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Pebbles82 · 06-09-2019, 02:45 AM

Hello. I'm aware it can be difficult to get a good range of hamsters supplies over the internet in Ireland, but I believe Zooplus do deliver to Ireland

Softwood shavings aren't safe unless they are pine and kiln dried and dust extracted, and it says so on the back. Cedar isn't safe. I personally would also be cautious about using them if it doesn't specify what softwood it is, and also as different countries have different regulations on kiln drying. In the Uk all wood shavings have to be kiln dried by law, and German regulations on kiln drying are supposed to be good.

As alpa says there are a lot of alternatives and I also wouldn't use cat litter. It just depends what alternatives are available to you. I have tried Aspen and wasn't keen as it was dusty and scratchy and I found it hard to find a brand that wasn't. But it is an option if there is nothing else.

If you can find a paper based bedding that is probably best. Hamsters like it, it's nice and soft, good to burrow in and they can use bits of it to add to their nest as well, plus it's safe. Some people use Carefresh if that's available, although it doesn't work out cheap when you have a large cage for example. I actually found that a bit dusty too, and Kaytee Clean and Cosy is better - but may not be easily available.

Zooplus sell Carefresh and also Chipsi pine shavings from Germany - the Chipsi shavings are part pine and part spruce - spruce is also a softwood but has minimal phenols and is equivalent to hardwood in that respect, so that brand is a better option than any old pine shavings, plus they are kiln dried and dust extracted. Although be careful to avoid any scented versions of any bedding as that is bad for the hamster too.

I'll check out what's available on Zooplus. As for freezing bedding - I don't bother. I did have an outbreak of moths once which was a nightmare, and came from a bag of hamster food - and this is the more likely risk. And some depends on which bedding you get.

I have never had a problem using paper based bedding without freezing first. But I would definitely freeze all hamster food for a week before using. I keep a bag in the freezer ready to get out when the current bag is finished, and even then I keep the current bag in an airtight lock and lock box - so if anything did escape freezing and start hatching, I could see before opening the box! Since freezing food I have never had an issue.

But food moths are a known problem with pet foods. The eggs are so tiny you can't see them and it is the moth eggs that are in the food. I believe they can also in normal flour as well. But the eggs only hatch out in the right conditions (eg nice and warm under a hamster's nest! Or in particularly warm weather).

Freezing for a week will kill moth eggs and larvae if there are any. I also freeze anything with hay (I worry about mites in hay), and any bark wood items or cork items - although apparently baking is better for killing any microscopic bugs in wood and cork (bugs other than moth eggs).

I still freeze them anyway as a belt and braces approach and have never had a problem since doing that. If you did want to freeze bedding, I have just put some in smaller bags and frozen a few smaller bags but that is a real rigmarole and I don't think bedding is an issue, depending on what bedding it is and where you get it.

Zooplus also sell hemp bedding which is also popular. The Hugro hemp I found better than the other one. I don't use it as I found I was allergic to it. And actually hamsters can be allergic to wood bedding - any type of wood, whether it is softwood or hardwood. So even a safe wood bedding could be an allergic issue for a hamster - but you would know that if it happened and then have to look at changing to something else.

This is the Chipsi Classic (unscented)

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ll_pets/480061

Hugro hemp bedding

https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ll_pets/182990

I can't see Carefresh on Zooplus now but it may be available locally.

However the cheapest option there is probably hemp bedding as that is sold in a large quantity so will work out much cheaper. You do need a lot of bedding for say 100cm cage, but with large cages, although you use a lot initially, you use less in the long run as you can "spot clean" mostly, especially if a hamster uses a litter tray - which a syrian hamster will - and then you only need to change the substrate every 6 to 8 weeks or much longer even.

With a 100cm cage and a litter tray with chinchilla sand in, I only need to do the occasional spot clean and go 2 to 3 months without needing to change the substrate, and even then it's a good idea to replace some of the old clean substrate so it smells familiar - either a third or a half and mix it in, or sprinkle the old on top of the new.

Chinchilla bathing sand is a good option for the litter tray - it soaks up the pee - and then you just empty the litter tray every few days. That works well for me. And it's good for the hamster as too much cleaning out stresses them a lot, especially if all their familiar scent is removed. So the other tip is to not clean everything at the same time. If you do the substrate, don't clean anything else at the same time. You can do the wheel a different time, or as and when needed, and any toys etc a different time again.

I leave the nest and hoard alone until I do a substrate change, unless they are pee'd in. Then any hoard that's removed (try to leave a bit of old dry hoard) replace with new food in exactly the same place or they can develop strange behaviours if they think someone has stolen their hoard! Likewise with the nest - if it has to be removed if pee'd in, try and leave a little bit of dry old nest behind, and then put out a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper - not inside the house but somewhere else in the cage so the hamster can forage for it and take it back to the nest to rebuild it.

Their nest and hoard are their two most precious things! And it can really upset them to have those messed with. Sometimes it does need to be done though.

Do you have your cage all sorted? Sometimes people get sold an unsuitable cage (there is no regulation on what pet shops can sell!) and then it's more expense and upheaval for the hamster having to upgrade them. If you're thinking about cages as well then Zooplus also have good cages - the Alaska, Barney and Alexander are popular for Syrians.

Back to bedding

If you like the idea of hemp then check out any local suppliers of horse bedding as they may sell Aubiose, which is also hemp bedding.

06-09-2019, 02:45 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Hamster care queries Hello. I'm aware it can be difficult to get a good range of hamsters supplies over the internet in Ireland, but I believe Zooplus do deliver to Ireland Softwood shavings aren't safe unless they are pine and kiln dried and dust extracted, and it says so on the back. Cedar isn't safe. I personally would also be cautious about using them if it doesn't specify what softwood it is, and also as different countries have different regulations on kiln drying. In the Uk all wood shavings have to be kiln dried by law, and German regulations on kiln drying are supposed to be good. As alpa says there are a lot of alternatives and I also wouldn't use cat litter. It just depends what alternatives are available to you. I have tried Aspen and wasn't keen as it was dusty and scratchy and I found it hard to find a brand that wasn't. But it is an option if there is nothing else. If you can find a paper based bedding that is probably best. Hamsters like it, it's nice and soft, good to burrow in and they can use bits of it to add to their nest as well, plus it's safe. Some people use Carefresh if that's available, although it doesn't work out cheap when you have a large cage for example. I actually found that a bit dusty too, and Kaytee Clean and Cosy is better - but may not be easily available. Zooplus sell Carefresh and also Chipsi pine shavings from Germany - the Chipsi shavings are part pine and part spruce - spruce is also a softwood but has minimal phenols and is equivalent to hardwood in that respect, so that brand is a better option than any old pine shavings, plus they are kiln dried and dust extracted. Although be careful to avoid any scented versions of any bedding as that is bad for the hamster too. I'll check out what's available on Zooplus. As for freezing bedding - I don't bother. I did have an outbreak of moths once which was a nightmare, and came from a bag of hamster food - and this is the more likely risk. And some depends on which bedding you get. I have never had a problem using paper based bedding without freezing first. But I would definitely freeze all hamster food for a week before using. I keep a bag in the freezer ready to get out when the current bag is finished, and even then I keep the current bag in an airtight lock and lock box - so if anything did escape freezing and start hatching, I could see before opening the box! Since freezing food I have never had an issue. But food moths are a known problem with pet foods. The eggs are so tiny you can't see them and it is the moth eggs that are in the food. I believe they can also in normal flour as well. But the eggs only hatch out in the right conditions (eg nice and warm under a hamster's nest! Or in particularly warm weather). Freezing for a week will kill moth eggs and larvae if there are any. I also freeze anything with hay (I worry about mites in hay), and any bark wood items or cork items - although apparently baking is better for killing any microscopic bugs in wood and cork (bugs other than moth eggs). I still freeze them anyway as a belt and braces approach and have never had a problem since doing that. If you did want to freeze bedding, I have just put some in smaller bags and frozen a few smaller bags but that is a real rigmarole and I don't think bedding is an issue, depending on what bedding it is and where you get it. Zooplus also sell hemp bedding which is also popular. The Hugro hemp I found better than the other one. I don't use it as I found I was allergic to it. And actually hamsters can be allergic to wood bedding - any type of wood, whether it is softwood or hardwood. So even a safe wood bedding could be an allergic issue for a hamster - but you would know that if it happened and then have to look at changing to something else. This is the Chipsi Classic (unscented) https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ll_pets/480061 Hugro hemp bedding https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...ll_pets/182990 I can't see Carefresh on Zooplus now but it may be available locally. However the cheapest option there is probably hemp bedding as that is sold in a large quantity so will work out much cheaper. You do need a lot of bedding for say 100cm cage, but with large cages, although you use a lot initially, you use less in the long run as you can "spot clean" mostly, especially if a hamster uses a litter tray - which a syrian hamster will - and then you only need to change the substrate every 6 to 8 weeks or much longer even. With a 100cm cage and a litter tray with chinchilla sand in, I only need to do the occasional spot clean and go 2 to 3 months without needing to change the substrate, and even then it's a good idea to replace some of the old clean substrate so it smells familiar - either a third or a half and mix it in, or sprinkle the old on top of the new. Chinchilla bathing sand is a good option for the litter tray - it soaks up the pee - and then you just empty the litter tray every few days. That works well for me. And it's good for the hamster as too much cleaning out stresses them a lot, especially if all their familiar scent is removed. So the other tip is to not clean everything at the same time. If you do the substrate, don't clean anything else at the same time. You can do the wheel a different time, or as and when needed, and any toys etc a different time again. I leave the nest and hoard alone until I do a substrate change, unless they are pee'd in. Then any hoard that's removed (try to leave a bit of old dry hoard) replace with new food in exactly the same place or they can develop strange behaviours if they think someone has stolen their hoard! Likewise with the nest - if it has to be removed if pee'd in, try and leave a little bit of dry old nest behind, and then put out a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper - not inside the house but somewhere else in the cage so the hamster can forage for it and take it back to the nest to rebuild it. Their nest and hoard are their two most precious things! And it can really upset them to have those messed with. Sometimes it does need to be done though. Do you have your cage all sorted? Sometimes people get sold an unsuitable cage (there is no regulation on what pet shops can sell!) and then it's more expense and upheaval for the hamster having to upgrade them. If you're thinking about cages as well then Zooplus also have good cages - the Alaska, Barney and Alexander are popular for Syrians. Back to bedding If you like the idea of hemp then check out any local suppliers of horse bedding as they may sell Aubiose, which is also hemp bedding.