Newbie question about burrows

[Venom462]

Hi everyone, brand new member here 😀

Been involved in Facebook groups for some time but getting a bit sick of them.

My first question is:

I got round to cleaning our boy out today and layered his bedding with shavings, paper and hay etc, to give burrows some strength, out of the 2 hamster I have, he is the one that burrows.

However when he has been burrowing today it seems as though his tunnels aren’t holding up to great, is that because he has just gone through the bedding once?, he only spent about 5 mins having a wee dig.

Do the burrows get stronger as the hamster works on them?

[Dodo]

Good evening! I am not sure whether shavings really work for burrowing, I think teabag bedding or paper based bedding with hay are better. Also, do you try to compress your bedding a bit when you do a clean? I think it needs to be pretty tight to hold burrows. I am not sure whether they get better, or if the hamster can get better at making burrows that hold, sorry!

[Ria P]

Hi and welcome to HC!

How deep is the substrate and what kind of paper bedding do you use?

[Venom462]

Hi guys, and thank you for the welcome ��

Firstly I only use a thin layer of shavings sandwiched between paper and hay ��

And the paper is simply shredded teabags ��

[AmityvilleHams]

Unfortunately teabag bedding isn't safe - it can contain bits of plastic and such so that isn't really a good option for hamster bedding.

[Dodo]

Teabag bedding isn't safe? That is the first time I hear this. I see it recommended on hamster groups all the time (and I am talking about the VERY intense facebook hamster goups where you get stoned if you cage taper below the minimum...). Is this from your experience?

[AmityvilleHams]

It's definitely not new information and I have no idea where these facebook groups got the idea that teabag bedding is safe at all from. There has actually been debate on this forum and the conclusion that the risk of plastic inclusion and such is far too dangerous to consider teabag bedding remotely safe.

[Dodo]

OK thanks for the information. If next time it can be passed on sounding slightly less judgemental that would be wonderful...

[Ria P]

I've watched a tv programme about teabags not being biodegradable because they contain plastic. So unless the teabags are organic i personally wouldn't use them as bedding because i'd be worried that a hamster would ingest some and not digest it.
That's only my opinion though which doesn't mean it's right.

[Dodo]

I’ve never used it because I find it too bulky, but I see many people, including several rescues, using it, hence my surprise to hear it is unsafe, but I agree that if it is made of the composite/ plastic stuff it is less than ideal.