 
All my bedding says is 'Completely natural pineshavings..' not very detailed as to how natural, but eh.. Does thatsound safe to you? Or should I start looking for something better?
 
I do love Ritchie's too, they have thebest stuff in there! I admit, I have no idea where Vanier is, as I'veonly lived in Ottawa since last Sept. LOL I live on Southvale Cres,which is in a decent location as far as where everything is. I'mprobably the only car you'll see with a green license plate.

Hey Stephanie...so you must be just south of Elmvale Shopping Center.(A supervisor I had many years ago lived on Southvale Crescent...smallworld! LOL) Vanier would be north of you at the east end of the city;if you know where Montreal Road is you will have a bit of an idea aboutVanier's location. Montreal Road runs through Vanier...right after itcrosses the bridge heading towards downtown (Cummings Bridge, I think?)it turns into Rideau Street. The area just before the bridge is Vanier.(And now I've probably totally lost ya! :p)

Yes, I think where most women I know adore clothing stores andboutiques, for me it's Ritchies and Canadian Tire! Oh, and PetSmart. ;)(After that it's antique shops...I have a mission to some day go to theMaryland/Virginia area and explore every antique store they have!)
 
Sorta lost me, but I do think I've been in thepart of town before. We were going to go downtown this weekend for theTulip Festival, but it's so darn chilly and rainy. Instead we watchedmovies all day. All in all, a lazy day, but it was that kind ofSaturday.

And that's exactly where I live! Elmvale is a short walk, which is nicebecause there's a pet store there (Pet Valu) and other things. I don'tcare for that particular Loblaws, but will go there in an emergancy,usually I do the South Keys one.
 

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