I was interested in what Ruth wrote about shavings in the last NMC News. I had written a similar article for the last National English Rabbit Club’s ’Spotlight’ magazine.
For several years I have used Snowflake Standard shavings. The size of the bales had been reduced, 20kg down to 15kg, but also the price was reduced. These smaller bales are certainly a lot easier to move about, especially for us oldies! I get my rabbit food and bedding from a small local store that mainly supplies horse feed and equipment. A few months ago they were struggling to get any brand of shavings. Most of the manufacturers were using the wood to make pellets for burning.
Another much larger animal feed store where I buy my poultry feed had a notice up at the beginning of the year: “No shavings for at least six weeks”.
I’m glad to say the situation has improved and I’m using a new brand of shavings called Smart Horse, which is very good. It has written on the side of the bale, “also suitable for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and mice”. My local store had shopped about for different brands of shavings. One load they had was in a plain wrapper, nice small white flakes, but dust-free it was not!
As they specialise in horse food and equipment they have stocked a lot more chopped rape straw and miscanthus bedding, which is great for horses. I have tried it for rabbits but was not very keen on it.
I look forward to seeing everyone again at shows later in the year.