The Essential Guide to Buying the Best Hamster Bedding

Here is a list of Top 5 Beddings we Reviewed

Product	Description	Price
1. Carefresh Complete Pet Bedding (3.8 / 5) Best Seller - OVER 1800 SOLD!	carefresh complete comfort care provides all the features small pet parents care about SOFT - Made with comfyfluff; FRESH - 10 day odor control; DRY - 2X more absorbent than shavings; CLEAN - Low dust and easy to clean	$$
2. Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Small Animal Bedding (4 / 5)	Odor control guaranteed 99.9% Dust Free for a Cleaner Cage Absorbs 6x its Weight in Liquid Safe for your Pet Absorbs 2x more liquid than wood shavings	$$
3. Carefresh confetti small pet bedding, 50L (4.3 / 5)	carefresh complete comfort care provides all the features small pet parents care about SOFT - Made with comfyfluff; FRESH - 10 day odor control; DRY - 2X more absorbent than shavings; CLEAN - Low dust and easy to clean	$$
4. Kaytee Clean & Cozy Colored Small Animal Bedding (4.4 / 5)	Odor Control Guaranteed 99.9% Dust Free for a Cleaner Cage Absorbs 6x its Weight in Liquid Safe for your Pet Fun Colors inspire kids to get involved in cage cleaning	$
5. Kaytee Clean & Cozy Colored Small Animal Bedding (4.4 / 5)	Odor Control Guaranteed 99.9% Dust Free for a Cleaner Cage Absorbs 6x its Weight in Liquid Safe for your Pet Fun Colors inspire kids to get involved in cage cleaning	$$$

*We reviewed all the products below – jump to review section here.

Everything You Need to Know about Hamster Bedding

It’s important as pet owners that we create a habitat for our pets that mimic their natural environment. As if being held in captivity is not enough, a poorly prepared hamster cage can be detrimental to your pet’s health and overall well-being.

Hamsters love to burrow and dig deep dens into the ground to create their nests, and you can allow them to enjoy this kind of environment by using the right kind of hamster bedding.

Why You Need Hamster Bedding?

You need to provide your pet with the suitable environment so it stays happy and healthy. One of the most important things you can provide is the proper hamster bedding.

A few inches of bedding is enough for your pet to dig and burrow around into, creating a comfortable, safe, and secure place for itself.

Also known as substrate, hamster bedding can be made of different materials, all with the intention of serving the following purposes:

• soaks up urine and other liquids
• minimize odor
• create an environment that mimics its natural habitat
• allows your hamster to dig and burrow
• creates a safe place for your hamster to walk around and sleep in.

Things to Consider When Buying Hamster Bedding

If you’re planning on having a pet hamster for the first time, it can be a headache when preparing its habitat. You may not know which products to use, what’s healthy and safe, but you’d also want something that’s fun and easy to clean.

So before you take a step into a pet store, you need to know what to consider when buying your hamster’s bedding for the first time:

1. High Absorbency

Hamsters urinate on the bedding, too, so the material must be highly absorbent to prevent sogginess and wetness. Good quality hamster bedding can stay dry for several days so you won’t have to change it daily.

2. Soft

The bedding material must be soft as hamsters’ feet are tiny and any sharp shards can get inside their nails and cause injury or infections.

3. Easy to Remove

Cleaning your hamster’s cage must be done on a regular basis to prevent bad odor and to keep your hamster healthy. Thus, bedding that’s easy to remove and replace is a must so that keeping a clean cage will also be a breeze for you.

Types of Bedding Material to Avoid:

1. Pine and Cedar Wood Shavings

These are commonly sold in pet stores but are actually hazardous to small animals since they can break into sharp pieces and injure your pet. They are also often treated with chemicals that are toxic.

2. Fluffy Bedding

Your hamster’s tiny legs could get tangled in the fluffy material deeming it dangerous to your pet as well.

3. Cat Litter

Cat litter must be avoided as hamsters love to chew and gnaw on just about anything. If they accidentally swallow cat litter, they can’t digest it and can lead to digestive issues.

The Best Hamster Bedding Material

1. Paper

Paper-based bedding is the best hamster bedding material as it is soft, safe, and easy on the pocket. Bedding that’s made of pure paper are highly absorbent, treated with non toxic odor control, and are even safe to eat.

2. Aspen Wood Shavings

Although wood shavings are generally dangerous as a small animal bedding, Aspen wood shavings are an exception. They are a natural biodegradable product, and are usually dust-free, though not as absorbent as paper bedding.

To give you an idea about which products are the best hamster bedding for your pet, here are TOP 5 products to consider!

Review Of The The Best Hamster Bedding For Your Pet

2. Kaytee Clean and Cozy White Small Animal Bedding

Made of paper bedding, it is 99.9% dust free, deeming it ultra-safe for your hamster’s respiratory system.

It absorbs twice the liquid than that of wood shavings, and can hold up to 6 times its weight in liquid.

• Bedding is made from discarded remnants and trimmings of hygiene products, which means it underwent extensive procedures and chemicals to eliminate dirt and residue.

4. Kaytee Clean and Cozy Colored Small Animal Bedding, Blue

It absorbs 6 times its weight in liquid, and just like the White option, it’s super soft and 99.9% dust-free.

• Contains ink or dye so it might contain allergens

Are These Materials Safe as a Hamster Bedding?

1. Newspaper 

While paper is the best material for a hamster bedding, newspapers might not so safe due to the ink used. Soy ink is said to be generally safe, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Ink, especially colored ink and those used in glossy pictures and images, can be toxic for your hamster.

2. Sand Bath

While they’re soft and comfortable, it’s not ideal to be used as bedding, as hamsters typically bathe or urinate on them and they can clump up, making it uncomfortable for your pet to sleep in.

3. Dried, Crumpled Up Leaves

These are definitely not safe for hamsters as they can be sharp, and contain insecticides or dust, bacteria, and even insects.

Commonly Asked Questions

How often should I change my hamster’s bedding?

This answer depends on your hamster. There are some hamsters who are messier than others, and in this case, constant replacement of bedding must be done. You can also check if there are a lot of droppings or if the bedding starts to smell really bad: in this case, it is time to change.

Do hamsters eat bedding, why, and how to stop it?

Hamsters love to chew so gnawing on the bedding material is normal for them. They also tend to fill their pouches with anything to create their nest so there is a tendency for them to swallow the material.

You can stop this by giving your pet a safe toy to chew on, so each time it has a desire to chew and gnaw, it uses the toy instead of the bedding.