Last Updated : January 15, 2022

Is aspen bedding safe for hamsters

Is aspen bedding safe for hamsters? Before you use any bedding for your hamster, it is important to know first if aspen is a great choice or not.

Is aspen bedding good for hamsters

Yes, aspen bedding is good for hamsters. As a hamster owner, you surely do everything possible to ensure their safety.

Is aspen bedding safe for hamsters

One of the most important decisions you have to make has something to do with the specific type of bedding that you will put inside their cage. Today, you can find various kinds of bedding that can be used in cages for hamsters. One of the most common and popular choices today is none other than aspen bedding.

The good news is that aspen bedding is good for your hamster since this is non-toxic. It will not cause any injuries to your pet as well. Another great thing about aspen bedding is that it has gone through proper treatment to make it safer to use in a hamster’s cage.

The aspen wood shavings are a great alternative you can consider using if you are not a big fan of bedding made from paper. You can also combine it with any type of bedding you are currently using for your hamster.

Is aspen a safe bedding for hamsters

Yes, aspen bedding is considered safe to use in a hamster’s cage. This is the only safe choice made from wood that is available in the market right now.

The primary reason why aspen bedding is considered safe for your hamsters is that this has undergone proper treatment to make them ideal to use in cages.

You just need to remember that as far as beddings for hamsters are concerned, it is important to use only those that have been specifically made for the smaller pets.

Those that are considered the safest for hamsters can be found in the small pet section in pet stores and not from any other departments. This is because the aspen bedding available elsewhere aside from pet stores doesn’t go through any special treatment to be used by small pets and it is not particularly made for their use.

However, remember that not all types of beddings and other items that are not especially marketed for small pets are safe for your hamsters to use.

A good example of this will be the bedding made with pine and cedar. Pine and cedar can be very toxic for hamsters. To make things worse, these bedding materials can break into sharp and tiny pieces that might end up hurting your little pets.

Aspen bedding, on the other hand, is completely safe and non-toxic for hamsters. Thus, to ensure that your hamster always stays safe, you should never mix pine and cedar bedding with aspen bedding.

Should you use aspen bedding in your hamster’s cage

Yes, you can use aspen bedding in the cage of your hamsters. As mentioned earlier, there are different kinds of bedding available that you can choose to use for the cage of your small pets.

Some hamster owners opt to put aspen bedding in the cage of their hamsters. However, there are hamster owners who choose to use other types of available bedding materials such as those made of paper.

As far as bedding types are concerned, it is important to remember that each one has its own set of benefits. This means that you can expect aspen bedding to have its perks.

One of the best reasons for using aspen bedding in your hamster’s cage is that it does a great job when it comes to odor absorption. The material can soak up most of the normal smells you will notice coming from the cage of your hamster. At the same time, it is also dust-free and additive-free.

Another reason that makes aspen bedding an ideal choice for a hamster’s cage is that this helps your pets with tunnel building. If you are a hamster owner, you surely know that these animals love burrowing and building small tunnels where they can play and relax and still feel safe at the same time.

What makes aspen bedding a great choice is that it does an amazing job when it comes to helping them form their small tunnels. At the same time, it also keeps the tunnels strong so that they won’t crumble down too easily.

If ever you don’t like to completely switch to this specific type of bedding, you can also try mixing aspen bedding with the current bedding you are using.

Beddings mixed will help your hamsters create stronger tunnels while offering them some exciting varieties. You might not know it, but hamsters need and love this kind of variety in their lives.

This means that at the end of the day, there are several good reasons why aspen bedding should be used either on its own or mixed with other kinds of beddings.

Tips to buy aspen bedding safe for hamsters

Once you have decided to use aspen bedding for your pet’s cage, it is important to know if and where they are good options available for them.

Using aspen bedding is a great option for hamsters and the good news is that you can find many great ones available in the market right now.

As far as aspen bedding is concerned, most of the time, this is often a cheaper choice compared to other kinds of bedding made from different materials.

But you still need to remember that not all aspen beddings are made equal. This means that it is important that you choose something that is absorbent and helps control odors coming from the cage.

This means that you should avoid cheaper forms of aspen bedding. It is because these cheap beddings might have lesser quality control in how they are made. Cheaper aspen bedding may also be dustier compared to the premium and more expensive ones that made it bad not only for your hamster but also for you.

Always opt for high-quality aspen bedding that is safe to use in the cage of your hamster since it doesn’t have lots of dust that might not be safe for you and your pet’s lungs. You also need to choose one that is additive-free and natural.

Aspen bedding is a safe and great alternative that you can use in your pet’s cage if you wish to try something new and different. There are even times when some hamsters that prefer aspen shavings more than other kinds of bedding.

What matters the most here is to find what your pet likes and is most comfortable with. Don’t forget that the type of bedding you choose to place in their cage will also be a place where they will sleep, play, and live their cute lives in.

Worst types of beddings for hamsters

The best type of bedding for hamsters must be dust-free, soft, and absorbent. It must also work well when it comes to odor control.

There are several types of beddings that you should never use in your hamster’s cage:

Cat litter

You should never use cat litter for your hamsters. Swallowing cat litter may lead to internal blockages, not to mention that these are also very dusty. Most cat litters are also scented, and it may cause your hamsters to suffer from respiratory distress.

If you plan to use litter for the litter box of your hamster, you can stick with paper-based ones. But you have to ensure that these don’t contain any dangerous ingredients and are guaranteed safe even for small animals.

You should avoid using paper-based pellets as the primary bedding for the cage of your hamster since these are hard to burrow in and uncomfortable. These must only be used in the litter box of your hamster or placed under the soft bedding of your hamsters.

Fluffy bedding

It is common to find fluffy beddings mainly because they are great and soft enough for nesting in. But it is important to remember that you should avoid using it for your hamsters.

These fluffy beddings can get stuck in the teeth and cheek pouches of your animals that can be very painful and even cause impaction. You will have to take your pets to the vet if they end up suffering from impacted cheek pouches.

Cedar or pine wood shavings

Wood shavings from cedar or pine are yet another beddings that are never recommended for hamsters. While aspen wood savings are safe enough for hamsters, cedar or pine wood shavings are a completely different story.

Cedar or pine wood shavings usually contain chemicals that might be dangerous for your pets. These are heavily scented as well. Their strong smells, particularly when wet, can damage and irritate the respiratory system of your hamsters. If you prefer to use wood shavings for the cage of your hamsters, it is still recommended to use aspen wood shavings that are much safer and available in online and offline pet stores.