1. Carefresh Small Pet Bedding
Key Features
Fun colorful confetti-style design to live up your hamster’s cage.
Soft texture for sensitive feet, nesting, and burrowing.
Twice as absorbent as wood shavings, keeping habitats warm and dry.
Hypoallergenic 99% dust-free material, free from harmful chemicals.
The most notable and appreciated aspect of Carefresh’s pet bedding, besides its soft texture and lack of dust, is its significant odor control. In addition to these points, its colorful aesthetic does not take away from its efficiency as absorbent bedding. Furthermore, previous reviews have stated that not only is the product very well received, but the customer service is impeccable. Reviewers of the hamster bedding have claimed that Comfyfluff is very eager to please their customer base, setting them aside from other bedding providers.
2. Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Small Animal Bedding
Key Features
Ultra-absorbant and capable of holding four times its weight in liquid.
Eco-friendly material which lasts longer and is recyclable.
Materials used meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards.
Perfectly safe material for small pets including gerbils, rabbits, chinchillas, hamsters, and guinea pigs.
This soft, dust-free paper bedding encourages burrowing and nesting. It is also noted to be the perfect bedding for the comfort of your hamster, gerbil, rabbit, or rat. Paper bedding is recommended over the typical wood shavings for its efficient absorbency and expansion, resulting in less odor. Another advantage of these paper shavings is their color, as pets owners usually prefer when messes can be easily spotted and therefore cleaned up promptly.
3. Small Pet Select Natural Paper Bedding
Key Features
Made using completely natural paper for a super soft texture.
No toxic chemicals used such as bleach, and no printer ink.
Each Bag Expands to three times its volume compared to its packaged size.
The soft texture is perfect for keeping small pets such as guinea pigs and hamsters warm and comfortable.
Pet Select’s product comes straight from pet owners themselves. You can be sure that this soft and comfortable bedding suits all of your hamster needs. Natural paper bedding is unbleached and free from any other chemical that could be considered harmful to your pet. Where it is considered some of the best hamster bedding, this product is also suited to rabbits and guinea pigs. This is due to its texture as it is easy for them to maneuver, burrow, and nestle in.
4. Healthy Pet HPCC Natural Bedding
Key Features
Compressed to a 12.5L package which expands to 30L.
99% dust-free, for a clean cage, easy breathing, and quick clean-up.
Made of natural paper for extra absorbency and soft bedding.
Effective odor-control as a result of naturally absorbent fibers.
Healthy Pet’s bedding is made from recycled materials and is completely biodegradable for those who worry about the environmental impact of this bedding material. Regardless of this fact, the Healthy Pet natural pet bedding is free from fragrances and dust. This results in the bedding being breathable, warm, and cozy for your hamster. For a fraction of the price of other beddings, you’ll receive bedding that is long-lasting for your hamster and is completely environment friendly.
5. Vitakraft Fresh World Strength Crumble Bedding
Key Features
99.5% dust-free to protect your hamster’s respiratory system.
Superior odor control will help to keep your hamster home stench-free.
Completely non-toxic, safe for small animals, and unbleached.
Made using 100% recycled paper for eco-friendly bedding.
This is another bedding that ticks a lot of pet owners’ boxes as well as being environmentally friendly. Its small and crumbly appearance does not hinder its properties as it can absorb moisture up to three times its weight. More crumbles mean more absorbency making it superior if you have more pets in a single space. Despite being a crumble bedding, however, it is dust-free and safe for the use of your hamster and gerbil as well as your larger critters. The texture of this bedding also does not prohibit a small animal’s movements when burrowing and maneuvering.
6. Carefresh Complete Natural Paper Bedding
Key Features
Expands to 23L from 12.5L to last longer than the packaging would suggest.
Brightly colored confetti design adds a splash of color to your hamster cage.
Effective 10-day odor control to keep the pet cage fresh.
Three times more absorbent than typical wood shaving bedding.
The expansion capacity of this paper confetti-type bedding makes it great for burrowing and nesting. Carefresh natural paper bedding is a popular buy for hamster and gerbil owners, as it suppresses odors to a minimum. Its new odor stop formula also means that fragrances left by your pets are no longer defiling rooms with its immense potency! Customers also describe that this bedding lasts for a considerable amount longer than other confetti paper beddings and is significantly easier to clean as other confetti types do not hold moisture well and therefore can have a tendency to stick to the tray.
7. Kaytee Clean & Cozy Extreme Odor Control
Key Features
Completely natural bedding that won’t stain the hamster habitat.
Guaranteed 14-day odor control to keep a hamster cage fresh.
99.9% dust-free paper bedding to keep the cage clean and air clear.
Safe for hamster s, guinea pigs, rats, chinchillas, rabbits, and other small animals.
Kaytee also has another paper bedding to offer customers to optimize their pet’s habitat. Past customers have remarked on the significant lack of dust when cleaning the cage whilst using this product. More comments also note the lack of dust and debris left when their hamster kicks about the cage, unlike other brands. Furthermore, this powerful odor suppressant keeps cages fresher for longer and reduces the amount of cleaning required by owners. This bedding is safe for all smaller animals but is particularly comfortable and practical for use as hamster litter and bedding.
8. Kaytee All Natural Aspen Bedding
Key Features
Great bedding for being used in all cages, hamster trails, and aquariums.
No use of inks, bleach, or aromatic oils.
All-natural aspen shavings free from wood debris and excess dust.
Wood is biodegradable, meaning it is eco-friendly and safe to dispose of.
Kaytee aspen shavings have been on the market for over twenty years which tells you all you need to know about this bedding material. Reviews have been consistent for Kaytee’s aspen hamster bedding as it does all the things it claims on the description. Not only can you use these shavings in your hamster cage but this material can also be used for reptile enclosures. Despite being wood shavings the Kaytee aspen bedding leaves very little dust or debris and are still super absorbent leaving fewer odors.
9. Living World Wood Aspen Shavings
Key Features
All-natural aspen shavings free from excess dust and wood debris.
Super absorbent wood chips capable of absorbing four times their weight.
Hypoallergenic and the ideal choice for small animals with respiratory sensitivity.
Soft and robust wood shavings for hamsters and small creatures with sensitive skin.
The best hamster bedding can more often be that which is odorless and free from fragrant oils and chemicals. These aspen shavings are hypoallergenic and therefore perfect for small animals that have respiratory or skin sensitivity issues as they leave no irritating dust or debris. A further note to add would be that these natural and absorbent shavings minimize any chance of bacteria, mold, or fungus inhabiting your hamster enclosure. It is a soft, robust, hygienic option, that could save you a lot of time and hassle.
10. Kaytee Critter Trail Bedding Tray Habitat
Key Features
Each tray fits in a standard rectangular CritterTrail Habitats.
Each purchase contains 3 trays to cover a month of habitat refreshment.
Designed for quick and easy cage cleaning.
Made of eco-friendly wood chips for robust use and easy cleaning.
These bedding trays come in convenient and practical sets of three for easy cleaning and disposal. All you need to do is take out the old tray and insert the new one (After you’ve removed the hamster of course). Not only has this alternative method been regarded as innovative but it’s also among the best hamster bedding as the wood chips are safe, soft, and eco-friendly! Regardless of the shavings being available in a tray, this does not prohibit your hamster or gerbil from burrowing or nesting comfortably which is also an important feature when creating a hamster habitat.
Best Hamster Bedding Buying Guide
Important Things To Look For In Hamster Bedding
There are several key points you should consider when looking for bedding material for your hamster. These small pets require plenty of cage substrate which is non-toxic and insulating. The market is filled with options that fit the bill, which can make picking the correct bedding material a bit overwhelming. So here are a few additional things you should look out for.
- Affordability: If you are doing it right, you will go through a lot of bedding very quickly, owing to the fact that hamsters require 6 inches of bedding with every cage cleanout. That means you want to find bedding that fits the bill whilst still being affordable for you. If you can get the perfect bedding to begin with it will save you having to change it later, potentially causing your little pet unnecessary stress.
- Absorbant: You need to find a substrate that is extremely absorbent whilst not staying wet. Good absorbent bedding will help to maintain the cleanliness of your hamster cage between clearouts, keeping them more comfortable week on week.
- Odor-control: Ideally you will also need bedding that has an odor-control element as well as absorbing moisture. Odor-control will not only be more pleasant for your hamster, but also for you, as hamster urine can have quite a powerful smell when in a concentrated area like a cage.
- Dust-free: Dust-free bedding will help to protect your hamster's respiratory system from irritation as they are digging and going about their daily lives.
- Toxin-free - Hamsters are extremely sensitive to certain toxins which can be found in cedar and pinewood, and so picking the correct material is vital to their wellbeing.
- Natural materials: The best options for bedding to go into a hamster cage are natural materials such as wood shavings and recycled paper. As hamsters like to store things in their cheeks, it would be a bad idea to provide them with a synthetic substrate that could be harmful to them if ingested, such as cat litter.
Benefits of Using Bedding for Hamsters
Hamster bedding is essential to keeping your hamster happy, comfortable, and warm. Hamsters have a natural tendency to hide away things that they care about (such as food and their babies), which is made possible by their access to bedding. You may notice they like to carry their bedding around their cage, this is ordinarily done to create a comfortable nesting area or to cover something they wish to have hidden.
Additionally, without bedding, a hamster would become very cold, as the bedding you use insulates the bottom of their cage and reflects their body heat back to them. This is also why this tiny pet bedding needs to be laid down thick so that it can be kept warm and have plenty of extra material to play with.
Another key reason for bedding is the fact that it also works as a toilet, as hamsters don't use litter trays. Therefore, their bedding provides moisture and odor control. This is also why regular full cleanouts of your hamster cage are extremely important, in order to reduce the risk of harmful bacteria forming.
Different Types of Hamster Cage Bedding
Generally speaking, there are two types of hamster cage bedding you want to be looking at, and that's recycled paper or wood shavings. When it comes to finding the right bedding hamster cages will often provide you with a clue as to the best type to get. Specifically the size of the cage.
If it is an especially large cage you are going for, recycled paper may be your better option as it is generally more affordable than wood shavings. However, for the comfort of your hamster, paper bedding should be paid it down thicker as it can compress easier.
With a slightly smaller cage choice for your hamster, wood shavings would be a good idea, as they tend to be more absorbent. Seeing as a smaller cage gives your hamster less space to relieve itself, good absorbant odor-control shavings are a must.
What Materials to Avoid for Hamster Bedding
There is a multitude of materials that should always be avoided when looking at bedding for hamsters for various reasons.
- Cat litter: Cat litter is one of the more dangerous materials to use. Many people make the mistake of thinking cat litter would be a good choice because hamsters use their cages like a bit litter box, however, cat litter can be extremely toxic, or damaging to a hamster is ingested and should be avoided at all costs.
- Corn cob: Corn cob is foodstuff, meaning it has the potential to develop mold, especially when damp. It is best to avoid corn cob altogether for pet bedding.
- Pine and cedar shavings: Pine and cedar are known to be potentially highly toxic for hamsters and should be avoided. Any reputable hamster bedding manufacturer will avoid them.
- Bedding with scent: Scented bedding, though advertised as being good for odor control, is actually quite unpleasant for hamsters as they have very sensitive noses. Additionally, scented bedding can cause allergic reactions in hamsters depending on the chemicals used to treat it.
- Fluffy, artificial material: Though fluffy bedding for your hamster might sound like a nice idea, it can actually be a hazardous material to use for such small pets, as hamsters can become entangled in the fibers and potentially injure themselves or become highly stressed.
- Newspaper: Newspaper ink can be toxic for hamsters, and so it is best to just avoid the use of newspaper wherever possible, even as a cage liner.
- Sawdust: Sawdust can cause respiratory complications in hamsters due to the level of dust that can be kicked into the air as your hamster moves around. This dust can be especially troublesome for your little pet when they use it to build a bed, as they will be sleeping in it.
Our Top Pick
Carefresh is a well establishes and much-loved brand for a myriad of pet products. and with at least 20,000 happy customers you can't argue with that! But we particularly like that this bedding is a fun color to brighten up your hamster's habitat, without being toxic. Not only that but the biodegradable eco-friendly design is a big plus in a worth where throwaway culture is rapidly affecting the environment. And with a soft texture, exceptional odor control, and multiple pack sizes available, it ticks every box as great bedding for your hamster.
