Should aspen bedding have smell?

[richard01]

So I got a big bale of aspen bedding and got super excited because it was a huge bale and it was super cheap so I thought it would save a lot of money. I usually use megazorb for my hamster and my guinea pigs. But I kept getting faulty bags. So I went to my local farm shop to get horse food and supplies for the dogs and I realised that they had huge bales of aspen. They are probably at least 14kg maybe more for about £7.99 but I got home and opened it up to see if it was nice and soft. It was! but then I smelt it and it had a smell to it not an extremely strong smell like I can put the bale in my room and my whole room would smell of it. It's not that strong. But I'll get to the point! Should aspen have a smell? Or is the bag lying to me! If so km going to have some words! Obviously it hard to show you it and let you smell it! But I've never used wood shavings before so I don't know if it should have a smell. I'm not going to use it until I'm sire it's not pine it definitely not cedar. So should aspen have a smell?

[Wanna Hamster]

Aspen does have a woodsy natural smell (that I personally love!), but nothing too strong. If it smells natural, I'd think it is fine. If it has any chemically smell, I would return it.

[Pebbles82]

I don't think it should smell except for a mild woody smell - very mild. I would take it back - it could be damp or mouldy (or something could have died in there!)

Following on from your other post about Richard's new cage - I would try and stick with the same substrate he is used to for a while before changing it and mixing the new one in gradually a bit at a time as he seems a bit stressed with the changes.

[richard01]

Originally Posted by Wanna Hamster

Aspen does have a woodsy natural smell (that I personally love!), but nothing too strong. If it smells natural, I'd think it is fine. If it has any chemically smell, I would return it.

Thank you! It's definitely a natural smell nothing smells unusual. It's not strong at all. I was just unsure as I've never used aspen or shavings before so I was just making sure that I wasn't putting anything dangerous near Richard but thanks for your help!

[richard01]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I don't think it should smell except for a mild woody smell - very mild. I would take it back - it could be damp or mouldy (or something could have died in there!)

Following on from your other post about Richard's new cage - I would try and stick with the same substrate he is used to for a while before changing it and mixing the new one in gradually a bit at a time as he seems a bit stressed with the changes.

It's not a strong smell at all I was just worried that maybe because I've never used shavings and have no idea about them that I should check first. I was just concerned that it did have a smell that it could be a dangerous bedding. But it's very mild

I haven't used the new bedding in Richards New cage yet but I'll do what you've suggested and stick with the megazorb for a while and see if he has settled down bit yeah I'll mix the bedding I and stuff. But thanks!!!

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by richard01

So I got a big bale of aspen bedding and got super excited because it was a huge bale and it was super cheap so I thought it would save a lot of money. I usually use megazorb for my hamster and my guinea pigs. But I kept getting faulty bags. So I went to my local farm shop to get horse food and supplies for the dogs and I realised that they had huge bales of aspen. They are probably at least 14kg maybe more for about £7.99 but I got home and opened it up to see if it was nice and soft. It was! but then I smelt it and it had a smell to it not an extremely strong smell like I can put the bale in my room and my whole room would smell of it. It's not that strong. But I'll get to the point! Should aspen have a smell? Or is the bag lying to me! If so km going to have some words! Obviously it hard to show you it and let you smell it! But I've never used wood shavings before so I don't know if it should have a smell. I'm not going to use it until I'm sire it's not pine it definitely not cedar. So should aspen have a smell?

I have nothing useful to say besides the fact that your hamster on your avatar is absolutely gorgeous! I'm assuming he is Richard?

[richard01]

Originally Posted by Penguin

I have nothing useful to say besides the fact that your hamster on your avatar is absolutely gorgeous! I'm assuming he is Richard?

Thank you so much! Yeah he's Richard he was only 3 months when I took that picture of him but thank you x