How Often Should You Change Hamster Shavings?

Because every animal is different, there are no absolutes when it comes to caring for your pet. While there are guidelines for how often any given creature's habitat should be scrubbed or changed, it all really comes down to your animal's habits. Hamsters, especially, can make a mess of their environments, shoving bedding through cage bars and soiling their wood shavings with waste, food and water. As such, these pets require that their owners pay close attention to the state of their bedding, as things can get out of hand rather quickly.

  1. Spot Cleaning

    • Damp or soiled shavings need to be removed from your hamster's habitat every day. Use a paper towel or litter scoop to pull away the dirty areas of bedding, putting it in the garbage. Replace the old shavings with handfuls of fresh bedding, making sure to spread the new shavings evenly over the spots where old bedding has been removed.

    Full-Service Change

    • Hamster shavings should be replaced in full whenever the cage starts to smell bad and the bulk of the bedding looks clumped and darker in shade. On average, hamster environments should be changed once a week, though more frequent changes might be necessary depending on how many hamsters live in any given environment and how well ventilated the hamster habitat is. Once old shavings are removed, make sure to clean the bottom of the cage with a pet-friendly, non-toxic cleaner (vinegar and water will do), as a great deal of liquid, mold and bacteria can pool beneath the bedding and stick to the solid surfaces of the hamster habitat.

    Best Bedding

    • Absorbency is key in choosing the right kind of bedding for your hamster. Aspen shavings, Timothy Hay or pellet bedding is most healthful for hamsters, while pine or cedar chips will harbor fumes that could make your pet sick. Wool and cloth materials should also be avoided, as most hamsters will nibble on their bedding and, in turn, might ingest the tough materials used to line their habitat. No matter what, always make sure to offer your hamster ample shavings, hay or pellets, as these critters love to burrow and nest within their bedding.

    Tube Troubleshooting

    • Although hamster bedding need not be distributed along the insides of hamster tubes and runways, it will end up there as your hamster moves its bedding from one place to another. It's vital to clean out these areas as often as possible, not just because they're usually ill-ventilated, but because they're so often ignored during spot and full-service cleanings. It's helpful to stuff a small towel or scrub brush designed for tight spaces down the tubing once the bedding has been removed, ensuring that the kinds of liquids, molds and bacteria that gather in hamster cage bottoms will also be cleaned away from these surfaces.