Hello and welcome to the forum and congrats on your new furry friend, he looks so cute!
Your bin cage looks great so far although it would be better if it was all one level but as you'll be upgrading anyway. What are the dimensions of the bin cage only?
Substrates that are safe to use:
- paper based bedding like kaytee clean and cosy and carefresh.
- pine bedding but ONLY if its been dust extracted and kiln-dried. It shouldn't smell like pine. It should smell of just wood.
- Aspen is ok too but needs to be mixed with another substrate like soft hay as it doesn't hold tunnels well by itself
- Hemp can be used but can cause allergy issues in hamsters. My late Lilith and Athena had issues with hemp and so did I. This doesn't mean every hamster will react to it but its not uncommon. You also need to mix this with another substrate or hay as it too doesn't hold tunnels well by itself.
- Shredded cardboard can be used as nesting materials and so can unscented toilet roll.
- Coco coir. Can be found in the reptile section of most pet stores. It needs to be kept damp. It should look like damp soil.
- Sand. You can use plain sand marketed for reptiles. Beware of calci-sand, this is where calcium is mixed in which hamsters don't need so best avoided. Also some chinchilla sands are ok to use, its got to be the consistency of sand and not powder.
You shouldn't need to clean out the hamster thoroughly very regularly. My hamsters get never get a full cleanout. I only remove soiled areas and replace with fresh when needed.
Id scatter feed him even while on the pellets as foraging is fun and natural for them.
For more information on hamster care, food and substrate within the US I'd strongly recommend going on youtube and watching videos from the channels Munchies Place and Victoria Rachel.
If you need any more advice feel free to ask
