Can I use fragrant wood pulp as bedding for my hamster? Would there be any side effects?

Question

I'm currently using apple fragrant wood pulp as bedding for my hamster.

Answer 1

NO, don't use anything fragrant in the hamster bedding. It can cause allergy, sneezing and respiratory problems for the hamster. The same problems are also caused if you use pine or cedar beddings for your hamster since they have more dust content and the hamster urine can react with them to give rise to toxic fumes and chemicals called phenols.

The best bedding for hamsters is Carefresh. It is non-allergic for hamsters and also absorbs their urine well and all my hamsters have lived happily on Carefresh. Aspen shavings can also be used. I often use ripped toilet paper too. Make sure that the toilet paper is untreated, unbleached and non fragrant. Also the empty toilet roll tubes make good toys for the hamsters to play and gnaw.

This site would give you an idea of which bedding to buy for your hamster -

http://www.hamsterific.com/BeddingGuide....

Answer 2

Some of those may be to strong or offensive to your hamster, I suggest plain and simple.

Answer 3

shouldn't do that. Depends on what they use to add the fragrance. If they use natural apple wood for example that might be okay, but if they add oils to the wood, that would not. The oils could harm the coat of the hamster greatly. and they would ingest the oils with they clean themselves.

Answer 4

This is not really safe.

If you can smell the fragrance yourself, it is probably horribly overpowering for your hamster who has a much better sense of smell. It is also possible that the fragrance itself  is harmful in some way, eg many are irritants and can be uncomfortable to walk on all the time.

Secondly, pine and cedar beddings are not suitable for rodents at all (even the unfragranced kind). This is becuase soft woods contain high levels of phenols, which can act as an irritant and are also known to cause respiratory and liver disease.

Safe beddings include hardwoods (eg aspen) and paper based products such as carefresh.

Answer 5

Don't use anything fragranced. It is too strong for the capillaries in your hamsters lungs, and could result in a respiritory condition, and possibly death. Stop using the apple wood fragranced bedding immediately, and for the time being use shredded kitchen towel. Then buy some safe hamster bedding, there's plenty to choose from. Wilko's do Safebed, which is safe for the hamster to eat, Snugglebed which is very cosy, and Warmbed, which is shredded dishcloth type material, and keeps the bed warm. All three are good beds, but please, for your hamsters health, don't use scented bedding, and not pine or cedar. If used for long, the fragrances will damage/weaken your hammies capillaries and this can cause disease. My rat died from a respiratory ilness, although it was not caused by bedding.

I don't know about the pulp. I've not heard of it being widely used, but I can't imagine it being an exceptional bed. You should try another brand, there are plenty out.