Underlays - What bedding would be right for a hamster ?

What bedding would be right for a hamster ?

i thought you could buy any kind of litter or bedding but when i bought it for my hamster, the hamster started getting puss in his eyes and died. I went to petsmart and they said it was the wrong type of litter. They did not tell me what kind to buy. Please Help !

Public Comments

Thats easy, woodchips. Sorry about your hamster. :'( http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters.asp
IM SOOOOO SORRY!!! i always buy the soft kind at pet land its nice and soft GREAT for hamsters and for building their nest my hamster loves it and i do to because i know that she is happy :)
nothing that had a strong scent. like pine. read the back of bedding and if it says use in a well ventilated area dont use it. im not sure if bedding will get an animal that sick. there are a bunch of good web sites online that can be more helpful about what beddings are safe. look up hamster care. also do not get another hamster from pets mart. they do not take good care of thier animals. i bought a cocketiel from them that was extremly malnourished and also died.
I always used pine or cedar woodchips.
get carefresh bedding, yesterdays news, or aspen. pine, cedar, and sharp objects make bad bedding edit: for those people saying pine and cedar, i suggest you take a look at this article. search on google about pine and cedar as they can be really bad!!! I really suggest you dont use them!!! http://www.hamsterific.com/BeddingGuide.cfm\ the first sentence clearly states you shouldnt use pine or cedar, not to be mean, i just want your hamsters happier& healthier :[
petsmart kills there animals! they just don't care! sorry for ur question carefresh is the best brand. it cost more but it is worth it. it will also keep the smell under control. this is wat it looks like http://www.thehungrypuppy.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=pet-food&Product_Code=9475-4&Product_Count=&Category_Code=&Category_Code=biodegradable-bedding
I'll tell you what kind /not/ to buy. Pine, cedar, corn cob, sawdust, cat litter (unless it's paper based like Yesterday's News). Good ones: Aspen, Carefresh.
I would recommend carefresh or aspen shavings. Carefresh seems to be more popular among hamster owners. Stay away from pine and cedar shavings. The aromatic oils in these woods can cause respiratory problems. Pine isn't as bad as cedar, but I, personally, wouldn't risk it with my own small animals, so I don't recommend it.
I stick with the plain old Aspen shavings from the brand Kaytee. I've had hamsters for years and it's never failed me. Make sure NOT to buy cedar OR any of that bed fluff, the fluff gets caught around the hamsters legs and hurts them severally.
Use only aspen shavings in hamster bedding. Another great product is Carefresh. It is very good bedding for hamsters. Never use pine or cedar shavings, they can hurt the paws of the hamster and can cause respiratory infections due to the dust content. Avoid any bedding with a thready texture or fluffy cotton wool texture since the hamsters can ingest it and result in "hair ball" condition, a serious sickness. I personally have used ripped toilet paper mixed with aspen shavings for years and have had no problems whatsoever. All my hamsters love toilet paper. Make sure that the toilet paper you give them is untreated / unbleached and does not have any fragrance in them. Also if you are using toilet paper for the first time, closely observe the hamsters for a day or two to rule out any itching or allergy that the papers might be causing them. Don't throw away the empty tubes after using the toilet roll. Give them to your hamsters and watch them have great fun playing with it. I once put a whole roll of toilet paper inside and both my hammies had great fun ripping them off and spreading them all over the nest and using the tube for their games. To look at more choices in commercial hamster bedding you can take a look at the following site - http://www.hamsterific.com/BeddingGuide.cfm
for my guinea pig i use carefree litter or cedar wood chips.
never never ever use pine shavings all rodents are allergic to pine. Before you buy any bedding check if it says no aromatic oils it means it has no pine and other stuff. usually you can see by the label if it has a hamster on it probably does not have pine in it. Remember always read the label.