Who uses woodshavings? Opinions?

[Jane]

Okay so generally I don't really like woodshavings but I bought some I could mix them with megazorb and have bedding twice the deepness...or atleast a bit more. I think it could also create some variety in the cage..maybe you're all thinking I'm crazy seeing as megazorb is so cheap but if I have the bedding as deep as I really want it to be the bag wont last that long.

So opinions on woodshavings? Mixing two beddings together? If I get some they will probably be kiln dried pine which I'm told is okay....mm opinions wanted really :P

Jane

[littlemissdwarfhamster]

I use a bit of scented woodshavings with my megazorb - looks pretty and has a slightly nicer smell! Otherwise I dont use shavings as they set off my hayfever and create a lot of dust.

[Spuds Mum]

I use woodshavings for my shorthaired hamsters and find it absolutely fine (though I dont have allergies - thank goodness). For my long haired hamsters though I find that it is too much trouble and gets matted in their fur very easily. I have tried wood based cat litter for them but worried about it hurting their little feet and so, although they seemed fine on this, I have recently changed to using chinchilla sand for the long hairs which they absolutely love. I agree that the scented woodshavings (pets at home do lemon or lavender) do keep the cages smelling fresher longer and so also keep my 'hamster room' pleasanter!

[Holly]

I don't use woodshavings for our hamsters because of the many reports of hamsters getting respiratory problems from both the dust and the volatile oils contained within the wood.

That said, I'm still using them for our GP's as I haven't found a satisfactory, affordable alternative and I don't have any personal experience of hamsters having problems with shavings - I suspect many people on the "other" hamster sites grossly exaggerate the risks of problems associated with shavings-use. I'm sure hamsters have lived full and happy lives for years on shavings - before all the fancy new beddings came out.

I know Souffle and Pophammy use shavings - and you've only to look at their hamsters to see they are happy, healthy and long-lived (in fact why am I forking our for carefresh exactly?? ).

With regard to the lavender/lemon "scented" shavings - I personally wouldn't touch them. I don't know whther the lemon/lavender fragrances are from natural essential oils or artificially produced fragrances - either way I'm certain there are risks to the hamster living in close contact with these scents every day - from allergies and from the chemicals being absorbed into the body. I am an aromatherapist and I'm very aware of the risks of toxicity from over-exposure to essential oils - if they contain natural essential oils that's probably worse than artificial chemicals. To me they are designed to appeal to humans rather than the animal that has to live in close contact with them, breathing in the fumes every day, but that's just my opinion - with the trend towards natural living, "lavender" is an advertisers dream - but there are toxicity risks with over-exposure.

I say go for it with the plain shavings though Jane - I might join you

[Jane]

I would never use scented woodshavings either, I just think if it smells strong (or even just a bit!) to me then what must it smell like to a hammy who has to live on it

I might get some....hmm...any idea whether PAH shavings are safe and how much they cost? My local pet shop does sell some but I've seen massive bags in PAH compact ones...I'm still going to use megazorb with them I think, but maybe have a couple of inch of shavings then a couple of inch of megazorb...not sure :

[Bailey-Benji]

My piggies are on P@H woodshavings, and so was Bailey when I first got her. They're fine and they're quite cheap (I can't remember how much they are though!)

I now use Bob Martin's 100% Paper Cat litter. Its absorbant, soft, good for digging and making nests for the hamsters. You get it from ASDA for 2 pounds a bag. Sometimes I use carefresh, but the bag I bought a couple of weeks ago was 3 pounds 50 from a local petshop!

I tried Megazorb but I must have got the smelliest bag ever, the smell of horse manure has put me off using it. It was also around 12 pounds (including delivery) but i did last quite a while.

[souffle]

We stick with the wood shavings and have used them for all our hamsters. I have used them for at least 30 years despite trying other bedding types we always go back to shavings. We buy the dust extracted ones from Wilkinsons where it is about £2 for a large compressed bale but pets at home ones are just as good. I never use the scented type as I am not a fan of air fresheners myself so dont put it in the hammies beds. I put a small amount of carefresh in the wet corner as I find it easy to spot clean but most use the potties with chinchilla sand in them. The main problem with the oils etc is in America and Canada I think where they do not treat wood in the same way as Europe and all the oils still remain which can cause problems. We have tried megazorb and though it looks and feels comfy we thought it smelled like sick Morrisons paper based economy cat litter is very similar to carefresh and quite cheap. We are not keen on the grey colour of carefresh and find it quite dusty too.

[Jane]

I don't think megazorb smells that bad, but maybe I've just been lucky with both sacks I've had. I think I'm gunna buy a big bag from..um, somewhere, soonish and will mix them with megazorb when I clean out Charlie this week. I am in need of more megazorb...have been looking at aubiose too though and that looks quite interesting..

I like Morrisons paper cat litter (and I assume that Bob Martin's is the same/similar) but I would use about 6 bags to fill the zoozone 2 with deep bedding lol.

How long does a bag from Wilko's last you, Souffle? I know you have quite a few hams (not sure how many :P) so yeah.

[Christine Yule]

I use 100% aspen wood shavings for most of my hams. They seem to enjoy it and I find that it is the most economical.

I wouldn't buy any type of scented shavings, either. Hamsters have extremely sensitive smell and I can 't imagine how strong any scented shavings must smell to a hamster! Kind of like living beside an open bottle of perfume, perhaps???

I use recycled paper cat litter for my long haired male Syrians since the shavings get matted in the long fur. My personal choice is the little balls of paper. It is nice and soft and seems to absorb the smells better than wood shavings. I wish I could afford to buy it for all of my hams but since I have 15 hammies, I only use it for my long haired hams for now.

[souffle]

The largest size from Wilcos will clean about five Gabber rex cages Jane. You can buy the enormous ones in P@H but you need somewhere to store them as they are big.