For your hamster, their habitat is their home, so you want to make it as comfortable as possible. Therefore selecting a substrate that is soft, yet absorbent is really important.
Finding the best hamster substrate is key as you want the material to be dust free whilst providing a safe and odor less environment. Below we explain the differences in materials and give our recommendations on the greatest hamster sawdust available.
Below we review our top 4 hamster substrates:
- Small Pet Select Natural Paper Bedding
- Carefresh Natural bedding
- Kaytee Clean & Cozy
- Komodo Aspen Bed Terrain
What is substrate?
Substrate is the technical term for the material used to line the bottom of your hamsters cage. It should be used in addition to your hamster’s bedding, which they also require in order to nest.
A good substrate should be absorbent so that it soaks up your hamster’s excrement, soft enough for them to walk on without causing injury and able to disguise a multitude of smells.
Substrate is readily available to buy as wood chippings or sawdust. You must make sure that the material you choose:
- Is dust-free to prevent any breathing problems
- Has not been chemically treated
It should not matter which breed of hamster you own, whether you have a Syrian on a Dwarf, they all need a dust-free environment and a super soft, absorbent substrate to run around on.
Are wood shavings good for hamsters?
Wood shavings are commonly used for hamster bedding as it is cheap, widely available and can be delivered in large or small bags.
Compressed paper bedding is a good choice if your hamsters will be sensitive since it is softer, less harsh on small body parts and absorbs urine well.
You should also avoid scented wood shavings, as these will have been treated and are likely to contain harmful chemicals.
Is sawdust safe for hamsters?
Sawdust is often used; however, it can irritate some hamsters eyes, nose and lungs and cause skin allergies. Aspen is the best type of wood shavings to invest in but make sure you steer clear of pine and cedar wood, as these are usually incredibly dusty and will cause your hamster respiratory problems.
That said, we have always used a particular brand of sawdust for our hamster and never had a problem. If you do change your substrate, I would recommend monitoring your hamster closely to check that they remain safe and healthy.
Always make sure that your sawdust is at least 3” deep so that your hamster has plenty to cushion them as they walk around, and that it is thick enough absorb any wee. Especially those with allergies.
What alternatives are there to sawdust?
Wood pulp bedding is a good alternative for those seeking something other than sawdust. It is a safe and healthy option as it is made from reclaimed pulp waste, so is certainly free from inks, dyes, clay and harmful toxins.
Some, such as the Carefresh brand, sanitize their bedding to 380 degrees to ensure that any bacteria, mold or fungus hbecause been killed off before bagging.
Recycled paper is a great choice to line a hamster’s cage as it can absorb twice the amount of liquid than wood shavings or sawdust can, and helps to keep your hamster’s habitat fresher for longer.
Our review of the best hamster substrate
Most of the bags of hamster substrate that you find at pet stores will be manufactured with all of the above in mind. Below we review the top 4 brands that are readily available to buy in store or online.
Small Pet Select Natural Paper Bedding - Best substrate for reducing hamster odors
If you have the space to store it, then this highly absorbent, soft natural paper bedding, is great value for money and safe for your hamster too.
Small Pet Select pride themselves on using the highest quality natural paper that is 99% dust-free. The bag itself 3x in volume (which means you get plenty of bedding for your buck) and the substrate itself is squishy and odorless.
Carefresh Natural bedding - Best substrate for allergies
Carefresh is one of the top brands for manufacturing hamster bedding. What we like about this particular bag of substrate, is that is made from natural reclaimed wood pulp so is safe and comfortable for the hamster. If your hamster likes to burrow, then add a couple of extra inches to allow them to tunnel and play.
Its odor control formula suppresses ammonia and can absorb up to 3x its weight in liquid. Hamsters enjoy burrowing in this material as it is super soft on their tiny paws.
Kaytee Clean & Cozy - Best substrate for absorbency
Kaytee Clean & Cozy small pet paper bedding is a lovely, fluffy yet absorbent bedding. Able to soak up to 6x its own weight and 2x more liquid than wood shavings, its super absorbency means less odour so that you can endure. Plus this substrate is 99 percent dust free and will be made from long fibre strands that do not contain any harmful chemical or by-products and are biodegradable.
Its paper-like texture comes in a variety of colors and sizes that are perfect for brightening any hamsters habitat.
Komodo Aspen Bed Terrain - Best Substrate for burrowing
Although this is marketed at snake owners for those who have a hamster who loves to burrow then this is the substrate for you. Made from 100% natural materials, it encourages burrowing behavior whilst still managing to retain its shape.
Therefore your hamster can tunnel and make dens underground, just like they would in the wild.
Made from Aspen, this material is recyclable and biodegradable, plus it is light in color which makes it easy to spot clean daily.
Conclusion
There are lots of different substrates available, that often finding the right one for your hamster can be overwhelming. But as long since you pick a brand that is safe (no Cedar or Pine), contains little dust and is softs on the paws, then your hamster will soon make themselves at home.