OK - I tried that ONCE...

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Posted by Niki on July 19, 2000 at 18:57:45:

In Reply to: SULCATA Beding Question posted by RKGJR on July 19, 2000 at 14:42:45:

I decided to try shredding some newspaper in my
shredder and using it for substrate in his
travel carrier. Well that was CRUD! Teddy hated
it, he was sliding around in it and getting it
wrapped around his legs, whereupon it became
dangerously "strong" for newspaper. As in, it
wrapped around his legs, and it only takes a few
pieces for a small tort, and he's "trapped".
All in all, I considered it a total disaster as
a substrate.
For his indoor enclosure I get several bags of
100% ASPEN from Wal-Mart (they can't keep it on
the shelves, it flys off around here), and that's
not dusty. Also it lets you pat it down quickly
with an open hand and makes a good walking surface
that he can still dig a nest into. So he's got
aspen everywhere in his cage about 1-2 inches thick,
and a giant pile of timothy hay formed with a tunnel
that he can enter and sleep in.

We've been through the rabbit pellet trial, but
the dust was awful (place would smell like a barn
with 70 pounds of pellets!)
Then we used aspen mixed with lizard litter and
finally he's just on aspen. Currently he's outside
during the day and only uses his cage to sleep in
at night anyways.

One thing I've found out, if you use timothy hay
to form a "hide", it has to be very dry not too
fresh or it will just fall down. With the dry
stuff it forms really well with a bit of aspen
mixed into it. He doesn't eat the hay or aspen
by the way. I also feed him outside of his cage.

Follow Ups:

What is ASPEN?? JFC 07/20/00 (1)
- Re: What is ASPEN?? Eric T. 07/21/00 (0)

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: I decided to try shredding some newspaper in my : shredder and using it for substrate in his : travel carrier. Well that was CRUD! Teddy hated : it, he was sliding around in it and getting it : wrapped around his legs, whereupon it became : dangerously "strong" for newspaper. As in, it : wrapped around his legs, and it only takes a few : pieces for a small tort, and he's "trapped". : All in all, I considered it a total disaster as : a substrate. : For his indoor enclosure I get several bags of : 100% ASPEN from Wal-Mart (they can't keep it on : the shelves, it flys off around here), and that's : not dusty. Also it lets you pat it down quickly : with an open hand and makes a good walking surface : that he can still dig a nest into. So he's got : aspen everywhere in his cage about 1-2 inches thick, : and a giant pile of timothy hay formed with a tunnel : that he can enter and sleep in. : We've been through the rabbit pellet trial, but : the dust was awful (place would smell like a barn : with 70 pounds of pellets!) : Then we used aspen mixed with lizard litter and : finally he's just on aspen. Currently he's outside : during the day and only uses his cage to sleep in : at night anyways. : One thing I've found out, if you use timothy hay : to form a "hide", it has to be very dry not too : fresh or it will just fall down. With the dry : stuff it forms really well with a bit of aspen : mixed into it. He doesn't eat the hay or aspen : by the way. I also feed him outside of his cage.

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