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Wood Shavings for bedding ?


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I've always kept ferrets in wire cages with straw in the sleeping box but have copied you guys in my new place and built a court. I've put wood shavings on the floor and rags in the bed so any meat doesn't get covered in shavings and eaten. Was reading that shavings aren't the best for ferrets as they tunnel through and inhale dust. What are people's experience with this ? So far the ferts love the new large area and look happier, healthier and fitter already, cheers.

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From what I have read on here and spoken to a few people you need to use dustless wood chips. I personally prefer the wire floor and rags for bedding as that’s my preference.  I do also have one cage that has a timber floor for when I have young kits. 

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Always used shavings, never had an issue. I cover the whole hutch with shavings, then put shredded tissue on top of them in the bedding area. I dont used anything in the court, apart from the corner they crap in, which is also a pile of shavings

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And another variation for you. I use normal shavings for litter but keep them out of the sleeping areas. Reason is they stick like crazy to meat. The only problem I ever experienced was with dust extracted shavings, sounds bizarre but I could see the processing had greatly reduced the overall size of the chip so maybe that was the problem. For bedding I use material. This is not no risk as very rarely (3 times in 20 years) I have had ferrets get claws properly stuck in material. Straw is next choice. Hay in my experience is the material that causes respiratory issues and scratching

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Always used shavings just a bit more in the sleeping quarters easy to get a big bale from a equine centre and there dust free . Never liked straw , hay etc anything with a hollow stem could harbour bugs and ferrets are bright enough not to eat shavings or remove them from meat i think 

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My hutches dont have seperate quarters i use differnt sized plastic boxes for beds depending on the number of ferrets in there i just cut down one side so they get in and out and load these up with shavings  and just cover the rest of the hutch with a couple of inches of shavings some times they burrow into them sometimes it must be warm they sleep on the shavings outside the boxes .I find its easier to get rid of  dirty shavings than bulky  dirty straw 

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I've got mine in a outside run...bout 10 x 4. Slabbed floor and shavings in one of them long plastic trays that folk lye grow bags in to grow toms that i use for shit pan.

Just lift it out and straight into garden bin, easy 

sprinkle of shavings in sleeping box with fresh straw 

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