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Kaytee Aspen bedding and litter

M

mango

New member
im cleaning my corn snakes viv today so i went to pets mart to buy a big bag of substrate. i got the kaytee aspen bedding and litter and was wondering if that is ok to use? the only reason i ask is because i got it in the small animal section rather than the reptile section, where they had other beddings that said specifically for snakes. the aspen bedding was also a better deal for way more. thanks in advance
 
I personally wouldnt support the Kaytee brand myself.
They put carcinogenic chemicals in their small animal food, and I read somewhere that bird hobbiests were boycotting them, but I can't remember why.
 
mango said:
im cleaning my corn snakes viv today so i went to pets mart to buy a big bag of substrate. i got the kaytee aspen bedding and litter and was wondering if that is ok to use? the only reason i ask is because i got it in the small animal section rather than the reptile section, where they had other beddings that said specifically for snakes. the aspen bedding was also a better deal for way more. thanks in advance
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I got to a Co-op store and buy aspen horse bedding, that same bag you can get for about $15, i get bigger for $4.
 
Aspen is the best substrate, but I don't buy Kaytee anymore because it has an odor that aspen shouldn't have. I don't know what's up with that brand.
 
I've never noticed an off odor with Kaytee brand aspen. I've been using it for several (as in more than 3) years now. You want odor?? Try Sunseed brand aspen chips!! :)

I'd really be interested in seeing more information on this "boycott" and carcinogen topic other than one post on one board . . . :shrugs:

D80
 
I have asthma and Kaytee sets it off. The other brands that I have used don't. I can actually "smell" the Kaytee, whereas the other brands have been fairly odorless. But this just might be my personal sensitivities.... Of course, if the odor bugs me, it might irritate the snakes, but who knows. :shrugs:
 
Hmmm, I like Kaytee aspen. It doesn't smell like anything to me. I like the bigger, softer pieces that it has. I haven't heard anything about the boycott.

With a little research, I found that Kaytee is thought by some to be a bird mill, producing Kaytee Preferred Birds which are supplied to Petco. I don't know how much truth there is to the allegations of poor bird care.
 
I'd just like to say that I know absolutley nothing about the company or its practices. So I'm not dissing them. Their brand of aspen just sets off my eyes/nose/lungs, thats all.
 
Drizzt80 said:
I've never noticed an off odor with Kaytee brand aspen. I've been using it for several (as in more than 3) years now. You want odor?? Try Sunseed brand aspen chips!! :)

I'd really be interested in seeing more information on this "boycott" and carcinogen topic other than one post on one board . . . :shrugs:

D80
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The "boycott" that I was referring to was actually a few years back. A guy I know who owns the local "mom n pop" pet shop in town is also a "bird person" and refuses to carry any Kaytee branded merchandise in his store. I'm not a bird person (I'm a cornsnake and rat person, lol), but I seem to remember the boycott having something to do with Kaytee running "bird mills" for pet shops and treating the birds horribly. This is the ONE pet shop I've been to that really takes their animal care seriously. They carry more dry goods than anything else, but the few animals they have are really well cared for.

Kaytee contains Ethoxyquin and other preservatives that are thought to be carcinogenic. They also use a large amount of alfalfa, which cannot be digested by rats and mice. Corn is listed as the first ingrediant, which is really more of a filler than anything else. I belong to an online community that views rats as pets the same as dogs and cats. It's called ratsrule.com. The members there want their beloved rats to live as long and healthy a life as possible. Kaytee is frowned upon and considered junk by virtually everyone there. If you go there and do a search, you'll see what I mean. Regal Rat, Mazuri, Oxbow and Harlan are MUCH better choices.
 
also, their bunny food "fesita mix" is total junk, it would be like feeding your bunny McDonalds every day. They also have timothy hay pellets that are fine though (as far as I know). I haven't heard anything about a boycott either. Kaytee is the only aspen I've ever used, I thought all aspen had a smell? Maybe I'll try a different brand next time just to see if I like it better.
 
Well, my birds eat Harrison's, which is organic. My vet sold me on it by offering me a sample for me myself to taste! If I think it tastes good- then it's good enough for my birds.
 
Nanci, I love that!

I have tasted the Harlan lab blocks I feed to my ratties, as well as their yoghurt treats. All their other treats are regular people food that I check against a list of "no-no" foods.
 
I'll never forget this co-worker of mine who bought a tin of Yip Yaps, not knowing they were dog treats! They came in a little tin like Altoids. It was so funny!
 
Drizzt80 said:
I've never noticed an off odor with Kaytee brand aspen. I've been using it for several (as in more than 3) years now. You want odor?? Try Sunseed brand aspen chips!! :)

I'd really be interested in seeing more information on this "boycott" and carcinogen topic other than one post on one board . . . :shrugs:

D80
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I was out getting chips the other day and I KNEW I'd previously read something here about Kaytee, but I couldn't remember what it was. I thought it might be dangerous or something. I ended up with sunseed brand, but to be honest, I don't notice any unusual odor with it.
 
I use Kaytee brand Apen. Nothing wrong with it. I wouldnt buy any of their pet FOODS, but Aspen isnt food so I have no problem with it.

If there were another brand available for the same price or cheaper I would buy it, but Kaytee is pretty much the only one available.

As for the Ethoxyquin, Mazuri has it too. From what I have read it's not as much of an issue as a lot of people make it out to be.
 
Flagg said:
From what I have read it's not as much of an issue as a lot of people make it out to be.
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That's pretty much what I garnered from several search results and reading the technical information . . . which some people choose not to do sometimes.

D80
 
I'm terrible... I was in Petsmart yesterday, and eyeballed the Kaytee aspen. I then leaned over and gave it a big sniff. Yep, it sets off my allergies and is a little stinky/strong smelling. So I went to smell another brand in th ereptile section, and it didn't set off my allergies, and wasn't stinky/strong. So even though it may be "just me" I figure my snakes might like to live in the milder smelling stuff anyway. :shrugs:
 
kimbyra said:
I'm terrible... I was in Petsmart yesterday, and eyeballed the Kaytee aspen. I then leaned over and gave it a big sniff. Yep, it sets off my allergies and is a little stinky/strong smelling. So I went to smell another brand in th ereptile section, and it didn't set off my allergies, and wasn't stinky/strong. So even though it may be "just me" I figure my snakes might like to live in the milder smelling stuff anyway. :shrugs:
Click to expand...

Find a co-op store near you, seriously, don't buy that expensive stuff when you can get aspen horse bedding for a 1/4 of that price. It is the same stuff but packaged to be sold for horses. It makes no sense when people are willing spend $10-12 more for something they can get dirt cheap.
You live in SC so this page should help you.
For everyone else, please start here and find your state to find a local supplier.
 
Not all areas have co-op stores. That's a rural thing.
I wish I could find one in the near west suburbs of Chicago.

We do have "feed stores", which are slightly cheaper than pet stores and stock a better variety of animal feeds in bulk, but they are not nearly as cheap as your "co-op" stores.

Kaytee Aspen 2 cubic foot bag at feed store, 10.99. At PetSmart, I think it's 12.99. Petco carries another brand and it's like 15.99
 
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