JulesB Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 I keep Domino on rubber matting with shavings on top, but shavings are expensive round here at the moment and the supply is patchy so I'm thinking of changing. I can't use straw because he eats it. Aubiose was my first thought but it looks expensive at £7.50, but I don't know how long a bale would last. Some of the other owners use shredded paper but it doesn't seem to absorb the wee and I don't want Domino breathing in ammonia all night. I've found a supplier who stocks Easibed, Megazorb, Bedmax, Sundown, Softchip, Nedzbed etc and I wondered what everyone else uses, and how good/expensive is it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 There is another hemp bedding like Aubiose but much better, will tell you when I come back from the farm as still have a few bags - it's been a whole year since they were stabled and I've forgotten the name Much more absorbent so you can literally just muck out the wet bits and the droppings but it was prob. around the same price as Aubiose, oh and the droppings didn't get hidden like they did with Aubiose either. Think it was Easibed but not entirely sure but one of them is treated with a chemical which leaves you with a seriously bad taste in your mouth after you use it - horrid. Can't tell you about the others I'm afraid, I'm far too out of touch these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 There seems to be a general shortage of shavings at the mo, and the prices have shot up around here. I am still using shavings though as didn't get on with the aubiose type beddings, so wouldn't know what to use if shavings became too pricey Other people at the yard use cushion bed and they really like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 You name it, I have tried it!! Rolo was on shavings up until about January last year, but I was goign through ar least 2 bales a week and it was costing me a fortune! (He is on rubber matting too, but I still put down a full bed) I swapped to straw - 2 bales a week keeps him going and at £1.50 (well. £1.80 now) a bale - it made a huge difference cost wise. It is a bit smelly to muck out, but I can live with it! I tried everything with Nemo - I used hemp one winter and deep littered him - it worked quite well, but digging it out was horrible - and it was more expensive than shavings, so I went back to shavings - he can't have straw cos of his breathing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebob Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 Finn is on straw but Frant is on shavings because he has COPD. Shavings are really expensive everywhere at the moment (there's a shortage due to the credit crisis - they are a bi-product of furniture making and now that furniture isn't selling, there's less being made, or so I'm told!) He has peviously been on Easibed and that's lovely stuff and really breaks down quickly as compost too. From my perspective, I don't have a supplier who will deliver Easibed which is why I've reverted to shavings. From a price point of view, there's very little difference in cost locally between shavings and easibed. Personally I wouldn't use shredded paper - it's unbelievably heavy to muck out once it's wet - back breaking stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sproggie14 Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 I've never had a horse but I do use horse beddings for my other animals in order to get them in decent quantities. I won't use shavings as there is so much evidence to link them to health problems (in small animals, I don't know if that applies to horses). I hear good things about megazorb but I've not used it personally. I use either finacard or ecopetbed and am a big fan of both. They are very low dust, absorbent, light and also easy to compost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 I use Aquamax, which is primarily a horse bedding, in my chook coop. Very absorbant, easy to poo pick and the coop isn't smelly at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 I use megazorb for the rabbits and think it's great - really absorbent and doesn't have any horrible added scent. The price has gone up by 25% in the last six months though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooster Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 I've just swapped Blue onto easibed and rubber matting. He's only been in one night on it, but the muck out was easier than straw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted October 17, 2008 Report Share Posted October 17, 2008 It was Equisorb, the other hemp bedding. I too still did a full bed and full daily muck out on top of rubber matting but with the Equisorb you only had to lift the wet patches and you could leave the rest down as it contained the wee so well. The new types sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah_H Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 I have Easta on shavings but she only needs a bale every 8-10days, being the princess she is. Newt aka Bog Pony is on straw as he's filthy and its cheap. They both have rubberats in the middle of their stables, which I plan to upgrade for thicker ones. My eventers used to be on aubiose which I loved and equisorb, but I go with whatever our yard owner has bought now. Both were good. I tried paper once and it was hell. Never again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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