Substrate querie

[Ria P]

This question has probably been asked before but i'm still not sure what substrate to use for my Syrian hamster who doesn't burrow. He only burrows when very annoyed while sitting waiting in a plastic box when i clean his cage (as quickly as possible!).

How do i know which substrate he likes?

I tried wood chips, a wood chips base layer with paper on top (p@h paper flakes), paper strips substrate from the small pet shop but they were a mistake because they rustled so i removed them while he was asleep and replaced the top layer with Carefresh.

There is Carefresh - Tiny Friends Farm Eco bedding - Kaytee.

What is the difference?

My hamster seems fine with any substrate and never had any adverse reaction like sneezing or itching. I put wood chips in his toilets and he takes them out of his en suite to use them to close his door before going to his nest to sleep so i think he likes the wood chips. People advise to use paper substrate only though and wood chips seem to be unpopular. I compromised by using half/half.
He likes plain toilet paper for his nest and gets plenty of that.

Wished he could talk and let me know what he likes best.......

[Pebbles82]

My response is always, Fitch, Fitch Fitch! Some people now seem to prefer Kaytee Clean n Cozy which you can now get in the Uk. That's ok too but I still prefer Fitch. I get the 10kg bag which lasts about 6 months or more. It's dust free and hamsters really like it (recycled food grade paper). They often grab bits to add to their nests. Even if h doesn't tunnel it's nice to burrow down in a bit in bed - nice and soft, which gives a cushioned landing if they fall.

I didn't like carefresh and found it a strange texture and a bit dusty at times.

https://www.fitchfirst.co.uk/fitch-p...-delivery.html

[Ria P]

Is the Fitch only available online? Never tried that one.

He does sink his nest into the substrate a bit and has a hoard under his en suite toilet but he doesn't spend time underground himself.

[Coco61]

Ria, I use Fitch here and Maestro is my third hamster to have it. None of the 3 Syrian boys could be bothered to burrow but were very happy to have Fitch in the nest area which they added to by collecting up the strips of white loo paper I leave near the entrance. Lazy boys - I expect they would have been happy for me to make the bed for them as well!
Only time they dug themselves down to sleep in the Fitch was in the pet carrier and that was probably because there was no house.

[Pebbles82]

It's only available online unless you live in Cheshire! Then you can go and pick it up Online direct from the manufacturers or from Amazon (from Amazon it still comes direct from the manufacturers but costs a bit more). It was originally done as horse bedding but became a very popular hamster bedding a few years ago and suitable for most pets. It has gone up in price a bit in the last year, but still works out a lot cheaper than the equivalent amount of other beddings (except hemp possibly, which you can also buy in bulk).

Hemp bedding is another option - maybe a compromise between wood and paper? I was allergic to that unfortunately. Zooplus sell a large bale of Hugro hemp which is probably the better quality of the two they sell.

[Ria P]

Thanks for the info Serendipity and Coco.

Do you think i should ditch the base layer of wood chips altogether and use paper based bedding like Fitch or Kaytee only? I could put a small heap of wood chips near the front door so Henry can still use it to close his door.
Anything to keep me out!!
He's very quick to poke his nose out when he gets a whiff of my breakfast though.....

[Schwartzie]

Hi Ria, Ragna loves burrowing in his Fitch. It also goes a long way. I can see the tunnels that Ragna is building because the surface is slightly raised where his tunnel is. It hasn’t smelt at all...we nearly at the end of week 2 and I haven’t been able to spot clean. This might be a coincidence but remember how I changed his set up so that he had deeper bedding? It wasn’t the depth that I felt was important but where the depth was. I made sure that most of the cage was over 8 inches high with a corner of 10 inches.

I’m not sure if you want to try this but have you thought of making platforms using plastic potplant holders? I can send a picture of what I mean if you not seeing what Im explaining. Ragna went straight for the potplant sand used that as entrances to his tunnels leading up to his house. It might help encourage Henry to burrow. I took the potplant holders and put them front and then next to it back, front the back so it was a pattern so that it lay straight. I then placed it across the width of my cage and filled behind and up to in in Fitch bedding.

Does this make sense? I kid you not...Ragna ran straight for it when he got to that section. It’s on my YouTube video. Ragna explores...

[Ria P]

Schwarztie, yes i'm curious about your pot plant set up and would like to see photos because i can't visualize it even after watching the video.

I'm not bothered whether Henry burrows or not. He would have done so by now if he were that way inclined. I don't think he's bored in his cage or he'd ask to come out. He likes building his nests and that's all the engineering he wants to do.

[Fiona Matthews]

Hi all, just started using the Carefresh in Skye’s new burrowing box and she loves it! She has for the first time started burrowing and it’s fascinating to watch her, previously just used the wood shavings and a bit of the paper flakes from PaH in her cage

[Pebbles82]

Yes I would ditch the wood chips.