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Woodshavings

LoopyLou2087

Warren Scout
I don't use wood shavings, for many reasons, but I did read whilst researching that when animals urinate on pine or cedar wood shavings it causes them to release phenols, which can cause liver damage to rabbits, rats mice etc.. Does anyone know if this is this true?
 
It is very much true and is responsible for a lot of bunnies suffering with Respiratory issues.
 
The RWAF have recently posted on their facebook page that there is no longer any evidence of problems with shavings and they are OK to use :? It is only sawdust which cannot be used due to causing respiratory problems.
 
ive never liked wood shavings anyway but had heard stories about problems, when i was looking after neighbours friends guinea pig and cleaned the shavings he wee'd on i made sure i totally disinfected myself before going to mabel :oops:
 
The two bunnies I'm minding at the moment came with shavings. I always associate the smell with getting a new pet (when I got my first bunny and my first rats I used shavings) but I really dislike them now. :lol: Apart from anything else they fall out of the hutch really easy and also manage to work their way inside my clothes! I spent an hour today feeling itchy and uncomfortable before realising one of the baby bunnies had managed to sneak a bunch of wood shavings down my top when I carried it outside... Grr!
 
The two bunnies I'm minding at the moment came with shavings. I always associate the smell with getting a new pet (when I got my first bunny and my first rats I used shavings) but I really dislike them now. :lol: Apart from anything else they fall out of the hutch really easy and also manage to work their way inside my clothes! I spent an hour today feeling itchy and uncomfortable before realising one of the baby bunnies had managed to sneak a bunch of wood shavings down my top when I carried it outside... Grr!

This is why i don't use them :lol: ! I find straw and hay best, and newspaper on the floor. Does the job.. :D I was just curious really.
 
No scientific study had ever proved that woodshavings are bad for small pets.

TO ADD: i use woodshavings in litter trays.
 
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I do use them. I know most of you on here don't like them. Tried megazorb but haven't found anywhere I can buy it locally and its so expensive to get delivered. I needed a whole bag of megazorb to cover the shed floor. So now - newspaper, layer of woodshavings, then layer of straw
 
The RWAF have recently posted on their facebook page that there is no longer any evidence of problems with shavings and they are OK to use :? It is only sawdust which cannot be used due to causing respiratory problems.

Evidence or no evidence woodshavings still make a big huge mess and stink to high heaven when pee'd on. I can't stand the stuff!

I still think normal shavings are harmful due to dust and phenols (I blister when I'm around phenols) are harmful but dist extracted, kiln dried shavings are probably ok. I'd rather not risk the mess though. I'm sticking with hay for the buns and cardboard squares and paper pellets for the smaller furries.
 
I used woodshaving when I first got Spenser, but stopped when I read about the problems they can allegedly cause - plus I realised we got on fine with newspaper and hay!
 
I don't use them and never would, as I hate them too!

Oops, I meant the quote in the way of backing you up in what you had said with providing my own personal reasons for hating them. I wasn't suggesting either way if you used them or not (although I suspected not as you have special buns). Re-reading it didn't come across as I meant it. Sorry if I caused offence.
 
Wood shavings are a pain, forget whether or not they are dangerous or not, they get everywhere (somehow they seem to manage it even with hay over the top from my memory) and aren't very absorbent and I think quite expensive.

Using newspaper is a lot easier IMO. Even if it means changing litter trays more often.
 
Oops, I meant the quote in the way of backing you up in what you had said with providing my own personal reasons for hating them. I wasn't suggesting either way if you used them or not (although I suspected not as you have special buns). Re-reading it didn't come across as I meant it. Sorry if I caused offence.

No I knew what you meant it was all good, I wrote a hurried reply just saying I agree that they are messy etc but it seems like mine came across the wrong way! :)
 
Wood shavings are a pain, forget whether or not they are dangerous or not, they get everywhere (somehow they seem to manage it even with hay over the top from my memory) and aren't very absorbent and I think quite expensive.

Using newspaper is a lot easier IMO. Even if it means changing litter trays more often.

Even although Spenser lives outside we seemed to have wood shavings all round the house when I used it. The odd stray strand of hay is at least easier to pick up. :lol: I use a thick layer of newspaper - various friends and neighbours save them for Spenser. He is quite fussy and does not like tabloids. :roll:
 
Aspen is safe. Pine and cedar aren't. When I use shavings I only use aspen because of the dangers to pine/cedar. :)
 
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