Author Topic: Shredder paper as bedding? (Read 3936 times)

white-blazes · « **on:** June 21, 2011, 10:22:49 am »

I know people use shredding paper for horse bedding, can it be used for pigs as an alternative to straw, or will they try to eat it?

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2011, 10:48:23 am »

I think they might try to eat it, but I've never tried it.
Hopefully others will be able to tell you for sure.
Karen x

JulieS · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2011, 11:10:41 am »

I would guess they would try to eat it. It would get very soggy too.

white-blazes · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2011, 11:25:32 am »

Quote from: JulieS on June 21, 2011, 11:10:41 am

I would guess they would try to eat it. It would get very soggy too.

Thanks, I don't think it would get soggy, they never messed in their shed, as they had the bottom door open all the time so always went out to their 'toilet'

TheCaptain · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2011, 11:28:12 am »

I think soggy from wet/muddy pigs as opposed to them peeing on it. We've used paper shreds before but did get soggy and needed changing every week during the winter. Needless to say it didn't last long and we went back to straw as bedding. Plus it's a bugger to rot down and really heavy once wet

white-blazes · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2011, 12:20:38 pm »

Ah yes, thanks Captain, never thought about it that way. We've had a new shredder in work that chops the paper really small, so I thought I'd ask

TheCaptain · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2011, 12:59:45 pm »

I used to get sack loads of it, we used it for the ponies and the chucks - half and half with shavings for the ponies just to try and eek them out a bit. It was good enough for the chucks as we didn't use a lot of it. We found because of our soil type it was fine in the compost and then mixed in with the soil just to add a bit of air gap in the soil - if that mnakes sense?

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2011, 03:14:49 pm »

it blows about alot so will need hosing once you have emptied the pens. the one main advantage is that its free.

Beewyched · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2011, 08:47:20 pm »

Not tried it with the pigs yet. We use it under the chicken perches - it helps keep the sawdust clean & the poo helps it to activate when we chuck it on the compost

sausagesandcash · « **Reply #9 on:** June 21, 2011, 10:34:34 pm »

We found it irritated the pigs

princesspiggy · « **Reply #10 on:** June 27, 2011, 06:54:47 pm »

we used to use shredded newspaper in the stables with the ponies and found it best when mixed with shavings, so the base was thicker underneath. would it get damp in an arc? worth a try.