Hamster Central - View Single Post - Megazorb or shavings for Chinese hamsters?

squirrel · 04-09-2011, 04:00 PM

When I got my littlies from Pets at Home, the staff said I had to use Biocat cat litter - the paper-based pellets. Since I was new to Chinese (I have gerbils and some experience of syrians) I took their word for it since I didn't want the poor wee things to suffer and adverse reaction to shavings or carefresh. I've learnt a bit more now and generally use a mixture of the Biocat and some carefresh, megazorb or whatever comes to hand really - no hammie problems suffered!

Anyone know why they would say it has to be paper-based cat litter? I understand that shavings have a bad press in some areas because of the pine oils or something along those lines which are stronger in shavings you get in the US, so a lot of gerbil sites advise "no pine shavings!!" every time the topic of substrate comes up. No idea why even carefresh would be a problem though, since Pets at Home sell that too.

04-09-2011, 04:00 PM
squirrel Newborn Pup Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 3	Re: Megazorb or shavings for Chinese hamsters? When I got my littlies from Pets at Home, the staff said I had to use Biocat cat litter - the paper-based pellets. Since I was new to Chinese (I have gerbils and some experience of syrians) I took their word for it since I didn't want the poor wee things to suffer and adverse reaction to shavings or carefresh. I've learnt a bit more now and generally use a mixture of the Biocat and some carefresh, megazorb or whatever comes to hand really - no hammie problems suffered! Anyone know why they would say it has to be paper-based cat litter? I understand that shavings have a bad press in some areas because of the pine oils or something along those lines which are stronger in shavings you get in the US, so a lot of gerbil sites advise "no pine shavings!!" every time the topic of substrate comes up. No idea why even carefresh would be a problem though, since Pets at Home sell that too.