YN's

[meli]

So guys. I made my switch today to yesterdays news. I got a HUGE bag for 14.99 not to shabby. Anyhow, do you guys use the scented or unscented? I got the unscented but I wanted to know if its okay to use the scented one? I also sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the litter box.

Is febreeze safe on their bedding? I use it on my dogs beds all the time and all around my house.. rugs, sofas, curtains and beds you name it...

[mustelidmusk]

Hi Meli,
I always stick with unscented everything for my ferrets. Ferrets can be sensitive to smells, and they they can also get resiratory issues from chemicals.

Everything I've read reinforces the use of unscented litter. A lot of people use pine litter pellets and don't seem to have apparent problems. But I've read that ome ferrets DO get respiratory issues with pine litter. I tried it once since the pet store was out of news paper pellets. One of my girls' lower abdomens looked a little pinker tha usual (skin irritation?)

Regarding the use of baking soda in the potty box...some people do tiswithno apparent trouble. Some ferrets like to "snorkle" in the potty box and can inhale the baking soda/dust, which can cause problems.

I don't know much about febreze (like whats in it, etc.) but if it smells, just remember that ferrets noses are SUPER sensitive to smells, and they myay find febreze to be stinky. It could possibly irritate their lungs. Maybe somebody else knows more about febreze and can comment

I think some of this is dependet upon your individual ferrets, but I try to keep things unchemicalized and dust-free since it's a safe approach by default. It's possible that some things (like bakingsoda) work fine for some ferrets (I have a "potty snorkler" - thank goddneess he only snorkles after I disinfect the potty boxes and refill them with fresh pellets!!!)

(I use a mild bleacholution to diinfect the potties -RINSE EXTREMELY WELL and dry them!) For in-between cleanings. I scoop the soiled litter, clean any stuff stuck to the sides of th pan with cheap vinegar, shake the remaing pellets the the back of the pan, and add fresh pellets to the front of the pan. This works well to keep the least freshpellets in the "poop zone" of the box. I do the "big cleaning" once a week.

-jennifer

-jennifer

[Forum Administrator]

Just so ya know.....

If you ever DO wind up trying feline pine, you can buy a product that is almost exactly identical. It is sold at Home Depot (and other stores like that) as "Wood Stove Pellets". You can get a 40 pound bag for like $4.99. Now THAT is not a bad deal

[meli]

I tried the febreeze on their bedding,letting it dry out before they went in their cage, but Hocus decided he wanted to go inside and started to sneeze..so I won't be using it on their bedding.

I did spray them with ferretsheen when I bought them home and they didn't sneeze so I decided I could maybe spray it on their bedding in the middle of the week. I do plan on washing their bedding weekly as I can smell them on it lol

Luckily these guys are not diggers what so ever..they just walk on the litter, poop and then their done. My litter box routine uses the same cycle you do, but I use mr. clean wipes to wipe the back of the litter. I do this though when my guys are running around playing. I'm cleaning their litter box out twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

Any other tips, ideas would be great. I'm actually going to get a water bottle srapyer to make a vinager spray for cleaning and disinfecting.

[meli]

Jun 15, 2008 22:04:48 GMT -5 Forum Administrator said:

Just so ya know.....

If you ever DO wind up trying feline pine, you can buy a product that is almost exactly identical. It is sold at Home Depot (and other stores like that) as "Wood Stove Pellets". You can get a 40 pound bag for like $4.99. Now THAT is not a bad deal

I'm going to look for those. I keep reading about them. Lots of people seem to like em".

[tss]

I use the Febreze room spray sometimes but I don't use it unless the ferrets are in their covered cage, that way it won't bother them.

I've used YN, there is a little bit in my current litter mix but I really don't find it any better then the wood stove pellets. I LOVE the stove pellets, plus to recycle some I add some newspaper and office paper, it's all cut up into small pieces. The paper shredder makes short pieces instead of the normal long strips.

[meli]

Jun 15, 2008 23:03:30 GMT -5 tss said:

I use the Febreze room spray sometimes but I don't use it unless the ferrets are in their covered cage, that way it won't bother them.

I've used YN, there is a little bit in my current litter mix but I really don't find it any better then the wood stove pellets. I LOVE the stove pellets, plus to recycle some I add some newspaper and office paper, it's all cut up into small pieces. The paper shredder makes short pieces instead of the normal long strips.

Clever! I'm going to look for the wood stove pellets. I tried once in home depot, but maybe I wasn't lookin in the right section.

[aleronferrets]

Jun 15, 2008 23:03:30 GMT -5 tss said:

I've used YN, there is a little bit in my current litter mix but I really don't find it any better then the wood stove pellets.

I wish I could say the same but I hate how it turns to sawdust when it gets wet and a couple of my ferrets had an issue with the sawdust from it(sneezing and eye goo).

I use both scented and unscented YNs and have never had an issue with either. The scented is very lightly scented, not overly perfumey at all.

I wouldn't use fabreeze on animal's bedding.

[buzzonesbirdie]

we use esquicat from petsmart and never have had a problem. my ferrets are snorklers also so i cant put anything in their litter box. i agree with the secents the only laundry detergent i use for their stuff is arm and hammer free its what i use for my daughters clothes who have eczmea

[meli]

ya I'm not going to use febreeze on their bedding because of my little guy sneezing from it yesterday.

[tss]

It must just be the brand, my stove pellets turn into small chips. Not dust There is dust in the bottom of the bags. I take the litter and dump it into a big plastic tote, I do it outside so all of the dust is picked up by the wind and blown away.

Meli, I've not been able to get the pellets at Home Depot or Lowes. Only Ace and True Valu hardware stores.. There is a potental problem with them though, most stores stop buying them in the spring so they might run out. The store we get ours from said that they nearly always have some left over. There is also a place in the paper during the winter and you can buy a whole ton of them for $100 something.

[aleronferrets]

Jun 16, 2008 9:33:43 GMT -5 tss said:

It must just be the brand, my stove pellets turn into small chips. Not dust There is dust in the bottom of the bags. I take the litter and dump it into a big plastic tote, I do it outside so all of the dust is picked up by the wind and blown away.

I have tried multiple brands of wood stove pellets and horse bedding (and Feline Pine FWIW) and disliked the way all of them broke down when they got wet. I'm just too spoiled by YN LOL

[amyandfuzzies6]

We used to use Yesterday's News and I found I was wiping down boxes 2x daily trying to keep the odor down - but then I also have a multi-ferret (7) household.

We've been using the World's Best Cat Litter (NOT multi-cat) which is made out of corn. I haven't had any problems to date with it. To discourage litter box snorkeling, I also mix in some used litter whenever I add new. It seems to discourage them quite well:)

[meli]

I was using a 100% recylced litter from my local pet food center, but to me it smelled. I switched yesterday to YN's and I can already tell a difference. I also wiped down their shelves today and the area where they love sleeping. I honestly can't tell their in my living unless I stand smack dab next to their litter box that was used all night.

I'm honestly baffled that these guys have no odor what so ever. My dogs smell worse when they come in from outside lol

[nwheather]

Jun 15, 2008 23:05:49 GMT -5 @meli said:

Jun 15, 2008 23:03:30 GMT -5 tss said:

I use the Febreze room spray sometimes but I don't use it unless the ferrets are in their covered cage, that way it won't bother them.

I've used YN, there is a little bit in my current litter mix but I really don't find it any better then the wood stove pellets. I LOVE the stove pellets, plus to recycle some I add some newspaper and office paper, it's all cut up into small pieces. The paper shredder makes short pieces instead of the normal long strips.

Clever! I'm going to look for the wood stove pellets. I tried once in home depot, but maybe I wasn't lookin in the right section.

Most hardware stores only carry the pellets seasonally. I get mine from a lumber company near me. They can order for me if they run out, which the hardware stores (Lowe's etc) will not).