Aspen shavings
Aspen shavings
There is more than one brand in Singapore that has aspen shavings but Kaytee is the only brand I can remember. Being a hardwood, aspen doesn't have any aromatic oils or hydrocarbons which can cause respitory problems & other illnesses. But even though aspen shavings are safe, unfortunately its not very good at moisture absorbancy or odour control. So you might have to change bedding more often & this can result in more expenses.
Even though it has no aromatic oils, but aspen shavings has its natural "wood" smell which some might find a bit strong. Therefore I'd recommend opening the bag, loosening the shavings & letting it air for at least one day before using it. This however is not compulsary. Kaytee's distributor is Tri Alba Pet Products which you can contact at 6466 0462 or trialba@singnet.com.sg.
Cheaper than recycled paper bedding.
Not very good at absorbing moisture.
Not very good at controlling odour.
Shredded aspen shavings
So far Sunseed appears to be the only brand in Singapore with shredded aspen shavings although there could be one or two other brands. Shredded aspen is exactly the same as normal aspen shavings except it has been shredded so the pieces are much finer. Shreds to be precise. I feel that shredded aspen tends to absorb more moisture than normal aspen, but still can't compare to recycled paper bedding.
Another thing about shredded aspen is that it tends to be dustier than normal aspen. Also, it gets stuck in cavy fur easily especially for long haired cavies. Once again I recommend airing it for a day before using, though this isn't compulsary.
Cheaper than recycled paper bedding.
Not very good at absorbing moisture.
Not very good at controlling odour.
Rather dusty.
Tends to get stuck on cavy fur.