Bedding for Small Animals can be confusing – sawdust, straw, hay, shavings, newspaper – what is right and what is wrong? There isn’t really a right or wrong answer, as long as they have enough hay to eat and the base of their bed is a material that will soak up toilet mess you should be OK. One of my Pigs eats anything – including Bin Bags and Newspapers – so choose what you are comfortable using. Hopefully there are a few useful suggestions below.
Guinea Pigs and Rabbits need the same bedding – Sawdust or Wood Shavings and Hay. We line the bottom of each cage with newspapers to soak up extra waste, and then cover the newspapers in a thick blanket of sawdust or shavings. We use Clear Label Shavings because it can get quite expensive and 20kg for around £18.00 isn’t bad at all. It lasts about 3 weeks but depends on how big your hutch is and how much you use each time.
In terms of hay we use Fleet Farm Hay which is around £17.00 for 20kg – again an excellent price. We find this lasts us approximately 6 weeks, and that’s a combination of covering the bottom of their hutches, and the bottom of their indoor run, and using it as food in their hay feeders.
Straw can be used but only as extra warm bedding during colder months. They won’t eat this and it doesn’t soak up very well.
You can also use shredded paper but this will need changing even more frequently than sawdust as it stays wet. Try to use paper that doesn’t have ink on it too if possible.
Bedding for Small Animals such as Hamsters can be sawdust, shredded paper or cotton wool. They won’t really eat it but will use it for nests and warmth.
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