Which bedding for newborn rats?

Question

Okay, so it turns out my EVIL rat was pregnant. :) I read that carefresh bedding can create dust and make it difficult for the babies to breath, but the aspen actually gave one of the babies slivers! What else could I use?

Answer 1

You could use some sort of a pelleted small animal bedding/litter, with cloth towels in the nest itself.

Answer 2

i use Soft-Sorbent works really well

Answer 3

I have used all of the following at one time or another. Shredded paper without ink! coz the ink can be poison ratties.  Old clothes or material ripped into shreds or just a plain unscented brand of natural cat litter.  Watching your rats grow up is so much fun, enjoy it!

Answer 4

yesterday's news, paper towels, not cat litter (except yesterday's news), fleece instead of fabric. fleece won't give the thread problem.

Answer 5

Before my house fire i ran a rattery and i always used shredded paper with a layer of newspaper along the bottom. if you don't have a shredder you can do it by hand and the mother will shredded it more it holds heat well and makes an excellent nest no dust not splinters. watch getting important paper near the cadge my Senior year my rat literally shredded my home work that was hard to explain to my teacher LOL good luck with the babies...

Answer 6

Yep carefresh and aspen aren't the best. From what i've read you can use cloth ripped as long as you make sure there aren't any loose threads since they can get tangled in them and it cuts of circulation. Just plain shredded ink free paper, or flat ink free paper works the best.

Make sure you handle the babies early so they get socialized and friendly, and whatever anyone tells you, believe me, the mom will NOT eat them if you touch them. I've researched that over and over and i even know from experience. I just wouldn't hold them the first couple of days since mom could bite.

Have fun with your ratlet babies!

Answer 7

Kaytee Softsorbent is an attractive shade of cream (in my opinion it looks better than Carefresh), and it's not dusty. It's also nice and soft...