Is it ok to use CritterCare bedding for ferrets?
Honestly, the best (and cheapest) way to go when it comes to ferret bedding is old t-shirts, sheets, and towels. They last forever, are more comfy than bag-bedding, and they can be washed and re-washed to reduce stinkiness. My ferrets love burrowing in old towels and sheets to go to sleep when they're not in their hammocks. Plus, bag bedding like Care Fresh gets EVERYWHERE. Tina could be right about ferret claws getting caught in terry towel loops, but, personally, I find that it's not really a problem. At least not when you keep your ferret's nails trimmed like you should be doing anyway. I wouldn't recommend using ANY sort of wood chips for bedding - not even Aspen. Ferrets have sensitive skin and the oils from the wood shavings can irritate it. Also, and this is why Aspen isn't the best choice, ferrets have sensitive respiratory systems and the dust from any wood chips can aggravate it. For litter we use Yesterday's News. It is recycled newspaper made into pellets and it comes in 20 lb. bags for only about $16. Isn't that Care-Fresh stuff, like, $10 for an itty bitty bag?
as long as it is not wood shavings or made from wood. care fresh is a good one. it's made of recycled paper. don't use anything that is small and crumbly as the ferret may get it up it's nose and this could cause respiratory problems. you can also use old sheets,blankets, clothes(remove buttons)scrap material, etc. don't use anything that they might get a toe nail caught in. ie: terry cloth hope this helps.
I agree with Tina. Wood chips are horrible for a lot of animals (only aspen is really safe). However is CritterCare like CareFresh (I looked it up and it *is* like CareFresh)? If so, ferrets REALLY don't need that as bedding (if that's how you are using it)--they prefer and need fabrics (old clothes, hammocks, cuddly cups, etc). I use CareFresh Ultra White as litter NOT bedding. If you are looking into it as a bedding material, I advise you to rethink that and go the old clothes route--your ferrets will be much happier. But, CritterCare would be suitable for litter (though it'll track like CareFresh does, it looks like). @ swanfitz: No, I get a big bag that lasts a long time for about $20 at my PetsMart. It's actually very good at absorbing liquids and odors. I rather like it for litter, actually, except for how it is more easily spread than pelleted litters.
