Would you use this bedding for your hamster?

Question

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3058629

I was at PetSmart today and I saw this bedding...I was going to buy it but I wasn't sure if it's really safe like it says. It's made out of old newspaper and magazine so it's earth friendly. It's also not as much in the store as it is on the website...What do you think?

Answer 1

Another reason not to use this bedding (aside from the obvious dangers of baking soda) is that it's not all that effective, it's puffy and flies everywhere and tends to stick to stuff with static, and it's from Petsmart (support small businesses! XD).

Anyway, if you want more bang for your buck, go with cellsorb. I have 8 male rats and I wouldn't remotely be able to live with them if I didn't use the cellsorb. It's ugly, but it works. It cleans up easily, has very minimal dust at the very bottom of the bag, absorbs like nothing else, contains no harmful additives and junk. The only bad thing I could say is that one time there was a little piece of pink plastic in mine, but it only happened once and no harm done... Recycling is unfortunately not rocket science, and sometimes c**p makes it through that shouldn't. I used to be obsessed with Carefresh, but that stuff's c**p compared to cellsorb!

K, good luck n_n

ps- PLEASE get a good, recently published book on hamsters if you don't already have one. I know you didn't ask about it but remember books save pet lives because they prevent humans from making stupid mistakes! XD

Answer 2

I use something similar to this.

I personally don't like the smell of it. Try Carefresh or Kaytee.

Stay away from cedar and pine, which cause respiratory problems and skin problems.

Answer 3

I never heard of it, but if I were you I would just use Care Fresh.

Answer 4

i would not because it contains baking soda which can be harmful if ingested by your hamster

Answer 5

Buy Pine or Aspen bedding shavings. The pine is really soft and oil-free, and more natural than paper. Carefresh got in my hamster's eye and she had to get an EXPENSIVE medication for it. It is dusty, don't trust it.

Answer 6

i use it for my gerbils and my rats due to the fact that my rat is allergic to cedar. i think it works great.

Answer 7

I wouldn't use that.  Use carefresh.  That's the kind of bedding i got for my hamster.

Answer 8

bedding material - the most common is wood shavings, you can buy this from most pet stores. Just check that the material isn't too fine as it will cause eye irritations. Avoid scented wood shavings - these can cause irritation to the hamster's nasal passages. The ideal wood type for shavings is Aspen - it is non-toxic. Bear in mind that your hamster lives in burrows in the wild, so supply them with ample bedding material to burrow and hide. Most hamsters like to make a nest - in the wild they will harvest materials and bring them back to the burrow to make a nest to sleep in. You can provide this luxury to your hamster by using undyed and unscented paper eg toilet paper (not newspaper or magazine paper - the dyes are toxic to hamsters if they ingest it), tear it into strips and see him/her start collecting and building! Some hamster enthusiasts swear by hay but it does tend to get messy and dusty. Avoid using cotton wool, knitting wool or any other cloth materials, hamsters will munch on their nesting material and these do tend to get caught in their digestive system and make them really sick. Some hamsters have also been known to get their feet caught up in these fibers which results in injury.

This is from this site http://www.ask-the-vet.com/hamster-cages...

I would read the rest of this page. I did not write this i once again took it from this site. http://www.ask-the-vet.com/hamster-cages...

Answer 9

If you are unsure about the safety of it, it might be a bad idea to get it. Try Aspen wood shavings. My hamster loved it and it's not harmful to them.