Shredded Paper For Mice Bedding
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
May 2, 2011 2:15pm CST
I want to get everyone's opinions on this. My friend is using shredded paper and shredded paper towels as her mouse bedding. I thought this was a realy good idea; I could use all my old school notes and a bunch of paper I don't need, and it would save me a lot of money.
What do you guys think? Would it be safe for my mice for me to use my old school ntoes? If it makes a difference I always write in pencil, not pen.
One issue I read was shredded paper isn't very absorbent, so I also thought maybe I would mix in some shredded paper with the CareFresh bedding a currently buy, that way i would be buying bedding less often, and still save a little money.
so what do you say?
All shredded paper?
Shredded paper mixed with carefresh?
or
No shredded paper?
Thanks!!!
1 person likes this
13 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
2 May 11
I have used shredded paper when we ran out of bedding for our guinea pig, and you are right, it is not very absorbent at all..Though if you did mix it with CareFresh, (I have no idea what that is) and it does absorb, then I'd go for it..As for pencil markings, I don't think that would be a problem..
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
2 May 11
CareFresh is, I have read, the best bedding for small animals, so that's why I get it. It is a more expensive then other bedding (like pine bedding) but it's not the most expensive stuff out there. But it does take a nice bite out of my money.
Maybe I'll just try one week all paper, and see how it works. If I'm right about the absorbency then I will start just mixing the paper with CareFresh.
Thanks!!
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
3 May 11
Oh yeah! I can just imagine the urine soakign right throw the paper and leaving a stinking, sticky mess!! ... not a pretty image! lol I think a lot of people are saying to do the mixture, so I may have to go with that. it's nice to have someone with personal experience share their knowledge! Thanks! :)
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
2 May 11
Well, mice are smaller than guinea pigs, but I would be surprised if you go a week without mixing it with something. It was pretty gross, using just paper as it literally was glued in places where the urine had soaked it and then dried.. I ended up changing it daily until we got more bedding. After that, I made sure we had plenty of bedding, but mixing it is probably your best idea. In fact if we ever get another guinea pig, (I really want another one, but my husband says two dogs are enough..
) I may consider this method..:)
) I may consider this method..:)
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
4 May 11
I think that shredded paper should be fine as pet stores here use it for bedding for puppies, kittens, rabbits and all sorts of animals. They always use it and it seems to work fine for them. Recycling is a much better idea than using something new. I use shredded paper every day to pay around goods that I send out in parcels.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
5 May 11
So do you happen to notice if the shredded paper the pet stores use are just blank pieces of computer paper, or does it look like paper that has been written on?
Some mentioned that pencil writing won't hurt them, but ink will. But others said they think if I used paper it would give them paper cuts on their paws!! Do you think that's true?? I don't want to give my mice paper cuts!! lol
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
9 May 11
I think it may be possible, but I don't think it's likely...I'll have to ask my friend if she has noticed any paper cuts or blood from the mice. She uses pure shredded paper in her cages, so if it's going to happen she should know lol.
Thanks!
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
5 May 11
Sorry, I have never looked that close at the paper. We used to donate printed ink shredded paper from the computer and we may have included written paper as well, not sure. I never thought about paper cuts! It is possible I guess! 
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
8 May 11
Shred a couple of paper towels in with the regular paper. That will make it partially absorbent and still be more practical and less expensive than buying stuff.
Not sure about the use of pencils as the graphite (lead) might be a problem. Do they eat the paper/bedding?
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
9 May 11
No, they never eat the bedding I put in their cage, I'm not sure they ever touch it with their mouths. BUT they do like to put bedding on top of the food in their food bowl to "bury" their food. And they have a little mineral disc type treat that they lick. So the stuff they do eat comes in contact with bedding.
So if you think the lead might be a problem, maybe I'll use paper that doesn't have a lot of writing on it (sometimes for my classes only one side of a paper will be written on, and sometimes just quick notes written down).
The papers towels is a good idea and I may have to do that.
Thanks!!!!
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
2 May 11
I don't have mice anymore. But it sounds like you could use shredded paper mixed with the other. I tell you though I used old t-shirts and old socks. You know how you have socks that have a hole in the toe. Or a t-shirt that gets a hole or a tear. Also a dis cloth anything that I would normally throw away because I'm not going to use it anymore. Instead I used it for them or my snake when I had her. The hamsters and gerbils any of these little ones, it was the same.
Always buying bedding really got expensive. But I did buy some because it smells better to have some.
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
3 May 11
They were all 100% cotton and I'd tear them up as much as I could then let them do the rest. They sure can mince then in tiny pieces.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
3 May 11
So do you shred the old clothes and put them in with the animals, or did you just throw them in whole and let them do what they want with them? Were they more bedding or toy?
Great tip! Thanks!
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
3 May 11
Yes, they are. I'm alergic to many other things so I buy all cotton.
@ElicBxn (63994)
• United States
2 May 11
pencil is not "lead" but graphite, a form of charcoal so its safe
I used paper when I had a mouse, do have to change it a bit more often
also, they seem to love TP tubes as "hidie holes" so put one of those in every so often as they shred those is also good
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
3 May 11
Glad to know the pencil won't be toxic to them, that was my biggest concern.
I may have to mix the paper with some absorbent bedding, just because it would be difficult for me to change them so often (daily, someone mentioned above! esk!)
I do give my mice TP roles, they like to move them around the cage and run in them, but odly enough they don't chew them...maybe that's because they have a chewable log thing in their cage, and chewing sticks...my mice are so spoiled :P lol
Thanks!
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
3 May 11
Oh my gosh!!! Do you think they could cut themselves!?!? I never thought of that.
Yeah the absorbent matter is a big issue, a lot of people are saying to mix the paper with the bedding..is that what you think, or do you say no paper, all bedding?
Thanks!
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
2 May 11
I think it would be oerfectly safe. Mice can eat alot of things and iit will not hurt them at all. I think you should use the paper to save some money.
@moonchild1au (6237)
• Australia
3 May 11
I would say give the 100% shredded paper a go just to see if you like it first or not...it will be 100% safe for your mice. If you don't like it, you can always use a mixture of this & wood shavings (that is what I used when I had rats & mice). If you decide you don't like using shredded paper for the bedding, you can always put it in your garden as paper is great for gardens.
@millertime (1394)
• United States
4 May 11
It seems like I have seen that done somewhere before. Maybe in a pet shop or something. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. They may like it. I think I would try a combination. Maybe halve the store bought bedding and use the shredded paper for the rest. Or you could try all paper and see how it works out and then add the other in if you need it. 
@chipesterkhan (2925)
• Philippines
3 May 11
shredded paper is fine as long as it is clean paper with no inkmarks
so newspapers are out
and magazine pages
the ink in these papers can seriously damage a rodents life
you might want to try wood sheddings
just clean it up a bit so that there are no small dust particles
@soapies1973 (931)
• United States
2 May 11
I have used shredded paper before. That is a good idea. I think any paper should work just fine and save money too. If you want to mix some carefresh that is fine too Take care
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
2 May 11
Oh good, so you know how well shredded paper works...is it absorbent? Or does it get dirty a lot faster? Right now I clean the cage once a week, would I have to clean it more often if I just used paper?
Thanks!
@lsdshrooms (214)
• United States
3 May 11
I wouldn't recommend notebook paper because it's rough and uncomfortable, you should use paper towels if anything, and even tissues if you want a really soft bed. For the bottom of the cage, newspaper works well, but for actual bedding you should definitely use soft stuff.
