9 Best Hamster Bedding Options of 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

Your hamster doesn’t have a whole lot to its name, but with the right equipment, their cage can feel like a kingdom. Comfortable, appropriate bedding is one of the easiest and most fundamental ways to keep your pet happy and healthy.

But how to know when one product is better than the other? We’ve made a point of evaluating dozens of different bedding options to make sure your pet enjoys only the best of the best. We’ve also made sure to cater to people with a wide range of different budgets, so read on for some hamster bedding reviews!

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2023)

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Carefresh L0405 Small Pet Bedding	Recycled fiber Softer than most bedding material Odor absorption for 10 days	Check Price
Best Value		Kaytee 100037607 Clean & Cozy Bedding	Affordable 99% dust-free Available in different colors	Check Price
Premium Choice		Small Pet Select Natural Paper Bedding	Food grade paper Easy for burrowing Free of contaminants	Check Price
		Vitakraft 34754 Crumble Bedding	Two weeks of odor absorption Super absorbent for waste Natural paper	Check Price
		Healthy Pet L0004 Natural Bedding	Expands when exposed to moisture Absorbs 3X its weight Easy to move through	Check Price

The 9 Best Hamster Bedding Options

It features odor absorption capabilities for up to 10 days, and it is twice as absorbent as shavings and other similar materials. The Carefresh also doesn’t dust or crumble the same way that other bedding materials do, which makes the cleanup process considerably easier.

Unfortunately, the luscious fibers may be too thick. For hamsters that like to burrow, it can become difficult to move through the fluffy material.

It also has the benefit of being 99% dust-free, making it fairly easy to keep a relatively clean habitat. The materials are available in several different colors, and the strands are also very easy to move through, which will be great for pets that like to burrow.

Unfortunately, odor absorption isn’t quite as effective as we care to see. You may find yourself changing out this bedding more often than you usually would just to avoid odor build-up, which subsequently can wind up cutting slightly against the value.

The material is also super easy for burrowing, which will be great for pets that like to move. Unfortunately, it is one of the most expensive options on our list—probably largely because of how the materials are harvested. There also isn’t much to say in way of odor absorption, so factor for that as well.

The paper is completely biodegradable and compostable, ideal for the environmentally-conscious consumer. The paper is soft, unbleached, and baking soda-free making, it great for people that want to make sure that the cage is kept as natural as possible.

Unfortunately, we found one of the manufacturer’s claims to be less than accurate. While they claim their material is 99.5% dust-free, we noticed a good deal of crumbs in the bag that we tested. While this doesn’t mean that every bag will come packaged this way, it is nevertheless something to be mindful of.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of problems. For one thing, the material is not nearly as soft as many of the other options on our list. It’s also not super great at handling odor, which means you will probably be replacing it often.

Unfortunately, we noticed that the wood isn’t pulped very thoroughly. The bags often contain large, jagged chunks of wood that may be hazardous to pet health, should your hamster come into contact with them.

For the price, some may decide to simply handpick the chunks out themselves to save money. Still, it is something worth monitoring.

Unfortunately, in saving money, you encounter some issues that you may prefer to avoid. For one thing, the material tends to crumble, producing a good deal of dust. It also isn’t very good at absorbing scents, which means the cage will probably have a strong ammonia smell after several days.

Regardless, it is still a good way for budget buyers to get plenty of bedding at a very affordable price.

Unfortunately, though, we also found the paper to be a good deal tougher than we typically prefer to see. Granted, your hamster isn’t likely to voice any complaints, but you will probably want to be aware that there are more comfortable options out there.

However, some issues this bedding towards the bottom of our list. For one thing, the fibers of the paper tend to get tangled up within each other, which can trap your pet. This element of the bedding also makes it very difficult to clean incrementally.

If you like to remove bedding the moment you observe a mess, you’ll wind up taking out much larger clumps of paper than you intended.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Hamster Bedding

You’ve seen the products, but did one of them speak to you? If not, it may help to keep these buying considerations in mind. Read on!

Type of Material

There are several different types of materials that you may encounter. Each has its own set of pros and cons.

Paper

Paper is valued for its softness, as well as the ease with which your pet will be able to navigate through it. It’s also often highly compostable, which may reduce the environmental impact. However, quality can be inconsistent, and it’s also often not excellent with odor absorption.

Wood

Wood shavings tend to be the cheapest option but there is a broad range of issues that accompany them. For one thing, it tends to be very crumbly or “dusty”, which makes the eventual cleanup a lot harder.

Wood can also even contain sharp or jagged points that may prove harmful to your pet.

Processed Fiber

Still, other bedding is made of processed fiber—though what this ultimately means can vary substantially from unit to unit. For example, one of the units on our list was made from processed coconut husks.

These fibers tend to be softer, but they are also often more expensive. You will also want to investigate each unit closely to find the one that is right for you.

Odor Mitigation

Naturally, you want something that will be able to reduce the various smells that tend to accumulate in a pet cage. Every product has its way of handling this situation. For example, some use chemicals, others use baking soda, while still others just rely on the natural absorbent properties of the material.

Animals with health sensitivities will probably be best served by something organic, though this may also mean that you will need to change the bedding out more often. Organic solutions are not always as potent with their odor mitigation.

Size of the Packaging

The vast majority of the packages on our list come in at the 20-liter quantity. However, determining how much mileage you get from each bag is more complicated. For example, you have to account for the product’s absorption capabilities, as well as its ability to expand, and handle odor.

Ultimately, getting the most bang for your buck may be a matter of trial and error.

Conclusion

You’ve read our hamster bedding reviews. Now it is time to make your final decision. Perhaps you really appreciated the high levels of quality provided by our top choice, the Carefresh L0405 Small Pet Bedding.

However, you can also get a great product at a very competitive price. Budget buyers are well-advised to take a look at our runner up choice, the Kaytee 100037607 Clean & Cozy Bedding.

Of course, all of the products here are great, and hamster bedding goes fast, so you may wind up trying out several of these selections eventually.

Featured image credit: Healthy Pet HPCC Natural Bedding, Amazon