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Whether you use hardwood beddings, paper beddings, pelleted beddings, or a combination, the important thing is the health of your pet.

This last issue we will finish looking at New Beddings on the market..

WOOD’N FIBER Pet Litter. Crumbles on the left, pellets on the right.

Manufactured by Dry Creek Products, Inc., P.O. Box 343, Arcade, NY 14009-0343, 1-800-215-8655, (716) 492-2990, e-mail: drypellet@aol.com, www.drycreekproducts.com/litter.html.

Contact Ampro Industries Inc., P.O. Box 6, Bradley, MI 49311, 1-800-632-1998, Fax: (616) 792-4241, e-mail: ampro@accn.org.

Manufactured by Xorb Corporation, 210 Industrial Parkway, Chardon, OH 44024, 1-800-359-6101, (817) 354-4102, Fax: (817) 354-8803.

Manufactured by Wysong Corporation, 1880 North Eastman, Midland, MI 48642, (989) 631-0009, Fax: (989) 631-8801, e-mail: wysong@wysong.net, www.wysong.net.

Kozy Korner Ferret Litter is manufactured by Sheppard & Greene Pet Products, 3050 Biscayne Blvd. #507, Miami, FL 33137, 1-800-851-6661, (305) 576-0011, Fax: (305) 576-0053, e-mail: sheppardandgreene@idscopes.com.

For more on this product, contact The Barnaby Company, 370 Selby Avenue, #319, St. Paul, MN 55102, (763) 224-0880, Fax: (763) 224-0880.

Diamond Star Wood Shavings, W9191 Hwy CS, Poynette WI 53955, 1-800- 235-0561 or (608) 635-4200, Fax: (608) 635-4209, e-mail: thistle@execpc.com.

Contact American Wood Fibers, Inc., 9841 Broken Land Parkway, Suite 302, Columbia, MD 21046, 1-800-624-9663, (410) 290-8700, Fax: (410) 290-6660, e-mail: premier_pet@awf.com, www.awf.com.

SWHEAT SCOOP® crumbles.

Manufactured by Pet Care Systems, Inc., 1421 Richwood Road, P.O. Box 1529, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502-1529, 1-800-SWHEATS (794-3287) or (218) 846-9610, Fax: (218) 846-9612, www.swheatscoop.com.

Natural Animal® Health Products, Inc., 7000 U.S. 1 North, St. Augustine, FL 32095, 1-800-274-7387, Fax: (904) 824-5100, e-mail: info@naturalanimal.com, allpetproducts.com.

Contact Da-Mars Equipment Co., 14468 Industrial Parkway, South Beliot, IL 61080, 1-800-95-BUNNY (1-800-952-8669), (815) 624-2672, (815) 624-2670, Fax: (815) 624-2883, e-mail: DaMarsEqip@aol.com, www.damars.8m.com.

Manufactured by S.S.M. Environmental Technologies, P.O. Box 1570, Lodi, CA 95241, (209) 334-6565, Fax: (209) 334-3712, Contact Person: David J. Michael, Secretary.

Contact Absorption Corporation, 6960 Salashan Parkway, Ferndale, WA 98248, 1-800-242-2287, (360) 734-7415, Fax: (360) 671-1588, e-mail: absorbs@absorption-corp.com or tsimpson@absorption-corp.com, www.absorbent.com.

As you can see, we have come a long way from using cedar and pine. There are now many options to try and alternatives to use (if you have one that I did not mention, please send it in so we all can try it).

So, does it work? Did cedar and pine really cause health problems for our animals? Does switching bedding really make a difference? To be honest, we have no laboratory studies, and no solid proof. All we have are the stories told by those people who have switched.

Though it is far from scientific proof, let me tell you about my experiences with beddings. Many long years ago (before 1993), I used both cedar and pine as bedding materials. My animals were healthy, and rarely suffered from any kind of illnesses. They all lived active lives right up until they were about 1½–2 years old. At about that time they would begin to show signs of old age. They would lose weight, muscle tone, and eventually just kind of “fade away.” The average life span of my rats was approximately 25 months.

Now, I use no cedar or pine (strictly Sani-Chips®/Aspen Supreme™). Otherwise, my rats are cared for much as they always have been. They are still healthy, active, and rarely suffer from illness. They still eventually develop “old age symptoms” and fade away; however, now I almost never see this until the rats are 28 months old. The life span of my rats has increased to 32 months, and I currently have a rat who is 3½ years old.

So, does your choice of bedding for your critters make a difference? Well, it sure did with my animals. How about yours?

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