I use Newspapers that a friend saves for me, she gets several papers daily, so I'm usually having her recycle some and giving me the rest, I have tons of it. I do not use grates in any of my cages, they are so nasty to clean and IMHO, useless, as they get covered in poo also. If I'm not using a grate, its a quick pick up of paper and replacing it. takes a minute per cage and it's just alot less hassle. Monty is my only bottom dweller at times and he does not get into poo as for some odd reason he poops in only one spot right off his sleeping perch, the odd little man. lol .