Hamster Bedding

[MaryMac]

Hello all - I'm new here and I have a question. We got my son a teddy bear hamster for Christmas, so we are novices at this. (Ask me anything about a dog, and I can tell you - but a hamster, well . . . I'm learning!)

Anyway, he's a long hair teddy bear hamster named Jackpot and he gets his bedding tangled in his hair quite often. Sometimes it gets so bad I have to cut it out. He's not one to be handled although he doesn't bite. He's just super-hyper, so I don't think combing him is even an option. He has a little "playpen" that we put him in when we want to handle him, and that's when I try to make sure his hair is bedding free. I'm wondering if there is a different bedding I should be using that wouldn't do that so much. I think the brand name is Care Fresh (the bag it comes in is kind of a putrid green, and the bedding itself is a grey, shredded material).

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Abbey]

I have a long haired too and I use a soft toothbrush to wipe off any bits of bedding. if thats any help :)
I don't use carefresh (its not available here :mad: ) so maybe someone else can help you on that :)

[Smilez]

When i first go my hammie we got a cage with all the bits we may need and the bedding was like cotton wool kinda stuff but i never used it as since reading stuff hammies can chew and swallow bits of it and make him poorly. Now i buy recycled paper bedding as if he chews it it is digesible.

maybe try using paper bedding

[dosergirl]

Carefresh is a recycled paper bedding.

As far as i know this kind gets stuck the least of any other i've tried with long haired syrians. the soft tooth brush idea is a great one and it works well.

I use carefresh ultra because it's softer and i like the bright white.

[Boovila]

look. carefresh is probley one of the best bedding out there if not the best. it is soft for hamsters and they enjoy it alot. dont switch to any other type of bedding. if u were to swith, try aspen, but if i were u i would stay with carefresh. it is really good. about it getting stuck in its hair, well, ur just going to have t tame him, and when he is tamed, ull be able to comb it out of his hair easily, he wont mind. for now just try taking it out when u can anmd when hes still. but care fresh is a really good bedding. DO NOT USE PINE OR CEDAR BEDDING. THAT WLL KILL YOUR HAMSTER.

but please, always do your research before you buy the hamster

[MaryMac]

Thanks all for the responses. You were very helpful! I actually did a lot of research before we got Jackpot because I wanted to make sure it was a pet my son could handle. And I did read that Carefresh was a good bedding, and it's the kind the pet store used too.

Well, I guess I'll continue to pick it out as necessary. He doesn't seem to mind too much when I do it as long as I don't pull it (in which case I'll use the scissors!).

[chinsrcuteies]

PINE BEDDING WILL NOT KILL YOUR HAMSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have used it for years and my hammys are fine:nod: :agree:

[TobyRat]

PINE BEDDING WILL NOT KILL YOUR HAMSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have used it for years and my hammys are fine:nod: :agree:

It won't flat out kill them. But it can give them different respritory issues in the long run. :)

[Boovila]

why run that chance of them getting a respitory problem

[chinsrcuteies]

My hammy is jus tfine and we even took him to a vet and she said that he was fine with pine bedding

[Rebel226]

PINE BEDDING WILL NOT KILL YOUR HAMSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have used it for years and my hammys are fine:nod: :agree:

Sorry to disagree but both Cedar and Pine should never be used as bedding. Research now shows evidence that Pine also releases "phenols" that can kill slowly over time. CareFresh or Aspen. Only way to go. And actually now there is some evidence that maybe even Aspen can affect a hamster's health but the jury is still out on Aspen.

[LilSnooPydOG]

Chinsrcuteies, your hammy may be fine NOW, but later on, problems may occur. And even if nothing happens to him while on pine, it won't be the same for every hamster.


I had two hamsters live on pine, and they were healthy. I was still learning about hamsters then, and it wasn't until I got my third hammy that I found out pine was bad. Still, even though my guys were OK, I would never recommend it to people because you never know. I would hate it if my hammy got ill on pine, and I knew it was bad. I wouldn't want to run the risk of a sick hammy.

[4hgurly]

I didn't know they couldn't have pine shavings as their bedding! I did reasearch way before I got my hampster and didn't find anything of the sort. I read in many sites that Aspen was bad for them and that pine was fine. I can't change to any other wood shavings because I'm alergic to them for some reason, and have respritory problems myself but I'm fine with pine shavings. I haven't seen any other kind of bedding available in the pet shops around here what should I do?:xeye:

[TobyRat]

I didn't know they couldn't have pine shavings as their bedding! I did reasearch way before I got my hampster and didn't find anything of the sort. I read in many sites that Aspen was bad for them and that pine was fine. I can't change to any other wood shavings because I'm alergic to them for some reason, and have respritory problems myself but I'm fine with pine shavings. I haven't seen any other kind of bedding available in the pet shops around here what should I do?:xeye:

Well, if you really can't find anything eles you can use paper towel and clean them every day. Have you ever tried Carefresh?
:rainbow:

[chinsrcuteies]

hi i use corncob and it works fine :jester:

[animalcrazed1]

CareFresh is a wonderful, shaved wood alternative bedding for any and all small animals. It is safe, absorbant and helps keep the pH levels down (rodent urine contains amonia) in your animals cage so they do not become exposed to excess amonia moisture. Its a little bit more expensive than the standard pine shavings, but worth the cash. Also look for Kaytee brand bedding. Its small beige colored pellets (looks a little like blanket fuzz) and is good also. It is relatively new to themarket, but will catch on quickly. It comes in a blue, pressure packed bag. If your local pet store(s) dont carry either product, they SHOULD be able to special order it for you.

Lisa

[LilSnooPydOG]

Carefresh is great. I think when I'm out of Aspen I might have to try Carefresh.

Corncob would work fine, too, but I personally hate it. I used it with my first hammy, and my dad said I could only keep it if it didn't start to smell. Well, I had him on corncob, and after only 1 or 2 days, my room smelled horrible. In my opinion it doesn't do a very good job absorbing. I didn't want to throw it out without even using it, so I put it in a litter box that the cage came with- hamster went to the bathroom in it and it worked better that way.

[Rohini]

I use a toothbruth on my hammy too. he didn't like it at first but he is used to it now, and his long hair looks beautiful afterwards. Don't cut too much fur. He will clean as much as poss and once you use the toothbrush u should be ok. If you cut the fur it may grow back uneven

[Rebel226]

hi i use corncob and it works fine :jester:
Don't use "corncob" bedding. "Corncob" bedding promotes the rapid growth of the potentially deadly "Aspergillus Fungus" and if "corncob" bedding is ingested/eaten" it can cause an intestinal/stomach blockage that can lead to the death of the little dude.

[Angeleyes22]

Don't use "corncob" bedding. "Corncob" bedding promotes the rapid growth of the potentially deadly "Aspergillus Fungus" and if "corncob" bedding is ingested/eaten" it can cause an intestinal/stomach blockage that can lead to the death of the little dude.
Yes, I agree with u Rebel on the corn cob bedding...I used this way back when I first started out with hamsters..unknowing and inexpierenced at that time ... the harmful and deadly effects that corn cob bedding had on my hamsters...
..some of my Dwarfs were bedded on this and I noticed there was a growth in the areas of the cage were the peed daily...."Aspergillus Fungus"...was what it was...they were Diabetic also...the sugar in their urine seem to add to the problem of the growth of this fungus in the pee corners..


...I soon did alot of research on the net about this kind of bedding and seen the many pets bedded on this type of litter suffered from stomach blockage and died as a result of eating the litter..the owners not knowing that the litter caused many problems for their pets...such as me at that time..


..I lost 2 of my hamsters due to a stomach blockage caused by them eating the corn cob bedding..

..I will never use this kind of litter again nor will I recommend this type of litter to anyone...

[Rebel226]

Yes, I agree with u Rebel on the corn cob bedding...I used this way back when I first started out with hamsters..unknowing and inexpierenced at that time ... the harmful and deadly effects that corn cob bedding had on my hamsters...
..some of my Dwarfs were bedded on this and I noticed there was a growth in the areas of the cage were the peed daily...."Aspergillus Fungus"...was what it was...they were Diabetic also...the sugar in their urine seem to add to the problem of the growth of this fungus in the pee corners..


...I soon did alot of research on the net about this kind of bedding and seen the many pets bedded on this type of litter suffered from stomach blockage and died as a result of eating the litter..the owners not knowing that the litter caused many problems for their pets...such as me at that time..


..I lost 2 of my hamsters due to a stomach blockage caused by them eating the corn cob bedding..

..I will never use this kind of litter again nor will I recommend this type of litter to anyone...



Good to see you agree Angeleyes. And yeah in my opinion corncob bedding should be taken off the market. No reason to use it considering the potential danger involved since there are safe alternatives such as CareFresh.

[Smallies]

Hi Abbey, your post was ages ago but you might be still around to see this, Carefresh is available in Ireland now, although more expensive than woodchips it does last longer. There are a good few pet shops that sell it now, and if not just ask them to order you some. They shoudln't have a problem with ordering some as both large pet shop suppliers carry carefresh which come in a case of 6 delivered to the shop. It's really good stuff, the best litter I have found in Ireland so far.