BIO-Nesting is an exciting addition to the NuHemp product line, launching in late 2007. A true innovation in small animal bedding, BIO-Nesting™ utilizes the fantastic absorption properties of the hemp plant. Being one of the most highly renewable resources available and fully sustainable, hemp renews itself on an annual basis, and breaks down twice as fast as other bedding products when disposed of. Combine that with an absorption rate fully twice that of pine bedding (and half the dust), and you have the perfect all natural bedding for pets and the environment.

It’s the ideal nesting material for hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, mice, rats as well as birds and other small animals as it forms a springy, insulating bedding that is identical to the materials that animals use for nesting in their natural habitat.

Where does the BIO-Nesting™
originate from?
NuHemp BIO-Nesting™ is made from the inner core and outer fibres of the hemp plant stem which is grown and processed entirely in the Canada. It is not bleached and no chemicals or pesticides are added at any stage of its growth, so producing a 'green' product which is full recyclable into useful organic compost.

Why is Hemp the BEST Choice for
Nesting Material?

• Bast hemp fibre excels in durability and absorbency, has anti-mildew and anti-microbial properties.
• BIO-Nesting’s ™ unique hemp fibre properties keep the nest dry and odorless much longer than traditional wood bedding. It has twice the absorption capacity of other bedding materials which results in much better odor control and less frequent changing of the bedding.
• BIO-Nesting™ has very little dust, and exhibits the highest resistance to dusting when compared to other bedding creating a healthier life and environment for the pet! The constant inhalation of this dust by a pet can lead to respiratory problems.
• Some bedding products may contain volatile compounds such as aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols, which have been proven to have a negative impact on the health of some small animals. BIO-Nesting™ does not emit any of these harmful compounds and is in fact virtually odorless.
• BIO-Nesting™ is a 100% natural material and completely biodegradable, which composts readily into a high-grade organic material in just a couple of months. For this reason farmers and gardeners will love it.
• BIO-Nesting™ is an annually renewable resource/crop (hemp), which can be traced back to the field in which it was grown!
• BIO-Nesting™ will result in time and labour savings if it is managed properly.
• BIO-Nesting™ works by soaking up liquids in a small area, at the base of the bed. The capped layer that forms over this saturated material reduces the chance of wet bedding being mixed in with the dry. The top layer of the bed remains warm, soft and dry for the pet.
  

What's Wrong With Cedar & Pine?
The problems with softwood shavings such as pine and cedar stem from the natural, aromatic chemicals called phenols that give the woods their natural aroma. These phenols interact with the liver and respiratory system in the body, potentially producing unwanted and harmful side-effects.

The Respiratory System
The effects of cedar and pine on the respiratory system are clear and well documented through several years of scientific research: the natural chemicals present in softwoods can damage the respiratory tract, leading to chronic respiratory disease and asthma. Although most of this research describes the effects of wood products in humans, it should be noted that the effects are likely to be more pronounced in small animals, which have a much greater sense of smell, and are therefore more sensitive to respiratory irritants.
The primary irritant in cedar is plicatic acid, present in highest concentrations in western red cedar. Although the mechanism is not fully understood, plicatic acid has been shown to cause asthma and inflammatory and allergic reactions after long-term exposures. The natural irritant in pine, called abietic acid, also exhibits allergic responses, though these are much weaker than those induced by plicatic acid. However, the oxidation of abietic acid does form compounds that are rather potent allergens.

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