# Bedmax



## Petitepuppet (May 30, 2009)

Anyone use this? Whats it like?


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## ajgibbon (Dec 8, 2009)

hey 

I use bed excel which I think is pretty much the same stuff (Cardboard squares - just what they call is in scotland) 

If it is the same I think it's great. I've used everything fleece, megazorb, carefresh etc and find that bed excel is by far the best, one for ease of cleaning (anything that gets kicked out just needs a quick sweep up) and two it works out really inexpensive. I started using it because I found it to be the least dusty substrate esp for rats with respiratory problems. Plus the rats love to dig about in it.

Although you do need space to store it as it comes in huge bales.


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

If this is cardboard squares then I use the same thing labelled as EcoPetBed. I've used Aubiose, finacard, megazorb and I would not now use anything else. No mites, no resp issues, easy to sweep up (but won't go up the hoover), less likely to get kicked out, absorbent and the animals love it.


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

Bedmax is shavings, and I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole for bedding up small furries. Cardboard or hemp is much better


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

Ahhhh! Shavings made specially for horses

So no absolutely not. Would not keep my guys on this at all. See above for better bedding


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## Rhi (Feb 19, 2011)

Some ethical breeders who breed for good health use Bedmax and love it. However, I think most people are in agreement that it shouldn't be touched with a bargepole if your rats have originated from a pet shop supplier (breeding farm) or you are unsure of background.


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

Rhi said:


> Some ethical breeders who breed for good health use Bedmax and love it. However, I think most people are in agreement that it shouldn't be touched with a bargepole if your rats have originated from a pet shop supplier (breeding farm) or you are unsure of background.


Dusty bedding or potentially risky bedding should not be used for anything in my opinion. Example is Megazorb. Two weeks on this were enough to have everyone sneezing, including my very ethically bred rats. Who were raised on cardboard squares. We were lucky no one suffered scarring of the lungs which would then make them suseptible to resp infection later on.

Its obviously a persoanl choice if you would risk your animals or not, but I wouldn't use 'shavings' and 'ethical breeding' in the same sentence. My personal thoughts of course.


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## Rhi (Feb 19, 2011)

ceretrea said:


> Dusty bedding or potentially risky bedding should not be used for anything in my opinion. Example is Megazorb. Two weeks on this were enough to have everyone sneezing, including my very ethically bred rats. Who were raised on cardboard squares. We were lucky no one suffered scarring of the lungs which would then make them suseptible to resp infection later on.
> 
> Its obviously a persoanl choice if you would risk your animals or not, but I wouldn't use 'shavings' and 'ethical breeding' in the same sentence. My personal thoughts of course.


I quite agree. Shavings don't make it past my front door as I'm allergic to them anyway and being a chemist I know what phenols are all about. If I have been given some or have rescued and animal that has come with them they go straight in the bin.

I was playing devils advocate as most of the NFRS registered breeders especially those with Stud status use shavings. If you are planning to show then you must bed your rats on something the same colour as shaving e.g. you can use Aubiose (which I use) but you will get eyes rolled at you. The concensus seems to be that Bedmax is the best of a bad lot.


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

I have used it, and found it fine, same with Megazorb etc.

I find Finacard the dustiest substrate I have ever used, especially the last quater of a bale, despite it being regarded as 'excellent' on many forums.


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

spoiled_rat said:


> I have used it, and found it fine, same with Megazorb etc.
> 
> I find Finacard the dustiest substrate I have ever used, especially the last quater of a bale, despite it being regarded as 'excellent' on many forums.


I wouldn't use finacard again, I found the end of the bale quite dusty.


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Yes me too, it has been consitently dusty between bale to bale, depsite assurances that there is now a different dust extraction process.


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