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Smartbedz Bedding and Litter

Britannia

Warren Scout
I saw his video on you tube which looks too good to be true. But I was wondering if it's mabe half or a third as good as the claims that it might be worth trying.

Then found this tread from Aug, so 3 or 4 months later what's the verdict? Any good?
 
Mine have been using this, but it's the first litter I've tried, so can't really compare it with others.

It is a lot less smelly and longer lasting than just hay and newspaper, however. The pellets disintegrate a bit when wet, so you end up with a mass of damp fibre to tip out, especially at the bottom of the tray - though I've never seen any liquid left behind by it. The litter turns a darker colour when they've peed in it, but perhaps all litters do this.

They tried to eat little bits of it at first, but this doesn't seem to be a problem now.

I didn't use it as a bedding for mine as the pellets are a bit hard for a Rex's feet. They had hay for bedding and are currently on fleece blankets due to impending spay.

I wasn't amazed enough by this stuff to buy it again just yet, and I don't want to spend that much on a product that isn't perfect (but then I don't know how much of the others you'd get through in the same time). I am not very keen on the idea of Megazorb as it's made from virgin wood pulp. Will probably be trying Bunny Nature Bed O'Linum or Back 2 Nature next.
 
I saw his video on you tube which looks too good to be true. But I was wondering if it's mabe half or a third as good as the claims that it might be worth trying.

Then found this tread from Aug, so 3 or 4 months later what's the verdict? Any good?


I bought it and tried it, and it was in fact very good! Really good at keeping down smell, cant quite remember how long I left it, maybe 5 days till it smelt? Was trying to see how long it lasted. I used an underbed storage box and had about a centimetre of the pellets in.

I did however have 2 issues with it, it is dense heavy stuff, so the bag was surprisingly small, although you dont have to use much, so it isnt as economical as megazorb. And then buns decided that they wanted to eat it :roll: they have never eaten litter before apart from newspaper, but they loved this stuff more than hay, I assume because it is made out of straw it is quite tasty. I tried hiding it under a thick layer of hay when I noticed but they just dug to the litter, so I had to remove it as it was affecting their hay intake and I was worried about it causing a blockage.

edit: just to add, if they hadnt eaten it I probably would have carried on using it, or probably a mix of megazorb and this, as with the amount B pees the room can get smelly just hours after changing the litter, usually because it takes a while to absorb it.
 
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I've now watched the whole video. I wish I'd read it as an article, as it was basically watching litter dry...

But having left the stuff for 5 days on a few occasions when I wasn't feeling very well, I would say that their experiment pretty much bears out with my experience of it too.

Interesting that your buns ate it too, nessar. Mine seemed to give up on it quite easily, but then they are quite fussy about hay types.

So now I'm wondering what other litter does that's worse, and if I should actually get this one again when the bag runs out.
 
I've now watched the whole video. I wish I'd read it as an article, as it was basically watching litter dry...

But having left the stuff for 5 days on a few occasions when I wasn't feeling very well, I would say that their experiment pretty much bears out with my experience of it too.

Interesting that your buns ate it too, nessar. Mine seemed to give up on it quite easily, but then they are quite fussy about hay types.

So now I'm wondering what other litter does that's worse, and if I should actually get this one again when the bag runs out.

Avoid shavings because of health hazards and the terrible smell.

Newspaper you've tried, but fine for buns that dont pee much but not Barney! And smells more than the ones below.

Wood pellets you will have the same 'bad' points you noted about the smartbedz, the crumbling etc. It is very absorbant but its not as good for odour, but it is a lot cheaper.

Megazorb is loads cheaper, doesnt absorb quite as much volume for volume as wood pellets or smartbedz, but you can use more in the tray as its so cheap, weight for weight it probably absorbs the same, or more, as its fairly light. Stops smells well but not as good as smartbedz and doesnt absorb quite as quickly (although this should be fine for buns that pee a normal amount!).

Carefresh smells kind of funny, and is expensive, I went through a small bag (£5) a week, but absorbant and controls odour okay, and is 'fluffy'. I'd probably use it for mice or something in the future.

I havent tried Back 2 Nature as its so expensive.

Hope this helps :)

Oh and one of mine, Barney, is so fussy with hay. Annabelle will eat anything but not as much as I'd like her to unless its good stuff. I think this was the issue really - it was yummier than the hay and more convenient :roll:
 
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Thanks very much :)

I'll probably try Bed O Linum next. I don't think it would be fair on my bunnies to have many of the others; BOL is meant to last for a long time too, which is good in case I am unwell again. BOL is also described as being soft, which puts my mind at ease about Rexy feet.

The main reason I went for SmartBedz first, apart from its mooted effectiveness, is that it's a recycled product made by a smaller British company, and straw sounded like a natural thing for rabbits to be around.
I think BOL is made from flax the crop itself, though that's far more easily renewable than wood. And at least the maker is European rather than American or a multinational. I've been pleased that litter is one rabbit product where there's enough variety to make ethical choices without going out of my way or disadvantaging the buns.
 
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