There are many options that can be used for rat bedding. Pine and cedar ARE NOT two of them. Pine and cedar woods contain phenols, which are natures insecticide, and phenols are what gives the wood the favourable smell. However, they are deadly for small animals, especially for those with sensitive respiratory systems. The only acceptable wood shavings are made from Aspen.
Recycled paper products are favoured by many. Products like Yesterday�s News or Carefresh. Care has to be taken when using these products because some can be very dusty, irritating sensitive rat respiration. They tend to break down when they come in contact with urine, causing piles of dust to develop.
Towels are also very popular. Towel bedding does require changing frequently, every day or two, due to the buildup of rat urine. When washing any cloth bedding, it is suggested to use non perfumed detergent and fabric softener.
Other items commonly used are hemp, wood stove pellets and rabbit food, or alfalfa pellets. Rats will not eat alfalfa, so using it as a bedding is safe.
Many rat owners will use a combination of the above, shavings at the bottom of the cage, and cloth as hammocks or to line shelves for ratty comfort.
It is important that a rats environment be kept very clean. If the smell of pine and cedar are appealing in order to keep the smell down, the cage is not being cleaned frequently enough. A well maintained rat cage should have very little smell to it. It should not require masking by using dangerous aromatic wood bedding.
