choosing best litter for your catsCategoriesCat Littter Bedding Coco Coir Bedding Pets Bedding
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Choosing Best Litter for your Cats

If you’re thinking about adopting a cat or kitten, it’s important when setting up to spend time finding the perfect litter for you and your pet.

Your cat may already be accustomed to a certain type of litter, so discuss with the previous owner or donation shelter what type they use and your cat’s toileting behaviour. This is a great starting point, even if you end up trying a different kind of litter at a later date. Cats are clean and tidy animals.

Your cat’s preference may revolve around how sensitive their paws are, or they may just prefer one type of litter more than another.

Choosing litter for your cat

There are many different types of litter, but generally they can be split into two categories – clumping and non-clumping. Clumping litter absorbs moisture more quickly so you can scoop and remove the clumps when they form. The box will still need a thorough clean at times though. Non-clumping litter absorbs moisture more slowly and has ingredients that eliminate unpleasant smells. This type of litter needs changing and cleaning at least once a week. Choosing between a clumping or non-clumping litter is a great place to start.

Types of Cat Litter

Clay – Quick clumping

The most common types of cat litters are clay-based, which can either be clumping or non-clumping. The reason why clay litters are so popular is that they are really good at absorbing urine and neutralizing the smell. Also, most cats will instinctively use this litter and you won’t have to train them. It is available in both scented and unscented varieties.

Advantages:

·       Clumps quickly for easy clean-up

·       Good odour control

·   Typically needs to be changed less frequently than other litters

Disadvantages:

·   Not biodegradable and may create dust

Corn – Natural clumping

Corn is another type of litter available on the market. Admittedly this is one type I am a bit hesitant to try as I am skeptical at how well it actually works, and I’m scared it’ll make my house smell like a barn. But nevertheless, brands like World’s Best are gaining popularity and are made from corn. They’re also formulated to be clumping too, so it can last longer. It is available in natural and scented varieties

Advantages:

·       Dust-free

·       Biodegradable and earth-conscious

Disadvantages:

·   May be pricier than other litters

Coconut Husk – Clumps lightly

Coconut litter, made from coconuts, is an eco-friendly option with no added scents. It has good urine absorption qualities but cannot mask ammonia odours for long. It also contains no dust. It is natural scent

Advantages:

·       Dust-free

·       Biodegradable and earth-conscious

·       Made from a renewable resource

·       Compostable

Disadvantages:

·   May be more difficult to find than more traditional cat litters

Wheat – Natural clumping

Litter is made from wheat. It is especially for cats who are sensitive to scents or dust. It is available in natural and scented varieties

Advantages:

·       Naturally clumping and odor- absorbing

·       Dust-free

·       Biodegradable and earth-conscious

Disadvantages:

·   May not clump as firmly as clay litter

·   Must be stored carefully to prevent pests

Wood / Pine – Does not clump

Litter made of wood like pine pellets is another material some cat litters are made out of. Pine pellet litter absorbs liquid super well and then turns to sawdust, so you only have to sift out the sawdust and can keep the unused pellets. It is natural scent

Advantages:

·       Natural pinewood by-product

·       Natural deodorizer

·       Dust-free

·       Environmentally safe and biodegradable

·       Can be used for landscape mulch and composting

Disadvantages:

·       Some pet parents may find pine scent too strong

Walnut Shell – clumping and non-clumping varieties

The litter is made from 100% walnut shell. That’s as natural as it gets without turning your place into a jungle.

The walnut shells organically neutralize odour better than any other natural litter and absorb three times better than clay litter. That works for both of you. It is natural scent

Advantages:

·       Highly absorbent

·       Biodegradable and made from a renewable resource

·       Low dust, low tracking

Disadvantages:

·   May not clump as easily as clay litter

 Recycled Paper – Does not clump

Another semi-popular alternative to clay is using recycled paper. The materials like old newspapers, phone books, and magazines are turned into paper pellets. These are supposedly highly absorbent and control odour while being safe and non-toxic for your kitties. It is unscented

Advantages:

·       Eco-conscious

·       Dust-free

·       More affordable than most natural litters

·       Great for cats recovering from surgery

Disadvantages:

·   Less odour control than other litters

·   Not flushable or compostable

·   May need more frequent changes than other litters

Silica – Does not clump

Crystal litter is made of silica gel, which absorbs liquids much better than traditional clay litter and traps in odours.

It does not clump urine, but the crystals are able to trap urine on the inside, and the outside stays dry. The litter box won’t become a giant mushy wet mess like with traditional litters, and it traps in the pee odour so well you only need to switch out the litter entirely once per month. It is available in scented and unscented varieties

Advantages:

·   Highly absorbent

·   Can be reused over a period of one month

·   Trackless and dust-free

Disadvantages:

·   May be more expensive than other litters

·   Some cats may not like the feel of crystal litter on their paws

best pet snake beddingCategoriesCoco Coir Bedding Pets Bedding Reptile Bedding Snake Bedding
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Bedding Choice for Pet Snakes

Are you looking for the best bedding for your snakes? Are you wandering which bedding type suits your snake? Irrespective of ball python, corn snake or garter snake you raise, each needs a comfortable place to dwell. 

Snakes are the sensitive beings that opt for soft-cushiony substrate under them. A smooth, non-abrasive and a highly absorbent bedding is what the serpents like the most. 

But some folks, there are few misconceptions on bedding snakes, they say ‘snakes are likely to use bedding the same as any other reptiles’. While the truth is, Snakes go well with any different kinds of beddings. 

Let’s us have a brief look over different types of bedding available for snakes, 

Cypress Mulch

Cypress mulch is the most widely accepted snake bedding ever. It renders a comfortable, nice look when spread along. It gives off great burrowing experience for snakes, and is easy to clean. It also retains moisture well, and maintains the right humidity as required by the snakes.   

Mats and mices cypress mulch as much as snakes, so need to look after the prevent those rodents from reaching out for the stored bedding. It also happens that, there exists mites and eggs in the loads of mulches all together. Then you might need to boil it or freeze the stock before using it.   

Advantages:

·   Great for burrowing snakes,

·   Maintains right humidity,

·   Natural and looks good,

·   Easy to clean and use. 

Disadvantages:

·   A persistent presence of mites and eggs.

Coconut Husk or Chips

Coconut husks or chips are one of the safest and outstanding options for snake bedding. It is soft, comfortable, absorbent and extremely aerated one to know. It comes in 2 grades, coconut husks for small snakes while chips for larger snakes. 

Its absorbance locks the odor intact, holds moisture longer and maintains humid temperature. You can make use of it as per your requirements. 

For high-humidity snakes, you can use it directly without hydrating the compressed chip blocks while for low-humid seeking snakes, you can hydrate the block, crumble the pieces and spread it along the container.

Coconut bedding is easy to clean, store, non-allergen, biodegradable, reusable and recyclable. 

Advantages:

·       Takes care of humidity,

·       100% natural and organic,

·       Suitable for low and high humid snakes,

·       User and pocket friendly. 

Disadvantages:

·   Not too advisable for borrowing ones, 

·   Can be dusty sometimes. 

Aspen Shavings

One of the best suited bedding for burrowing snakes are Aspen shavings. Like any other wood shaving bedding, aspen shavings help control odor, regulate humidity. 

Aspen shavings are the best substrate for burrowing. Like other wood beddings, they are good at controlling odours, but also susceptible to mites. Aspen shavings are not good for high humidity, since they can get moldy easily.

The fine particles can also get underneath the scales of larger snakes and cause irritation, so we would only use this for smaller snakes. Make sure the brand you choose is natural and does not use any dyes or other chemicals.

We actually recommend combining aspen shavings with coconut husk for snakes that need humid conditions, but also like to burrow. That way you get the best of both worlds.

Advantages:

·   Best bedding for burrowing

·   Natural look and feel

·   Odour control

Disadvantages:

·   Not good for large snakes

·   Not good in humid environments

·   Can get dusty

Fir Bark

Fir bark is another wood-based substrate and makes a good alternative to cypress mulch. They are very similar. As such, it is also susceptible to mites, but works great as bedding. It retains humidity well, is good for burrowing and keeps odors at bay. It is also easy to clean up.

Advantages:

·   Great for burrowing

·   Great for maintaining humidity

·   Natural look and feel

·   Easy to clean

Disadvantages:

·   Mites thrive in fir bark

Artificial Turf or Carpet

Artificial turf and carpeting can work well, but they have some obvious disadvantages that make them suitable only for certain species. Turf is preferable to carpet, since it mimics grass, but carpet scraps are generally cheaper.

The biggest disadvantage is that they obviously do not allow for burrowing, making them bad choices for snakes that like to dig. They also do nothing for humidity levels. Another problem is that they will absorb the odour of feces and urine over time.

You should always have at least 2 sets available, so that you can swap them out when one gets soiled to wash it. Even if you wash it well and immediately after the “incident”, a little bit of the smell sticks each time and it will keep growing. Eventually, you will have to completely replace the carpet or turf.

Advantages:

·   Can be washed and reused multiple times (but not indefinitely)

·   Easy to clean

Disadvantages:

·   Will start to smell

·   Does not allow burrowing

·   Does not absorb moisture or help in regulating humidity

Newspaper Or Paper Towels

Newspaper is the cheapest option by far. Paper towels are similar, but end up costing about the same as other types of bedding.

Paper-based substrate is easy to clean (simply replace it), but it does not allow for burrowing and is obviously very susceptible to moisture. It also doesn’t look great in the enclosure, which may or may not matter to you.

Advantages:

·   Newspaper is free

·   Easy to clean

Disadvantages:

·   Does not allow burrowing

·   Will need to be replaced if it gets too wet, so it does nothing for humidity regulation

Sand

Sand is a more aesthetically pleasing substrate for snakes than newspaper or paper towels. You can purchase it at pet shops in a wide variety of colours to fit into your decorative scheme.

Snakes can burrow in sand, but it’s bad for your snake if the sand is swallowed. Ingested sand causes impaction and grains of sand can get under the snake’s scales. This bedding also gets soiled very quickly and must be completely replaced. Weigh its visual appeal against the potential problems.

best reptile pets beddingCategoriesCoco Coir Bedding Pets Bedding Reptile Bedding
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Choosing Best Bedding for your Reptile Pets

We usually regard the well being of our pets in all aspects, including their feeds, health, rest but sometimes we unknowingly disregard the fact that pets are by fact animals that prefer natural surroundings rather than our superficial arrangements like artificial plaything, cushion beds and more.

Creating natural-safe environments is the foremost thing you do for your pets, and choosing a safer-healthier-organic bedding ranks first in it. 

Reptile pets seek more natural habitat for themselves than any other pets. Most of the reptiles prefer beddings of nesting material and fluffy under foot in terrariums. 

Reptiles appreciate a warm and mild humidity living environment the most. And choosing a bedding with the right attribute will make a bigger impact on their daily well-being and as well their lifespan. 

Variety of Reptile bedding choices on stores are, 

Bark Blends

The bark blends are perfect enough to encourage the burrowing nature of reptiles. It promotes free movement of air and retaining moisture, which is essential for pet’s habitats. Bark blends eliminate insects and pests,  being more absorbent and maintain humidity inside out.

Benefits:

·   Promotes heat transfer and regualtes moisture inside the enclosure,

·   100% organic, made out of natural bark,

·   Easy to eliminate pests,

·   Ideal bedding depth of about 1 to 2 inches, remove-replace bedding whenever needed,

·   Ideal for chameleons, frogs, snakes, skinks and rainforest geckos.

Coarse Blends

These coarse blend bedding are 100 % natural walnut shell grounds. Light-weighted, non-abrasive, gives off a smooth texture. This kind of blend acts as an excellent heat conduction substrate and is suitable for desert reptiles.

Benefits:

·   Grounded walnut shells replicate best desert environment,

·   Non-abrasive unlike sand,

·   Stimulates natural digging and burrowing behaviour,

·   Ideal bedding depth of about 1 to 2 inches, remove-replace bedding monthly,

·   Ideal for desert dwelling reptiles such as: adult bearded dragons, monitors and desert skinks.

Fine Blends

A fine blend for snakes and lizards are absolutely soft textured and chosen by professional herpetologists. The fully processed fine blended chips are ultra absorbent and hypo allergen that are 100% safe and natural.

Benefits:

·   Recommended grade for snakes and lizards,

·   Soft and smooth texture,

·   Hypo-allergenic, and are safe and natural,

·   User-friendly-easy to clean and use,

·   Ideal for snakes, monitors, skinks and geckos.

Coconut Husk

A 100% natural, organic compressed coco coir pith that expands 10x times when hydrated. It makes up an ideal environment for reptiles for laying eggs and encourages burrowing. It maintains humid temperatures, regulates air in and out, and retains moisture longer than others.

Benefits:

·   100% natural, organic, made of coconut fiber,

·   Highly absorbent, retains moisture longer and expands upto 10x times of its volume,

·   Keeps terrarium humid and provides superior aeration,

·   Ideal bedding depth of about 1 to 2 inches, remove-replace bedding whenever needed,

·   Ideal for chameleons, rainforest geckos, frogs, toads and egg incubation.

Terrarium Liners

A roll down carpet, specially designed to lay inside the enclosure/terrarium. Made out of highly absorbent, non-abrasive material which is soft to pet’s feet. Treated with biodegradable enzymes to keep reptiles in check. And a reusable one. You can cut and adjust to the size of your enclosure and it is safe even if the reptiles ingest the liners. 

Benefits:

·   Requires less maintenance, cut to the size of your need,

·   Safe even the reptiles ingested them, a good alternative especially for juvenile reptiles,

·   Treated to reduce odours,

·   Easy to clean, non-abrasive material that is soft to feet of reptiles,

With these as said, we hope all our fellow reptile pet lovers enjoyed reading an optimal bedding choices for your beloved pets ????

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