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The 10 Best Bedding For Hamsters

Your hamster doesn't have much to its name, but its cage may feel like a kingdom with the appropriate accessories. Comfortable, suitable bedding is one of the simplest and most essential strategies to maintain your pet's happiness and health.

But how can one determine whether one product is superior to another? We have evaluated hundreds of various bedding alternatives to ensure that your pet has access to only the finest. BestForPets (bestforpets.org) has also made sure to accommodate customers with a variety of budgets, so continue reading for the best bedding for hamsters!

Reviews

Small Carefresh L0405 Pet Bedding

Carefresh can be administered to rats, chinchillas, hamsters, and guinea pigs. The bedding is produced from recovered fiber, which has several advantages. The recycling component decreases the environmental effect, for one. Additionally, the fibers themselves are softer and more efficient than other alternative materials.

It has the ability to absorb odors for up to 10 days and is twice as absorbent as shavings and similar materials. Additionally, Carefresh does not generate dust or crumble in the same manner as other bedding materials, which makes cleanup substantially simpler.

The delicious fibers may be too thick, though. It might be difficult for burrowing hamsters to maneuver through the fluffy stuff.

Pros

  • Can be used for a variety of pets
  • Recycled material
  • softer than the majority of bedding
  • Absorption of odor for 10 days
  • 2x as absorbent as comparable materials

Cons

  • Perhaps too thick to borrow.

 

Kaytee 100037607 Clean & Cozy Bedding

The Kaytee is our most cost-effective hamster bedding option. It is an inexpensive product that will appeal to those on a tight budget. The bedding is comprised of paper shreds and is twice as absorbent as wood shavings.

It is also 99% dust-free, making it reasonably simple to maintain a pretty clean environment. The materials are available in a variety of hues, and the strands are also very simple to travel through, making them ideal for burrowing creatures.

Unfortunately, odor absorption is not as efficient as we would want. You may find yourself replacing this bedding more frequently than normal in order to prevent odor buildup, which may result in a little decrease in value.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • 99% dust-free
  • Available in different colors
  • Excellent for lending pets

Cons

  • Absorption of odors leaves much to be desired.

 

Select Natural Paper Bedding for Your Small Pet

Small Pet Choose natural bedding made from virgin paper to prevent the presence of pollutants that can occasionally be found in recycled materials (i.e. printer ink, etc.). Nevertheless, this does not imply that the material is unsustainable. Instead, it is derived from discarded, edible plant material.

The material is also exceptionally simple to burrow, which is ideal for active dogs. Unfortunately, it is one of the most costly alternatives on our list, most likely because of the harvesting process. In addition, there is not much to say about odor absorption, so consider that as well.

Pros

  • Food grade paper
  • Simple to burrow
  • Without contaminants

Cons

  • Costly
  • Odor absorption is only adequate

 

Vitakraft 34754 Crumble Bedding

The Vitakraft has 14 days of odor absorption, allowing you to use your bedding for longer than with comparable products. Unpackaged, the paper strands stretch, making the material more absorbent and easy for your pet to walk around in.

The paper is fully biodegradable and compostable, making it suitable for eco-conscious consumers. The soft, unbleached, and baking soda-free paper is ideal for those who wish to maintain the cage’s original state as much as possible.

Unfortunately, we discovered that one of the manufacturer’s assertions was inaccurate. While they claim that their material is 99.5% dust-free, the bag we examined included a significant amount of dust particles. This does not imply that every bag will be wrapped in this manner, but it is something to keep in mind.

Pros

  • Two weeks for the absorption of odor
  • incredibly absorbent for trash
  • Natural paper
  • Simple for dogs to maneuver in

Cons

  • Significantly more dust than advertised.

 

Natural Healthy Pet L0004 Bedding

The Healthy Pet is a 14-liter bag comprised of securely broken paper strands that expand when exposed to water for enhanced absorption and usefulness. The strands can absorb three times their weight in water for long-term usage, and when unfolded, the materials double in size. Additionally, the strands are cushioned and simple to maneuver through.

Unfortunately, there are some issues. For starters, the fabric is not quite as soft as the majority of the alternatives on our list. Additionally, it is not particularly effective at controlling odor, so you will likely need to replace it frequently.

Pros

  • 14-liter bag
  • Expands in the presence of moisture
  • Absorbs 3X its weight
  • Simple to navigate through

Cons

  • The fabric might be quite rough.
  • Not very good at absorbing odors

 

Living World 61276 Aspen Wood Chips

The Living World comes in a cost-effective 20-liter container. The wood shavings are exceptionally absorbent, retaining up to four times their weight in liquid. In addition to being natural and hypoallergenic, the wood is suitable for pets with health issues.

Unfortunately, we saw that the wood is not properly pulped. The bags frequently include huge, jagged pieces of wood that might be dangerous to your hamster’s health if it comes into touch with them.

Some may elect to manually remove the pieces to save money, given the price. Nonetheless, it is worth watching.

Pros

  • Absorbs 4X weight in liquid
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Very inexpensive

Cons

  • May include huge jagged wood fragments.

 

All-Natural Aspen Bedding by Kaytee 100032000

The Kaytee is an inexpensive 20-liter Aspen wood bedding set. The materials are devoid of oils and other substances that might be harmful to your pet’s health. It is also completely biodegradable, ensuring that it has a minimal environmental impact.

Unfortunately, there are a few concerns that you may like to avoid when attempting to save money. For starters, the material has a tendency to collapse and generate a great volume of dust. It is also poor at absorbing odors, which means that the cage will likely smell strongly of ammonia after several days.

Regardless, it remains a cost-effective solution for consumers on a tight budget to get a large quantity of bedding.

Pros

  • Very inexpensive
  • Biodegradable

Cons

  • Produces much dust.
  • Not very efficient in reducing odors

 

Sunseed 18220 Small Animal Bedding

The Sunseed is an inexpensive recyclable paper bedding. The absence of harsh chemicals and the use of baking soda for odor control ensures that the product is safe for your pet. The materials are lightweight and can absorb up to three times their weight in water.

Unfortunately, we also found the paper to be far more difficult than we normally prefer. Although your hamster is unlikely to complain, you should be aware that there are certainly more comfortable alternatives available.

Pros

  • Baking soda
  • Non-toxic
  • 3X moisture decrease

Cons

  • Possible discomfort for your pet

 

FiberCore Environmental Bedding

The FiberCore Eco-Bedding is offered in a 4.5-pound package at a very reasonable price. The material is composed of recycled paper and is compostable to lessen its environmental effect. In terms of moisture absorption, 36 liters of it behaves more like 125 liters after expansion.

However, a few concerns place this bedding towards the bottom of our ranking. For starters, the paper’s strands tend to tangle with one another, which might imprison your pet. Additionally, this aspect of the bedding makes it very difficult to clean in stages.

If you remove bedding as soon as you see an issue, you will end up removing considerably larger clumps of paper than planned.

Pros

  • 36 liters
  • Extremely absorbing
  • Are compostable

Cons

  • Bedding might entangle a pet’s paws.
  • Difficult to clean gradually

Buyer's Guide

You have seen the items, but did any of them catch your attention? If not, these purchasing considerations may prove useful. Keep reading!

Type of Component

There are several sorts of materials that you could encounter. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Paper

Paper is prized for its softness and for the ease with which your pet may walk through it. In addition, it is frequently highly biodegradable, which can lessen its environmental effect. Nonetheless, quality can be uneven, and odor absorption is frequently subpar.

Wood

Wood shavings are often the least expensive alternative, but they come with a variety of disadvantages. For starters, it tends to be highly crumbly or “dusty,” which makes cleanup considerably more difficult.

Wood can also have sharp or jagged edges that could be hazardous to your pet.

Refined Fiber

Still, other bedding is comprised of processed fiber, albeit the precise meaning of this term might vary somewhat from unit to unit. For instance, one of the items on our list was constructed from refined coconut husks.

These fibers tend to be softer, although they are typically more costly. You will also need to research each unit thoroughly to determine which one is ideal for you.

Odor Abatement

Obviously, you need something that can eliminate the numerous odors that develop in a pet’s cage. Every product has its own method for tackling this circumstance. Some utilize chemicals, some use baking soda, while yet others depend only on the material’s inherent absorbent characteristics.

Animals with health sensitivities would likely benefit most from organic bedding, but this may necessitate more frequent bedding replacements. Organic options for odor control are not always as effective as synthetic ones.

Size of the Container

The great majority of items on our list are sold in 20-liter quantities. However, estimating how far each bag will take you is more challenging. For instance, you must consider the product’s capacity for absorption, as well as its capacity for expansion and odor control.

Obtaining the greatest value for your money may require trial and error.

Conclusion

You’ve read our hamster bedding reviews. Now is the time to make a final choice. Perhaps you were impressed by the superior quality of BestForPets (bestforpets.org)’s top pick for the best bedding for hamsters, the Carefresh L0405 Small Pet Bedding.

However, you may also get an excellent product for a very reasonable price. Customers on a budget might choose the Kaytee 100037607 Clean & Cozy Bedding, which is our runner-up pick.

Obviously, all of these goods are excellent, and hamster bedding sells quickly, so you may end yourself trying a variety of these options.

Author Image

Dr. Deborah Fletcher

Deborah R. Fletcher, DVM, is a skilled veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience dealing with companion and exotic animals. She has experience caring for a variety of animals, including household cats and dogs, reptiles, birds of prey, and even primates. Dr. Fletcher is a valuable part of the BestForPets team, where she contributes to their aim of providing pets and their owners with the finest possible treatment and services.

Veterinarian (DVM) Dr. Deborah Fletcher

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