What is your cage lined with ????

[hootowl]

Hi all , I was just cleaning my two Finch cages and I am currently lining the cage with newspaper flyers. What is the easiest and best way to line the bottom of a cage?I have seen in some bird shops use what looks like rabbit bedding ( Wood shavings) but in pellet form. Just wanted to see what you all think is the best way to line the bottom of a cage.
I am finding the newspaper route messy. Any advice would be great

[finchmix22]

Everyone is different in what they prefer for cage lining, but I use Bounty paper towels because they come in "pick a size" and I can make them fit the bottom evenly and then I roll them up when dirty and lay down some more.

[cindy]

Cage trays have white butcher paper or white paper towels. The aviary has kiln dried pine shavings.

Avoid corn cobb or bed-a-cob...it has a tendency to mold if wet or fresh food left in it.

[dcompt]

I don't think there's a perfect solution, at least for me. I was using aspen shavings and they worked well, except under the bath, but I got tired of buying them. I have a very long flight, so it required a lot. Then I switched to newspaper, but it's ugly and this in my living room. Finally I bought a couple of reams of 18x24 newsprint that seems to be pretty cost effective and looks ok. At the moment I'm using it on top of the grate, but could use it in the trays too.

[DanteD716]

Try puppy poddy pads, they are very absorbent, and the cotton clings to dropped seeds so they don't fly outside of the cage

[Musetta]

I use Carefresh, which is marketed primarily as bedding for small animals. But it is rather pricey, and I'm not sure whether cost is a big factor for you. But I like it because looks good and is super easy to clean; all I have to do is fit the trash bag around the tray and the litter slides right in. I typically order the white Carefresh from Amazon (I don't trust the colors, and they are more expensive anyway), or I get brown (which I prefer but I have not seen on Amazon) from the pet store.

[henrietta]

I use newspaper on the bottom and then a layer of hay on top. I scatter the hay throughout, but especially under commonly used perches and the bath.
1) It looks nicer than the paper, very natural looking,
2) It can go longer in between having to be completely cleaned out because it can hold more droppings than just a layer of paper,
3) It holds in the seed hulls when they drop to the bottom, they get kind of trapped by the hay instead of floating around and onto my floor,
4) The birds like to play with the hay, it gives them some mental stimulation,

The big downside is that instead of seed hulls all over the floor, now I have hay lol But it doesn't travel nearly as far as the hulls can, it just falls right next to the cage, and therefore is easier to clean up. So it's a trade-off.

[DanteD716]

I use newspaper on the bottom and then a layer of hay on top. I scatter the hay throughout, but especially under commonly used perches and the bath.
1) It looks nicer than the paper, very natural looking,
2) It can go longer in between having to be completely cleaned out because it can hold more droppings than just a layer of paper,
3) It holds in the seed hulls when they drop to the bottom, they get kind of trapped by the hay instead of floating around and onto my floor,f
4) The birds like to play with the hay, it gives them some mental stimulation,

The big downside is that instead of seed hulls all over the floor, now I have hay lol But it doesn't travel nearly as far as the hulls can, it just falls right next to the cage, and therefore is easier to clean up. So it's a trade-off.

Omg I love the smell of hay!

[worriedfinchmum]

I've tried a few things, grit paper, paper towel / kitchen roll, newspaper, 'auboise' type bedding (made from hemp, used for horses)...

At the moment I'm using a lightweight clay based cat litter which is fantastic, I have it deep and scoop out the top layer every few days and pop a bit more in.

[JulieRose]

I use Albiose, its a horse bedding, bit like wood shavings, but it doesnt spread all over the place when the birds fly about. Ive tried about everything else, ie. newspaper etc but find this the best.

[mayble]

I'm using Care-Fresh which is great except that it's so lightweight that a lot of it ends up outside the cage, and one Java has decided it's perfect nesting material and is stuffing his nest box with it.
I've just started using Swheat Scoop in my cat litter box, and I plan to try it in one of my cages to see how well it works there. I just wonder how it will handle water from the baths.
With paper I always seem to make more of a mess trying to change it than the birds make themselves. Maybe there's a trick to it I haven't learned, but I end up with seeds and feathers everywhere but in the trash. Paper towels float out of place when the birds fly around unless I wet the corners when I put them down (which I do for the hospital cage), then it stiffens up a bit when it dries.
Every time I think I've found the perfect solution, it's only a matter of time before I discover I haven't.

[Sunbay]

This is a repost from a similar topic from "Bird Litter>>Finch Related>>Bedding

There is lots of good info there as well.


Hi all,

I have tried the corn-cob, pine shavings, and pine pellets for the bottom of my 3 aviaries.
Winner HANDS DOWN is the "Care Fresh Natural". Made from reclaimed wood pulp. It is clean, not dusty, light and easy to deal with putting in, and cleaning up.
It is compressed, and a little goes a long way. You just break it up and spread with your hands.

It is available in a variety of colors. I prefer the "Natural". It looks, well, more natural!

Attached are photos of the natural color and the bag it comes in.

Have a feathered-fabulous day!

Lauren

[Mexicancanary]

I use old kitchen towels in all of my canary cages. I shake them out every evening and then turn them over for the next day. The following day they get shaken again and I clean them by throwing a small load of just the bird towels in the washing machine/dryer. The canaries all love the feel of the towel under their feet and their feathers stay nice and clean.

[cindy]

Lauren, I use that in my cages when I take them to the shows... works great in control seed bouncing around!!!!

[Chantelleb]

I use Eco bedding. Or as I call it crinkle paper. They can forge for seed through it. They also enjoy making nests out of it. It is relatively inexpensive and one large bag last a few months.