What is the best aspen bedding?

[thefnshow66]

Hello all,
Currently I am using Premier Pet Scent-Free Aspen Bedding for my tortoise enclosure but I feel that the scent free it advertises is false. I was hoping maybe I can get some recommendations on which other brands I can use that doesn't have a strong scent and is safe for my tortoise. What brand do you use?

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi "Thefnshow66":

I've been real derelict in my duties. I see that you have made several posts, but I have neglected to send you a ........

to the forum!!!

 

[Defiant]

What kind of tortoise?

 

[Tom]

I think the answers to this post have been a little slow because most of us don't use aspen bedding anymore. Its a little too dry for most situations. Most of us use cypress mulch, coco coir, orchid bark, soil, sphagnum moss or sand in some mixture. Some folks like to mix a combination of some of these. For most species of tortoise (even the desert ones), in most areas, it is necessary to maintain some level of humidity. This is relatively new info on tortoise care and most of the world hasn't caught up yet. There is nothing wrong with aspen bedding if it is the best thing for your situation. I used to use sani-chips when I was intentionally keeping my animals dry. Now I use either orchid bark/soil mixtures or coco coir, as I can get those in bulk where I live in Southern CA.

BTW, WELCOME to the forum. Glad you decided to join us.

 

[thefnshow66]

Hello,
Thanks for the welcome. I have a Dalmation hermann tortoise and I got him from egyptiandan from this site. He uses aspen bedding for his tortoise's so i figured i would do the same. I wouldn't mind changing the bedding to something else but I just dont want my room to smell. any recommendations?

 

[Floof]

Roachman said it extremely well. I've hesitated to answer because (in all my inexperience, lol) I'm not a fan of aspen for tortoises.

Also, FWIW, if your aspen says "Scent-Free" and has a strong smell, I'd bet money there's pine and/or cedar in the ingredients. If so, it'd be best to throw that one out. I don't think there's such a thing as "scent free" (in the sense that it disguises the smell of poo) bedding that doesn't have pine or cedar in it...

Anyway, I don't use aspen for my tortoise, but my favorite for the snakes is finely shredded aspen, like the "Aspen Snake Bedding" from Zoomed. The stuff at pet stores is way over-priced, though; you can get the same thing at the average farm store for a much better (practically free in comparison) price. If you prefer bigger shavings, you can get it pretty cheap in any pet store's "Small Animal" section. IME, brand doesn't really matter with Aspen bedding, so long as it's just aspen.