# Ever heard/thought of this?



## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

Just out of curiosity
Has anyone ever thought to use wood stove pellets for nest box bedding?
Everyone uses ceder shavings right? just wondering, saw dust is used sometimes as well but i thought that might cause respiratory problems in the chicks and parents.
I do know that wood stove pellets disperse when wet(fall apart) 
idk why but that thought just popped into my head just now


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Im not sure about the wood pellets, I know corncob bedding is a no-no and they are similar, but cedar shavings should never be used as nestbox bedding because its too aromatic for cockatiels. Sawdust should never be used as well it is too dusty and would cause respiratory issues.


What you want to use is either pine or aspen shavings, there is a thread on nest bedding, http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Cedar is a no no for bedding....do not use it!!! Its too strong smelling it causes respiratory problems. If its not animal bedding I wouldn't use it personally. Sawdust would drain the moisture out of the eggs and they most likely wouldn't make it. If the wood stove pellets fall apart when wet they would fall apart when a baby poops on them and that most likely wouldn't be good for a baby.


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## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

thought so,
as well as i thought for ceder, i was just saying what i heard. and as well with saw dust toO!

I volunteer at a ferret shelter religiously(i am not religious,i go a lot and care about the shelter)
a week ago today two ferrets came in in ceder bedding and it was OH SO HORRIBLE!!!
one has cateracts and the other has BAD respiritory problems. i did not plan on using it anyway. my hen wont breed.
another two ceder ferrets came in today! this is really p**sing me off!! the things people do to their animals 

saw dust sounded bad as well i was just using them as what i heard 

thanks for fulfilling my curiosity


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You might want to read this link: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27688

Any type of pelleted bedding or products would not be good for nestbox bedding. First of there would be risk of the edges of the pellets denting the eggs. Second, they will rob moisture from the nestbox environment that is needed for the eggs. Third when wet this increases the chance/risk of mold and fungi growing. Fourth, there is risk of the birds, or babies as they get older, trying to ingest them.


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## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

oh bad! it was just a random thought anyway 
Oh i did get another cage set up next to the original one for meanboy. he has been fighting with singerboy a lot lately. i am thinking its spring hormones but i am separating them.
this will give me a chance to tame him as well as a chance for Wendy to be alone with singerboy. you never know!
i have had meanboy for three years and still have only picked him up what..3 times??? not including towel over the head for wing clips or nail clips... every time he realized he was on a person, he freaked out and flew away.

OFF TOPIC!!! sorry...


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

*oh bad! it was just a random thought anyway*
--------------------------------------------

No problem  The topic/thought was good to bring up because in the future others may read or do a search on what can or can't be used for bedding or plan on using a pelleted product and the info is available to them.


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## mishkaroni (Jan 6, 2012)

I learned long ago about cedar being a no no for birds. I wish pet stores would quit selling it in the bird section :/


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## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

i wish everywhere would stop selling ceder for anything but BURNING. or at least not kill the 50 year old tree? he worked hard on growing! LOL

i guess it is good that i posted this. curiosity did NOT kill the cat! this time...


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## mishkaroni (Jan 6, 2012)

That's what I was originally going to say, but I changed it to birds. You read about the harm it can cause and wonder why they keep selling it. And then you have to be careful because some websites,and books recommend,it!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I think its used for small animals because of how strong it smells. When I was a kid we always switched between cedar and pine for our guinea pigs (whatever the store had available at the time).


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Cedar bedding is all right for some kinds of animals; that's why they sell it at pet stores. I don't know whether it's OK for ferrets or not but it is definitely NOT good for birds.

Aspen and pine shavings are good bedding for nestboxes.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

Most likely the base of the reasoning behind this.. is most small animals' cages have good aeration too. Even if they are in an aquarium.. the whole top should have a screen top. Being in a nest box it is so much more an enclosed space. Not only that but their poo is quite different. If you do find the cedar bedding specifically in the bird section, you can always let someone know. It is possible that an employee made a mistake. Or at the very least you can educate them.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Most likely the base of the reasoning behind this.. is most small animals' cages have good aeration too.


It's probably more a question of respiratory sensitivity. Birds have much more sensitive respiratory systems than mammals do and they can't tolerate the aromatic stuff as well.


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## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

its NOT good for birds and it is NOT good for ferrets. the poor two that came into the shelter were losing their hair, respiratory problems-BAD ones, both were super underweight, cracked paw pads. oh the poor babies


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