How long your bag of bedding lasts

[sportyabi007]

Hello all,

I'm looking at getting a hamster after not having one since a child and as my parents did the care, I don't know much about how much to buy.

I do not have tonnes of room to store a huge bag so wanting to get a small ish bag. I'm probally going to buy Kaytee Clean & Cozy Super Absorbent Paper Bedding or similar thing to this.

How many litres/kg of bedding did you buy and how long did it last you (if you also state how often you changed the bedding, size of the enclosure and depth you put it that would help me a lot )

[Dessi]

I got my hamster at the end of october 2019 (so 3 months). I bought a bag of 41 L of Living world Aspen bedding. My hamster is in a 50 cm x 60 cm bin cage I believe. He started in a smaller bin cage to allow him to acclimate.

I also use a bit of hay and some paper bedding in his cage, to add texture and help build tunnels, which amount to about 10% total of the bedding for both of them.

I would say I have used about 25% of the Aspen bag so far (it’s compressed so there is a lot more in it than it looks). I spot clean about once a week and I have made at least 5-6 whole cage change when switching cages and doing some tests. I do however reuse whatever bedding has not been soiled. I put about 2-3 inches of bedding on one side of the cage, where the wheel, food and water are, and about 8 inches on the other side, where he builds tunnels.

So basically I figure this Aspen bag will last me at least 8 more months and so will the paper bedding and hay. You’re looking at buying this stuff once a year, which is more than reasonable. Even if I’m wrong and it only lasts 6 months total, it’s still very good !

[Maker]

I am new to this but so far I use torn up lidl simply range toilet paper, i tear up 10 squares and give this to her about twice a week or more often if she looks like she needs to be distracted as nest building seems to be her relaxing activity, her nest is a growing monster for the cage floor (i have an Alaska cage), I bought a big Auboise (made from plant material horse bedding at 20kg for £10) and the first fill of the cage floor to about 5 inches used about 750g, i don't expect to have to do a full replacement for a while, just the top layer so am guessing this may last me the year??

[imawizard]

I use aubiose 20kg (don't really have the space for it but it's cheap and good value for money) and mix a bit of kaytee clean and cosy with it. I have a barney which I fill the entire base up to the top and a kerry terrarium which I fill probably about halfway. I do full clean outs between 6-8 weeks so I would say it roughly lasts me 6 months- a year??

Kaytee clean and cosy is good if you have one hamster but can work out a bit pricey if you have a lot more hamsters. A 85l bag probably lasts me 2/3 months?