Hamsters are popular small pets that can be found in many homes. They are known for their playful and curious nature, as well as their love of burrowing. In order to make sure your hamster has a happy and healthy home, it is important to provide the right substrate for them to burrow in and be aware that the advice in many pet stores is incorrect, and often very dangerous.
So what is the best hamster bedding for burrowing?
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What’s the Difference Between Substrate and Bedding?
Some people use both terms indifferently and believe they are interchangeable to mean any material that is put at the bottom of a hamster cage.
Others make the distinction and call substrate the material to keep the animal’s cage clean and line the bottom, that should be comfortable for the hamsters to walk on.
Beddings means the nesting material used by hamster in their sleeping areas, where they dig and make their burrows and nests.
Why do Hamsters Need Substrate and Bedding?
Substrates to line and fill the hamster cage or tank are very important for several reasons:
They help keep the cage clean by absorbing urine and other waste products, reducing or removing any odor.
They provide a comfortable surface for your hamster to walk on and play on.
Some substrates can also help with your hamster’s nails, preventing them from getting too long.
Most importantly, they allow hamsters to follow their natural instinct, and are a great source of enrichment, allowing your furry friend to dig, burrow and forage in it.
Offering different textures and various substrates add to enrichment to keep your hamster busy and happy. Hamsters are natural burrowers, they enjoy and need to dig tunnels and burrows to have a space to sleep in, to store their food etc.
How Much Burrowing Substrate/ Bedding does a Hamster Need
Hamsters are natural burrower, to thrive they need to be able to follow their instinct so their cage needs a minimum of 6 inches deep of bedding, to dig and feel safe and secure.
Spread it around the cate, then your hamster can happily replicate his natural behaviour of gathering materials to make its nest.
What is the best burrowing substrate
With so much choices offered in pet shops and online, it is very difficult to even know where to start, what is best, and more important what is safe! A picture of a hamster on a pack of bedding in a pet store does not guarantee that it's a suitable substrate for your hamster, it might even be dangerous.
Here is a little guide to help you navigate the substrate jungle and find the right one for your hamster.
Safe Hamster Bedding and Substrate
Paper based bedding
is one of the best choices. Personal preferences will vary, the cost being of course a factor. Small pets can be prone to respiratory problems, so owners should try to avoid dusty beddings.
-Kaytee clean and cosy, is the bedding that seems to be least dusty, the softest, but also the one to hold burrows well.
-Carefresh
-All living things
It is worth knowing that coloured paper bedding are also safe for your hamsters.
Teabag Bedding
Made from shredded white teabag perforated paper, it is best bought in bags of 10kg.
It works well compressed, mixed with other beddings, but is very cheap and is very helpful to fill in large tanks or large cages at reasonable cost.
Soft Granule Paper Based Bedding
This bedding is made from wood fiber not suitable for paper production. It has a great texture for substrate to be used on the floor of the cage but is not ideal for burrows.
Aspen Wood Shaving
is totally safe, and is a good substrate especially for summer months. It works well when mixed with teabag bedding.
Hemp Shaving
is more uncommon but is a good substrate to use.
Safe substrate that should only be used in small sections
These substrates are safe and a good source of enrichement, but often cannot be used as bedding and to make nests.
Sand
the cheapest option is plain children play sand, which only needs to be sanitized by baking it in the oven first.
Owners do have to be careful that it's not too dusty. For example, a sand like Chinchilla dust will be far too fine grained, and could cause respiratory issues for hamsters who are prone to them. You can also use calcium-free reptile sand instead.
Eco earth (coconut fiber)
is earth that has been cleaned and is often used with reptiles. Your hamster will have fun burrowing in it.
Hay
Owner must select one that must be soft, with no sharp bits that will injure the hamster.
Orchard grass is a good type of hay to purchase.
Safe Alternatives
If you really have no access to any of the recommended substrates above, there are alternative. They are not ideal, but they are safe.
Paper Pellets
Their negative is that they are hard and don't allow your hamster to burrow.
Aspen Pellets
again, the hamster cannot burrow.
Shredded Toilet Paper or Shredded Paper Towel/ Kitchen Roll
with those you will have to spot clean daily as they are not good to keep odors.
Shredded Paper/ Shredded Newspaper
if printed it has to be soy based ink only, and is not absorbent either.
Unsafe Beddings and Substrate
These should never be used for hamsters, and reputable pet shops should never sell them, or at least advertised them as suitable for hamsters because they are not.
Sawdust
Although commonly find in many pet stores and presented as safe for hamsters, it's a substrate that must never be used for hamsters, it causes respiratory problems, worsen by the fact that the hamster will have to breath it and sleep on it constantly in their cage.
Pets stores using sawdust to line the cage of their hamsters for sale are increasing the problem, giving new owner the impression that it is safe.
Any Softwood Shaving
Softwoods are an absolute no for these little animals prone to respiratory infections.
Cedar and Pine Shavings
they contain a chemical called plicatic acid and phenols which can cause chronic and serious damage.
Hamsters can develop respiratory infections, allergies, asthma.
Pine has abietic acid which is a skin and respiratory irritant
Cotton/ Kapok Bedding, or any "Fluffy" Bedding
Sadly they have caused too many injuries and deaths of hamsters. In short, they can cause intestinal blockages and lead to death. Fibrous beddings can cut off circulation if tangled.
The danger of "fluffy" beddings: any cotton, wool or synthetic fluffy, coloured or looking like cotton wool bud, or sold in pods looks soft and warm, and is frequently advertised as safe and natural.
Unfortunately, it is extremely dangerous.
Fluffy bedding cause intestinal blockages in hamsters who are unable to digest the fibres, causing a very painful death to the poor animal. When pouching them, they frequently ingest some by mistake.
It can become stuck in their throat or wrapped around their teeth, causing to choke, suffocate and in some cases starve to death.
There have also been too many reported cases of amputation, self-amputation or necrosis when the thin fibres cut the blood circulation, forcing the hamster to bite the damaged limb off, and leading to fatal sepsis.
Pet stores should stop advertise it as "safe" for hamsters and should stop selling them.
Scented Bedding of Any Kind
hamsters have an extreme sense of smell, scented bedding will cause distress, irritation and respiratory infection.
Corncob Bedding
Fungus can grow very quickly if any type of moisture is drop (leaked water bottle, urine..) and it's very hard and uncomfortable.
Final Words
Ideally you can mix different safe beddings to allow hamsters to make burrows that hold well, and offer them a choice of substrates to add enrichment, so add aspen to paper beddings.
You can include solid materials like wood, rocks, some safe moss, as well as soft ones: sand, orchard grass hay, toilet paper, soil, coconut soil.Soil must be free of any fertilizer, reptile soil might be suitable, and wood, rock and sand must be sanitize first.