Substrate Advice - Allergic Hamster

[Cookie Monster]

Hi Everyone.

I'm looking for a bit of advice on which substrate to try next. Before we adopted Becky we were using Megazorb, but we quickly discovered she was allergic to it.

We went back to the sawdust she'd had in the pet shop, knowing that she'd be ok, but it was very dusty and quite expensive. The lastest one we've tried is Hemp Core, which both Becky and Stan seem to be ok with, but it doesn't seem to control the smell very well (and Becky is quite a stinky lady!) so what would people recommend as the next try? I liked the size and price of the megazorb (obviously!) but I'm wondering if anything is made out of a similar material to the hemp core, which she hopefully wouldn't be allergic to.

Thanks

[Silver]

Have you tried a cardboard bedding?. I have a trial size pack of Finacard Cardboard Animal Bedding, Paper Horse Bedding, Nesting Material : Finacard

I don't know how good it is with smells as my Amy is a little dwarf.

Silver xxx

[Cookie Monster]

Thanks Silver. No, I haven't tried that one. How does it feel? They're both big nest builders!

[Silver]

So far I've just used a thin layer on top of her megazorb because I had just cleaned her out. So it will be a couple of weeks before I put just Finacard in on it's own to properly test it.

Amy has been snuffling around in it up to the Megazorb then stopped.

It has just been updated as they now have a new processing procedure & the sample I have is very soft, like putting your hand in shavings, softer than Megazorb.

I will let you know how I get on when I put it in her tank.

Silver xxx

[racinghamster]

I use Aubiose (it`s hemp bedding for horses) and unlike Hemcore, it isn`t treated. Hemcore is treated with Citronalla, so is best avoided. If you like hemp and your hamster is okay with it, I would stick with it because it`s probably the best substrate out there for small animals with the exception of the cardboard beddings which Silver mentioned. Cardboard might not be as absorbant or as diggable as hemp, but it would be the least allergy sensitive material.

Spot cleaning daily with hemp would help with the smells. It`s quite absorbant aswell. Snowflake shavings are the best on the market if you want to switch back to shavings, but hemp is safer as it doesn`t release the scent of phenols, which wood based products do.

[NotsoLittleOlive]

I'm finding finacard to be really absorbent...One of the hams wees absolutely everywhere and there is no smell from the finacard (whereas the paper bedding in her house stinks). Another ham is constantly tipping her water bowl over and another had a dripping water bottle - it took me ages to figure out where the water was going because it dried so quickly.

In terms of nests it seems to be a hit with my only one who builds them. Much better than the spiky hemp that wouldn't stay put without straw for structure. He's also quite a smelly boy and the hemp stunk, the finacard is nowhere near as bad.

[Silver]

That is great to know NSLO,

I must say I am liking the idea & look of it in Amy's tank more by the day. It is also not bad in price for the big bale £13.99 for 17kg which expands to 220L once out of the bag

Silver xxx