Carefresh bedding contamination?

[Snail]

Hi I am not sure if this is the right place to post but I have been using carefresh bedding for a while now but recently the batches ive been getting have seemed really dry, brittle and almost cardboard like. I cleaned out my hamsters cage today and noticed an alarming amount of twig things in the carefresh bedding. I am not sure whether the best thing to do is to completely remove all bedding or if it is just some sort of recycled material.
https://twitter.com/dirkaaaaaa/statu...016528902?s=21

[Ria P]

I've never come across these twigs in Carefresh so can't comment. I'd recommend switching to Kaytee clean&cozy which is a softer substrate and more economical than Carefresh.

[Vierville]

Hi Snail. I used to use Carefresh and never came across any twig-like things in it but I did find it to be very dusty and my dwarf hamsters couldn't burrow in it at all as it was quite coarse.

I would definitely second what Ria P said about switching to Kaytee Clean & Cozy. It is outstandingly good substrate and isn't dusty. My hamsters love burrowing in it and it holds the tunnel shape very well.

I think the Kaytee Clean & Cozy is also a bit cheaper compared to Carefresh, in my country around 40% cheaper.

[peculiarplanets]

I use Carefresh and have never had any issues with it. I use it as both substrate and bedding and my hamsters seem to love it and both burrow in it. Maybe contact the store you bought it from?

[OliverS]

Late to the party but I use carefresh, I think I’m on my 3rd bag, and this latest bag does seem pretty coarse but it’s alright after a couple of hours of them sleeping in it, I’ve no idea why that is but they seem alright with it. Don’t know anything about little twigs things but I’ll keep an eye out for that

[Pebbles82]

Is there an expiry or manufacture date on the pack? Also if you didn't notice the twig like things until cleaning the cage is it possible your hamster just chewed/destroyed some other wood item? I second Kaytee Clean and Cozy as much better.

[favfoetus]

I have never come across twigs personally in my carefresh but as for the kaytee clean and cozy, I use a mix of both. My babies seem to like the mix of textures but I would contact where you got yours from about the twigs.