This article is from the WSSF 2012 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

Karen Robbins, Winnetka, CA
At the Pet Expo display in 2012, Pet Care Systems came by and dropped off some of their new Swheat Stall pellets for us to try out (they make the Swheat Scoop® scoopable cat litter). This is an all-natural animal litter composed of aspen wood and ground wheat for use in horse and farm animal stalls. Being that aspen pellets are such a great bedding to use for rodents, I was very eager to give this a try and see how aspen mixed with wheat worked. Aspen has been long known for its ability to absorb moisture and eliminate ammonia and is the best I’ve found to use underneath the aspen shavings or aspen chips in mouse and rat cages.

These are larger diameter pellets but in smaller chunks and are a softer pellet than the Aspen Supreme™ I’m currently using. They have a mild smell where sometimes aspen pellets can smell strong when you first open the bag. These pellets do break down into a powder like straight aspen pellets but is a finer powder, and being mixed with wheat, they are lighter in color.

During my testing period on the mice, I found in using these pellets it ranged from no smell, to no smell till the pee corner was broken up, to some smell overall at cleaning time which is on par with the aspen pellets. The cages also lasted the same amount of time between cleanings.

With the rat cages, it was either no smell or some smell at cleaning time, with the same duration time between cleaning.

After trying this in most of the mouse cages and several rat cages over several months time, I found it is right up there with straight aspen pellets and is comparable in outcome to how it performs. This is one product I highly recommend and will be looking to get more when I can.

NOTE: Swheat Stall® comes is 40 lb bags and is manufactured by Pet Care Systems, 1421 Richwood Rd., Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-6930, phone number 1-800-SWHEATS (794-3287), and e-mail info@swheatscoop.com.