Are you trying to find the most useful bedding for your hamster so she can play and sleep in comfort? Providing your pet hamster with suitable bedding material is extremely important since the environment she lives and sleeps in will have long-lasting effects on her health, temperament and life span.

These creatures usually sleep during the day and they love burrowing. One way to satisfy their burrowing instincts is by providing quality and suitable bedding material at the bottom of the cage. What are the commonly used materials for the beddings of the hamster?

It’s not a good idea to use towels or blankets for bedding because you will soon find these things wet and dirty! The bedding materials should be at least 2" thick. That way, your pet will find enjoyment in burrowing. The material should be able to mask odors of urine to prevent a smelly cage and we’ve found that the absolute best material is wood shavings.

Years ago, most hamster owners used pine or cedar wood shavings. Recent studies showed that these materials contained phenols that can cause respiratory and liver problems. Such chemicals are present in high amounts in cedar shavings and in the case of pine shavings, hamsters usually suffered from allergies. Irritation and sneezing were also evident when the beddings contained sawdust.

Hamsters don’t like scented materials, so try to avoid them. Never use corn cobs for the bedding material because your pet might eat the cobs. Corn cobs tend to swell when wet and when your hamsters eat them, it will cause digestive problems. Another problem with corn cobs is that mold can grow in the cobs.

There are now various brands of bedding materials like Megazorb, Carefresh, Kaytee, and Finacard. All these beddings are made from dried wood pulp and don’t contain pine or cedar.

Choosing the best bedding material is your primary responsibility as the owner of your pet. You may need to experiment on several materials until you’re able to find the most suitable one for your pet. Hamsters usually have their preferences and if you know your pet well, you can easily tell if your pet is happy and comfortable.

Try observing your pet for a week. If you think that your hamster doesn’t like the bedding, change it. After all, cleaning the cage and changing the beddings should be done on a weekly basis. Purchase in small quantities when you’re still trying to determine the most appropriate bedding. After finding the right one, you can now buy in large quantities to take advantage of special discounts and promos.

The best place to find bedding materials is online. Visit the reputable pet supply stores online and see the available bedding materials. You can also compare the costs as well as the shipping costs charged by the store. By shopping around, you’ll find the bedding material that you’re looking for. The hamster bedding is a must for every cage or tank, get yours now! Your hamster will thank you for it.