This article is from the Spring 2002 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

Dale McLain, Montebello, CA
At a recent Super Zoo held at the Anaheim Convention Center, we happened upon a unique, new paper product for use with our critters. Paperlet is manufactured in Japan by Peparlet Company and is being marketed as a litter/bedding product. Paperlet is a recycled paper product, one-half inch long, and is tightly rolled. It resembles small pieces of white twine.

I didn’t actually test this product as a litter, but instead used it with pregnant females and new mothers as a nesting material. I especially like it as a nesting material for several reasons. Although it is a recycled product, it is pure white and leaves no evidence of dust as other paper products can. Since rats have a natural instinct to shred materials for nesting, this product is just the right size for rat and mouse fingers to manipulate. The small white roll opens to about ½" wide by 4" long and is very soft. In addition to being an excellent nesting material, it stimulates the animal as she unrolls each tiny piece for her nest. Since it is compact, it stores easily and has no odor. I am not certain of the price, but it is probably in line with the market.

Louise Stack, Covina, CA
Have you ever wondered what people in other countries use as cage bedding for their rats, mice, and assorted pint-sized pets? When I attended Super Zoo 2001 at the Anaheim Convention Center in July, I had the opportunity to try a new paper bedding designed for small animals called Paperlet, made by the Peparlet Company of Fujieda-Shi, Japan.

I asked for a complimentary sample to take home and test, as I liked the clean looking appearance of the product. It appeared different from other paper beddings that I’d used, such as CareFRESH® Ultra™, in that it was shaped like little white paper rat-sized “cigarettes” with a few pink and green ones added for eye appeal.

My three rats seemed to like Paperlet. They had fun digging in it and pushing it around their cage. At first they unrolled one of the pieces trying to figure out what to do with it—should they smoke it or build a nest with it?

I liked the fact that Paperlet was dust free, lightweight, and had a soft smooth texture. It had no scent when fresh and was absorbent; however, it didn’t mask urine odor very well.

If Paperlet sounds like a product you”d like to learn more about, check their website at www.peparlet.com, as it’s not sold in the U.S.A. at this time.

Geri Hauser, Riverside, CA
I started out by putting the Paperlet bedding in my three girl’s 15-gallon tank as the only bedding. They wondered what it was and were hesitant at first.

I found there was no dust and was easy to scoop out and left no dust behind like other beddings. However, it started to smell of urine after 3 days and had to be removed after 7 days even though it didn’t look dirty. The paper rolls were unrolled by the rats and this increased the volume of the bedding in the cage. It hides the droppings well and the only drawback was the urine odor.

Next I used my usual Aspen Supreme and Sani-Chips® and placed the Paperlet on top. I noticed urine odor 2 days later.

I think it looks nice but would make a better nesting material than being used as a bedding as you would have to change it every couple days.

Karen Robbins, Winnetka, CA
I gave several cages of mice the Paperlet material for nesting material—from single males to group cages to moms with babies. Other than one cage of females that didn’t want to use it at first, everyone liked the stuff and used it in their nests, some mice even unrolled some of the pieces.

NOTE: Paperlet Small Animal Litter is made by Peparlet Company, Limited, 422 Shimodoma, Fujieda-Shi Shizuoka-Ken 426-0003, Japan, Telephone: 81-054-643-2943, Fax: 81-54-644-6513, e-mail: info@peparlet.com. Their web site is www.peparlet.com.

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