Pine: (Scented) Kiln Dried Pine Shavings

[Barb1222]

Just bought a large bag of kiln dried pine shavings...it was a couple bucks cheaper than aspen. I realized that it is scented, but is kiln dried, is this ok?

[PiggieMom]

What's the brand name so that we can look it up? Does it have an ingredients list or say what it's 'scented' with?

[RainbowPiggy]

Scented pine is bad, so it might be best you not use it. Not sure about it being kilned though. What's the name of it? I'd suggest looking at the bag and searching the ingredients. To be on the safe size, it may be best that you don't use it.

[Barb1222]

It's called premier pet natural kiln dried pine bedding (from petsmart). I usually get the aspen version of this brand. I figured I'd try something different, since it was kiln dried.

Would it be ok to maybe mix it with aspen? Or should I just return it?

[Marzopan]

I don't know if you should, I don't use wood shavings so I don't really know that much about that, but I wouldn't use it only for the reason that it's scented.
Maybe if you mix it it would be fine.
I was using Carefresh with Baking soda and my piggies where having a reaction to that, so I mixed it with some regular carefresh and they stopped sneezing..

I don't think you should use it, but I'm really not much of an expert,

[Aertyn]

As long as you air the bedding out before use it should be fine. Kiln Dried Pine should only be used in open cages with good ventilation. I empty out the bag into two large plastic containers and mix it around once a day before I use it in the cage. When it's in the cage I cover it in a layer of cat litter (similar to Carefresh) so the pigs rarely come into direct contact with it.

Unfortunately in Australia we really don't have as many options when it comes to bedding so we have to be a bit inventive.

[Barb1222]

I use the bedding for the hay/litterbox area. I use fleece everwhere else. I usually store my shavings in big plastic containers. The litterbox areas of my piggies' cages are on the upper levels of the cages. I would say they are pretty ventilated.

Again, I could just take it back and get the aspen bedding instead. Maybe I should do that...

[JessicaS]

I have purchased this before, but unfortunately when I broke it open all the shavings that were in the middle were covered with mold. I guess they bagged it when it was moist and it molded.

I returned it to Petsmart (ugh!) and they didn't ask any questions, but did say that they do get that bedding in on a regular basis so it wasn't sitting on the shelf for long (so they say, and who knows how long it was in the warehouse?)

I'm still testing/trying different bedding, still not sure about fleece yet. I can't decide if I like it as much as kiln dried pine or aspen.

I'm not saying that all of that brand is bad and moldy, just saying that I once (well, the first and only time with this brand) bought it and it was moldy.

I checked online and this company also has a regular pine bedding (non kiln) that they sell at Walmart under a different label/brand. I have used this brand in the past and have had no problems (before I knew better about the aromatic oils).

[CavyLuver516]

I use pine bedding because you get so much for just a little $$. I would use Aspen bedding, but it's more like wood chips than shavings and wouldn't be to comfy. I make it safe to use by putting a layer of shredded paper over the layer of pine to reduce the smell. This is very economical and works well.

[CavyLuver516]

I would use regular pine though - it's already 'scented' enough...