# The Woodshaving Debate



## jammin32 (Jun 14, 2012)

I have been using wood shavings for quite some time now and have never noticed any problems with it, all my mice are very healthy and are showing no signs of problems as a result of this being used.

But what are peoples thoughts on this based on experience ?

I prefer it as it does not seem to smell and is not a big expense in the long run.

I was considering using hem core or something similar but i will see what people have to say about wood shavings first as im only interested in whats best for my mice and the last thing i want later on down the line is health issues 

Thanks


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

I havent had a problem with wood shavings so far, they're much cheaper to buy than care fresh and such. Shavings are about $80 for a 1 tonne bag while with care fresh it's about $50 for 25L. Ridiculous.
Before shavings I was using shredded paper but have since run out of newspaper..


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

LOVE woodshavings, best bedding out there


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## Satin mouse (May 25, 2012)

Im using woodshavings at the moment but im really concerned at all the research that i have read about it causing respiratory problems for mice in the long run, i am looking at other alternatives like paper cat litter and have bought some carefreash just to try it out.


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## besty74 (May 26, 2012)

I have always used woodshavings with no problems.
personally i don't like the smell of aubiose and carefresh is too expensive for the number of mice i have.


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## Velvet_Meece (Apr 20, 2009)

Bred rats and mice on shavings for years, never had an issue.

There is nothing to debate, if an animal is not healthy enough or able to live on shavings, then it is not fit to breed imo.


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## jammin32 (Jun 14, 2012)

I started this thread because there are so many conflicting stories surrounding wood shavings and whether or not its ok for mice.

Lots of people say its fine and have used it for years whilst other say the oppisite and how it is considered dangerous.

Im curious to know how everyone feels about it especially those that are experienced mouse breeders who have used many different types of materials and what there experiences have been with whatever product they have used.

To some extent i agree it can possibly be a little dusty as it maybe difficult to extract every last trace so if this is the case then anything like dust being the size it is must be able to be inhaled by small animals and therefore could be damaging in the long run.

Its just something that has interested me and made me think a little more on the subject


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Cedar is toxic in ALL forms, pine is only dangerous when wet. Kiln-dried, it's perfectly safe. The bales of "white wood shavings" *tend* to be redwood rather than pine, but they are all kiln dried anyway!

I've used many types of bedding and have always come back to white wood shavings. The odour control is second to none, the absorbancy is extremely good, and they're very cheap.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

i use woodshavings, its also used a college, they get it from the equine department. Never had it cause any problems, I supose if you buy very dusty one or get sawdust then i could see it causing problems. I was taught as college wooddust bad woodshavings fine. We tryed once a diffrent type of woodshavings, its a horse brand and has huge flake with dark orangy dust bits in it, smells funny too, but equine only ordered that in so we had no choice, Didnt like that one bit, we had a few sneezes with that. I also guess the horses didnt like it either as they never ordered it again. Also used just paper sheets for injured mice, nightmare as by the next day they would be soaked with pee.


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## Gill (Sep 16, 2011)

I think much of the confusion has arisen because pet owners seem to be adverse to woodshavings. Possibly this is because some pet mice are not well bred (large numbers, weaned too early, for a maximum profit), and are therefor more prone to respiratory problems. Plus there is the snob value: nothing but the best for my mice - no cheap and nasty wood shavings. Personally, I won't use anything else, with the addition of torn-up newspaper and meadow hay for nests.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I'm a dedicated user of aspen; I get the huge bale in a plain brown wrapping that is meant for horses.

*teehee- I made is sound like I wrap a horse in plain brown paper! :lol: * :roll:


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

also a lot of people confuse woodshavins and sawdust, when i had my rabbit and gpig the farmers suply shop where i use to get my big bales use to call shavings sawdust, then one day i went and ordered my bail of sawdust, got it home and opened it ad it was actualy dust, turned out they had realised they were calling it wrong so changed it on the computer. so prehaps thats were its come form, people confusing shavings with dust.


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## Velvet_Meece (Apr 20, 2009)

Gill said:


> I think much of the confusion has arisen because pet owners seem to be adverse to woodshavings. Possibly this is because some pet mice are not well bred (large numbers, weaned too early, for a maximum profit), and are therefor more prone to respiratory problems. Plus there is the snob value: nothing but the best for my mice - no cheap and nasty wood shavings. Personally, I won't use anything else, with the addition of torn-up newspaper and meadow hay for nests.


This ^


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## Fraction (Aug 29, 2011)

PPVallhunds said:


> also a lot of people confuse woodshavins and sawdust, when i had my rabbit and gpig the farmers suply shop where i use to get my big bales use to call shavings sawdust, then one day i went and ordered my bail of sawdust, got it home and opened it ad it was actualy dust, turned out they had realised they were calling it wrong so changed it on the computer. so prehaps thats were its come form, people confusing shavings with dust.


I know a lot of pet-owning folk who think sawdust=wood shavings, so yeah.

Personally, I stick with aubiose. I like the smell of it, and since I'm a pet owner a bale of it lasts quite a while.


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## morning-star (Apr 9, 2011)

Fraction said:


> Personally, I stick with aubiose. I like the smell of it, and since I'm a pet owner a bale of it lasts quite a while.


this ^ a bale lasts me about a month now. (was used up quicker a few months back when I had more mice) its super-absorbent, though I find it doesn't really have much of a smell, though it might vary from bale to bale.

I like the smell of wood-shavings but they are so much more expensive its not practical.


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