HEMP BEDDING BRAND COMPARISON TEST & RESULTS
Hemp bedding is truly the new way of pet bedding—but not all pet hemp bedding is created equal. There are different extraction methods that to reflect longevity, absorption and odor. Some companies use the entire stalk and some just the soft spongy part of the hurd. A good pet hemp bedding should have minimal to no odor. Pet bedding should remain dry on top and absorb at the bottom creating a soft bed—this is what makes this bedding impressive when absorbed correctly. For Chickens, this type of bedding keeps eggs much cleaner because dampness drops to the bottom and dry stays on top. It takes Only ONE to TWO (1-2) 44 pound bags PER YEAR for chickens on average!
For small pets, there is no cleaning the urine for a couple months just picking off the poop and there should be no smell depending on the brand of hemp bedding used. I tested it myself using Aubiose for my guinea pigs and I am amazed-- for years I have tried pine bedding, paper bedding, Kaytee clean and cozy, scented pellets and granules AND ALL within just a few days started spreading odor throughout the air in my home! It was a very tough battle on what to do. I have had the same bedding with my guinea pigs for two months picking off the top and adding a little each week and its been 2 months-- zero odor and easier to manage.
For Horses, hemp bedding is better for joints and comfort of a horse, as well as, the clean-up process. You are cutting down the cleaning process because you don’t pick the pee every day and only one bag is used per week—all the while the bedding stays beautifully dry on top (pending the hemp bedding quality). In addition, most hemp bedding is 96-99.7% dust free. So, it’s good for animals with reparatory and the overall barn cleanliness. A superior hemp bedding uses just the hurd and guarantees that there will be no concerns of horses testing positive for any related drugs concerns—it’s an industrial hemp not the “hemp” people often link it too. "I like to call Pet Hemp Bedding the Sober cousin, because there is zero CBD or THC in a proper pet bedding."
BUT WHAT BRAND DO I CHOOSE? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
SO, I decided to buy an array of pet hemp bedding bags on amazon/chewy/websites that are popular and put them to the test! Smell, absorbency and how they hold up over a few days (With Video footage). Here are my findings…
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/O3iLxohXI4I
This is Part #1 Introducing each pet hemp bedding product. I added EXACTLY 1 ounce of each product and placed into mason jars for observation. I smelled each one and you can see what I liked and what I did not. I reviewed the pricing and broke it down per pound—with shipping or expressed in).
The following are some details in the order they are discussed (at random) on video link above.
1) OLD DOMINION
6.6 pound bag for $29.95 (plus tax) on amazon (Product is $4.54-$5.65/pound)
18.99/bag on their website plus shipping ($37.35)
33 pound bag for $30.99 plus shipping came to $56.35/bag ($1.71/pound)
*Made in Virginia
*Reading their website they use the entire stalk of the hemp plant (this will darken the color of the product a bit)
*Tea-like strong smell not my favorite
2) Happy Tree’s / Premium Hemp
6.6 pounds/bag is $16.99 on Amazon and the website was “Coming Soon” ($2.58/Pound)
*Looks exactly like Old Dominion and the darker color also looks like the entire stalk was used. But NO company facts could be found.
*Tea-like smell not my favorite and stronger than I would prefer
3) Oley Hemp
1 pound bag $9.27 on Chewy & Amazon and on their website $7/pound PLUS shipping. (9.27-12/pound)
25 pound bag is $60 Plus Shipping $2.4/bag plus shipping
*Website says throughout locations in the United States. The color and look of it looks like they use the plant seeds and all. I dont love the color. Its blended much more than most hemp beddings on the market.
*Easy/soft smell of dirt and wood.
4) Dr. Hemp
2 pound bag for $23.58 (on amazon) ($11.79/pound)
*Went to the website KenGroPet.com goes to an Asian NO BUENO site!!! (Children do not look this up)—maybe the website is down?
*BUT if you look up Kengro Corporation it’s a LEGIT company—Actually very impressive company!
*Made is Mississippi—from the Kenaf hemp varietal they state its one of the better absorbing varietals. Its nice to learn actual facts when you visit the company site.
*Initial Smell was very nice clean & woody with a tea bag subtle draft
5) Eaton Pet & Pasture
9 pound bag its $17 on Amazon & 19.99 on Chewy ($1.89-2.22/Pound)
*Very nice website! And I love their story and this product has great marketing.
*EatonPetandPasture.com is their website.
*Product made in the USA in upstate New York (Eaton, NY)
*Product holds strong smell and very dark in color. Appears to have been blended with leaves and the stalk—possibly even flowers along with the hurd. Also a strong herbal pungent smell
6) Rowdy Rooster
*5 pound/24L bag made in Kentucky $17.99 plus shipping on their website. ($6.5/pound including shipping)
*24 pound bag/141L on amazon (58.95 PLUS 9.99shipping on amazon) ($2.87/pound)
*Reviews were funny—not very great. Strong pungent smell.
7) AubiZoo/Aubiose
Seems very expensive! Imported from France. 15 pound bag is $59.49 (free shipping) ($3.96/pound) and 44 pound bag is $129.89 on amazon ($2.95/pound) farmwellfeed.com 124.94/bag ($2.84/pound)
*Light color reflects quality extraction from ONLY the hurd—no exterior stem, leaves or other parts of the plant
*Initial Smell was very nice clean & woody
8) AubiChick
44 pound bag is $129.89 on amazon ($2.84-2.95/pound)
Farmwellfeed.com 124.94/bag
*Made in France
*Light color reflects quality extraction from ONLY the hurd—no exterior stem, leaves or other parts of the plant.
*Initial Smell was very nice clean & woody
9) RentACoop
300L bag is about 34 pounds Ebay=121/bag Amazon $73.78 ($2.17-3.56/pound)
*Says made in USA on their site however many of their other advertisements say E.U. (European Union)
**Could not find direct sources of their product
*Initial Smell was very nice clean & woody
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/vs8OqX1PH-0
Now that I have explained what products absorbed within 30 minutes after putting water into the products. The finer ground hemp blends reflected better absorbency levels (Which makes sense). The ones that were all the same size (Standard absorbed relatively at the same level. Most Absorbent on this video in order:
1.) Oley Hemp
2.) AubiChick
3.) Aubiose/AubiZoo
4.) Dr. Hemp
5.) Happy Tree's
6.) Old Dominion
7.) Ren-A-Coop
8.) Rowdy Rooster
9.) Easton Pet & Pasture
VIDEO3: https://youtu.be/yDsdT1C-zW4
What does the pet hemp bedding smell like after water has been absorbing for about 45 minutes & look like? I wrote out my notes according to the video below-- you can watch my reactions or read below...
1.) Oley Hemp: Nice clean sweat oatmeal smell. Great Absorption. Damp solid matt like oatmeal) and the bottom of the jar)
2.) AubiChick: Soft clean woody nice smell. Nice dry and fluffy on top.
3.) Aubiose/AubiZoo: Soft clean nice woody smell. Nice dry and fluffy on top.
4.) Dr. Hemp: Not a bad smell. Put pulls a stronger tea-like smell when wet with a mossy cinnamon undertone. Nice dry layer on top.
5.) Happy Tree's: Subtle tea-like smell when wet. Doesn't stay totally dry on top.
6.) Old Dominion: Stunk. Had intense urine-like undertones that were offensive to the nose. Didn't stay dry and fluffy on top.
7.) Ren-A-Coop: Nice soft subtle woody smell and stayed fluffy on top.
8.) Rowdy Rooster: Strong pungent smell. Very little dry pieces of the bedding on top.
9.) Easton Pet & Pasture: Strong pungent smell warm and did not stay dry on top.
Part 4: THE MOLD TEST!
When reviewing the Mold on the hemp it was just for observation and also to see how the absorption stayed at the bottom. Here are my finding in the order of the video.
1.) Oley Hemp: Looks like a nasty petri-dish. Lots of mold
2.) AubiChick: No mold. Clean dampness held at the bottom. Dry on top.
3.) Aubiose/AubiZoo No mold. Clean dampness held at the bottom. Dry on top.
4.) Ren-A-Coop: Water came thru and started to mold.
5.) Happy Tree's: Relatively dry on top and no mold
6.) Dr. Hemp: Dry on top damp bottom no mold.
7.) Old Dominion: Wet all the way through and a little bit of mold. Farm damp product.
8.) Rowdy Rooster: Damp with some dry at the top no mold.
9.) Easton Pet & Pasture: Very little dry at the top-- not like I would like to see and mold formed.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Aubiose Zoo, Aubiose & AubiChick were the overall superior product—in terms of absorbency, staying dry on top, never got moldy, fluffy, and no bad odor! Next in line, I would say Dr. Hemp—not a bad odor, no mold and absorbed well. Rent-A-Coop maintain a nice odor, absorbed decently but did get mold. In terms of mold, there are some molds you do want when maintaining a chicken coup but that is a process I have explained more about this on another one of my blogs. Overall, you do not want mold or strong odors in your horses or small pets habitats.
