# Syrian hamster bedding



## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

What does everyone use for there syrian hamster bedding I would like more ideas please


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Kaytee clean and cosy (paper-based) over a layer of hemp, the hemparade one from zooplus. The hemp is the best value bedding but doesn't hold a burrow. Additional shredded toilet paper for nesting material.

Paper bedding is the most usual recommendation as it's less likely to cause respiratory issues than wood shavings (in the UK most wood shavings are resinous). Some humans react to wood shavings as well so paper is usually a safer choice. Fitch is a paper based material and can be bought in bulk. Tea-bag bedding is becoming more popular but availability depends on where you are/ if you have local suppliers. Carefresh is wood pulp, so it's similar to the paper stuff but I don't think it's as soft and it's usually quite expensive. Megazorb is also wood pulp and much cheaper but some people don't like the smell.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Would this one be okay? And if I decided to change his bedding would it stress him out?


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> Would this one be okay? And if I decided to change his bedding would it stress him out?


There is a bit of buzz happening about this particular bedding at the minute actually. It contains polyester as part of the material so it isn't actually paper. Polyester won't break down in the gut if accidentally swallowed (paper will) so a lot of people are saying it's not safe to use as it could cause blockages in their digestive system. Of course other people are saying they've used it for years with no problems etc etc etc as always happens but why take the risk? I wouldn't.

Depends on how you change over. If you dump all his current bedding out and replace it all in one go he probably wouldn't be very happy. Whenever you do your next big cage clean take out your normal proportion of bedding (a third, a half, whatever you do) and replace that with new stuff so his old bedding still has his smell on it.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Smolmaus said:


> There is a bit of buzz happening about this particular bedding at the minute actually. It contains polyester as part of the material so it isn't actually paper. Polyester won't break down in the gut if accidentally swallowed (paper will) so a lot of people are saying it's not safe to use as it could cause blockages in their digestive system. Of course other people are saying they've used it for years with no problems etc etc etc as always happens but why take the risk? I wouldn't.
> 
> Depends on how you change over. If you dump all his current bedding out and replace it all in one go he probably wouldn't be very happy. Whenever you do your next big cage clean take out your normal proportion of bedding (a third, a half, whatever you do) and replace that with new stuff so his old bedding still has his smell on it.


Okay as at the moment we're using antibacterial medium bale


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> Okay as at the moment we're using antibacterial medium bale


Absolutely no need for any antibacterial agent. I personally wouldn't go near that stuff. If someone is leaving shavings in a cage so long that they're at risk of going mouldy they're being genuinely neglectful. Why do shops sell this rubbish?

Also they are lemon scented? That can be really very overwhelming to a hamster's wee nose. Scented beddings are never ever recommended. I would recommend a non-scented paper based bedding like this one . But if you absolutely have to use shavings please use plain, unscented ones.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Is this one okay?


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> Is this one okay?


Yep thats the one I mentioned that I use in my first post.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Smolmaus said:


> Yep thats the one I mentioned that I use in my first post.


I feel really bad now for giving bubbles that


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> I feel really bad now for giving bubbles that


Pets at home give trash advice and sell trash products. You did the right thing asking for other advice, so absolutely no need to feel bad. Now you know and now you can fix it!

I trusted them too when I got my ham 5-6 years ago. Made all the mistakes! Almost everybody does unless they get lucky and find a hamster forum or FB group first.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Smolmaus said:


> Pets at home give trash advice and sell trash products. You did the right thing asking for other advice, so absolutely no need to feel bad. Now you know and now you can fix it!
> 
> I trusted them too when I got my ham 5-6 years ago. Made all the mistakes! Almost everybody does unless they get lucky and find a hamster forum or FB group first.


It's madness [email protected] had loads of the stuff aswel. Thank God I found this place and asked the question now I've ordered some. Had to order him a new wheel a few days after getting him as he was curving his back when he was on the one provided with the cage also got him a bigger water bottle. So hope fully everything will fall into place now that's ordered. My daughter wants to do his litter tray tonight so I might scoop some of the shavings out and just add toilet paper till my order comes Monday what do you reckon?


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## Smolmaus (Oct 3, 2019)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> It's madness [email protected] had loads of the stuff aswel. Thank God I found this place and asked the question now I've ordered some. Had to order him a new wheel a few days after getting him as he was curving his back when he was on the one provided with the cage also got him a bigger water bottle. So hope fully everything will fall into place now that's ordered. My daughter wants to do his litter tray tonight so I might scoop some of the shavings out and just add toilet paper till my order comes Monday what do you reckon?


I would leave it till Monday. It's prolonged exposure that's more likely to cause problems so a few days won't make a huge difference. I'd make sure he has enough toilet tissue as nesting material that he has a nice cosy bed and he's not burying himself in shavings when he's alseep tho.


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Smolmaus said:


> I would leave it till Monday. It's prolonged exposure that's more likely to cause problems so a few days won't make a huge difference. I'd make sure he has enough toilet tissue as nesting material that he has a nice cosy bed and he's not burying himself in shavings when he's alseep tho.


I just gave him a bit of tissue torn up and he's shoved most of it in his mouth and took it up to his tunnel for storage


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## Knighterist (Feb 10, 2020)

I'm using medium bale unscented no anti back from [email protected] at the moment and the paper bedding also from [email protected]
As my hamster was from there he is already used to and have not shown any adverse reaction to those two bedding items. I have bought the clean n cosy for him a little while back but currently eliminating his scratching reasons so I had to stop using it...I do hope he is ok with that because the clean n cosy is *so soft* and must be sleeping on a cloud for hammies! I want Marble to have as much comfort as his little heart desires but at the moment he can only have [email protected] stuff...


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Knighterist said:


> I'm using medium bale unscented no anti back from [email protected] at the moment and the paper bedding also from [email protected]
> As my hamster was from there he is already used to and have not shown any adverse reaction to those two bedding items. I have bought the clean n cosy for him a little while back but currently eliminating his scratching reasons so I had to stop using it...I do hope he is ok with that because the clean n cosy is *so soft* and must be sleeping on a cloud for hammies! I want Marble to have as much comfort as his little heart desires but at the moment he can only have [email protected] stuff...


I just want to give bubbles the best and he seems to be okay but like smolmaus said the longer I leave him in there he might get problems and he takes some up to his tunnel


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Is this any good?


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## Knighterist (Feb 10, 2020)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> Is this any good?


I was reading up and saw a few people using it. I still find wood shavings quite a divide...Marble has been doing well I think in his wood shavings bedding, the vet said that I should continue using it unless he gets worse, but people have confirmed [email protected] has pine shavings but supposedly kiln dried.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

With all the controversy over wood shavings I just don't risk it. We know the phenols in certaing woods can cause health problems and I've yet to see any concrete proof that kiln dried etc are any safer. I prefer to stick to the alternative bedding types just to be on the safe side. I've used carefresh in the past, which was fine but expensive. I'm now using eco pet bed which seems to work well with my mice and is much more cost effective.


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

I've used carefresh and Kaytee clean and cosy and it's great for burrowing but not great with odour control when peed on. I've found hemp bedding (aubiose) to be my saving grace and use it for all my hams as the main substrate


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

So the new bedding is in and he loves it


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> So the new bedding is in and he loves it


Can I see his set up? Bet he'll love snuggling in that


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

He's in his tunnel atm but has had a dig around and a wee in his tray


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

Tiffanylarkins said:


> He's in his tunnel atm but has had a dig around and a wee in his tray


That's not the best cage in the world so maybe look to upgrade in the future. You have a Syrian? I'd remove the tubes. If he's got full pouches he'll get stuck. It's also a weak point to easily escape. I'd highly recommend filling the tray almost up to the top with bedding. What size is the wheel? Syrians need 11" wheel so if it's smaller than that then maybe look to upgrade that too. Your ham will thank you!


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Engel98 said:


> That's not the best cage in the world so maybe look to upgrade in the future. You have a Syrian? I'd remove the tubes. If he's got full pouches he'll get stuck. It's also a weak point to easily escape. I'd highly recommend filling the tray almost up to the top with bedding. What size is the wheel? Syrians need 11" wheel so if it's smaller than that then maybe look to upgrade that too. Your ham will thank you!


When would you recommend upgrading his cage?


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## Engel98 (Oct 7, 2018)

As soon as you're in a position to do it really. The minimum accepted size is 80x50 for Syrians and 70x40 for dwarf species. A good cage is the Alaska. On zooplus it's £30 ISH. I have one and it's pretty good to be fair


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## Knighterist (Feb 10, 2020)

Engel98 said:


> As soon as you're in a position to do it really. The minimum accepted size is 80x50 for Syrians and 70x40 for dwarf species. A good cage is the Alaska. On zooplus it's £30 ISH. I have one and it's pretty good to be fair


You also can get a 5% first time customer discount from Zooplus, £35 for free delivery. I picked up a small ceramic dish with it last time for the free delivery


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

Yeah I've been looking


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## Tiffanylarkins (Feb 19, 2020)

I think I will get that one soon just got to save up a little first


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