The first thing any new bird owner needs is a cage. The second is a material to line that cage. But which type of liner is best? Many new owners immediately reach for newspaper. Although some people may consider reusing paper in this way as a form of recycling, the length of the time the item is actually reused is often very short. As soon as most owners clean their pet’s cages, the paper then heads into the trash. Any recycling effort on behalf of the owner is essentially wasted.
Other bird owners go as far purchasing custom-sized paper cage liners, sans yesterday news. While these may make for convenient paper changes (no cutting or folding required), it still does nothing for the environment. Additionally, allowing your bird’s fecal matter to simply fall onto a piece of paper isn’t the most hygienic option. All the bacteria (and smell) from the droppings are right there just waiting to come in contact with the bird.
A much greener option is Natural Corn Cobs. This highly absorbent litter is made from renewable resources. It is also biodegradable, meaning when owners clean cages, the used corn cob litter doesn’t end up hurting the earth at all. On the contrary, this natural product can even be added to compost piles. In some quantities, it can even be flushed down the toilet!
The producers of Natural Corn Cobs use a special sanitizing process called the "PureLite Process". Like most agricultural by-products, corncobs can be contaminated with microorganisms. The PureLite process is a highly effective approach for destroying microbial contaminates in corncob particles without negatively affecting the desirable quality characteristics of the product. This novel process completely destroys bacterial vegetative cells, spores, and fungi (yeast and mold).
For those bird owners that desire an odor control, this same PureLite processed corn cob is available in Fresh Nest Bird Litter, which provides a clean, fresh aroma in the cage. This alone can be reason enough for many pet owners to make the switch.
If you want to help the environment, put down that paper. Instead, read the latest news and weather online, and look for Natural Corn Cobs litter in the bird aisle of your local pet supply store. It can also be used for a number of other small animals -- including rabbits, hamsters, mice, rats, ferrets, guinea pigs, gerbils, hedgehogs, and chinchillas. For more information on litter for small animals, please refer to BEDDING, THE RIGHT LITTER, and ODOR CONTROL in our section on General Topics, Small Animals.
