pine bedding and living help please!!!

Question
hi thank you for taking your time reading this. i have owned my ham for 2 days now and have read that pine bedding is not good for it and that it can kill the ham. how long does it take to do this? if i change its bedding tomorrow do yo think it will be okay and still live or will it have problems in the future...thank you so much!

-Jenny

Answer
Hi Jenny,

You're right, pine bedding is dangerous to hamsters.  Pine, as well as Cedar, beddings contain strong aromatic oils that irritate the hamster's respiratory system.  The hamster can develop a severe allergy, or he can develop a respiratory infection, which could be fatal.  

However, since your hamster has only been exposed to pine for 2 days now, it's highly likely that he has suffered no harm, and is perfectly fine.  Simply switch to Aspen or Carefresh bedding as soon as you can.  Make sure to wash the cage thoroughly before you put in the new bedding.  Wash the cage with mild hand soap instead of dish detergent, which smells too strongly and may irritate the hamster's nose.

Good luck with your new hamster, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly