Good Bedding for Hamsters

Like all rodents, hamsters like to shred and nest. They also need a substrate in their cage to absorb urine and bury feces. The conscientious hamster owner provides an inch or two of safe, non-toxic, dye- and fragrance-free bedding on the floor of the cage. Though a few hamster-safe bedding options exist, many products sold in pet stores as bedding actually can harm small pets.

  1. Paper-Based Bedding

    • Hamster-Zone.com, Hamster Hideout and Petco all endorse small animal litter made from wood pulp. These products absorb urine and won't harm your hamster if ingested. Several versions of wood pulp bedding are sold in pet stores, but the best products for pets are dye- and fragrance-free. These biodegrade easily, making them safe for the environment as well as your hamster.

    Aspen Wood Shavings

    • Hamster-Zone.com, Hamster Hideout and Petco all recommend aspen wood shavings for hamsters. Unlike pine or cedar, aspen won't cause respiratory or liver problems. Aspen wood shavings absorb urine well, and you can compost them when the pet is finished with them.

    Recycled Paper Litter

    • Several recycled paper litter and bedding products exist, all of them safe for hamsters. If you choose the hard, pelleted paper litter sold as cat litter, add some soft paper towels so the hamster can make his nest cozy. Paper-based bedding may not absorb urine as well as bedding made from wood pulp or aspen shavings.

    Paper or Paper Towel

    • Ink-free paper or paper towels free of dyes make fine hamster bedding, though they do not absorb urine as well as aspen wood chips and paper pulp bedding. Though hamsters seem to enjoy shredding the paper, the hamster's owner must change paper and paper towel bedding frequently.

    Bad Bedding

    • Some substances sold as "pet bedding" actually harm your hamster. Cotton, wool or fluffy cellulose bedding cause stomach blockages when ingested. Ceder and pine wood shavings give off oils that create liver and respiratory issues. Corn cob tends to grow mold and clay cat litter is too dusty. The ink in newspaper may be toxic when ingested.