i have had pine bedding for a couple days now

Question
Hi please reply back to me i would greatly appreciate it, i have had my ham for 2 days now and i have been reading up on how to take care of it to ensure it's health. i bought pine bedding and i wanted to know how long it takes for the ham to catch a disease or die if it is living in it. if i cahnge it tomorrow do you think it will be okay or have any problems with it in the future?



thank you so much for your time,
-Jenny

Answer
Hi Jenny

The reason why some people are experiencing problems with pine bedding is because of the smell.  What might smell nice to humans, unfortunately isn't good for small animals.  Cedar, pine and cypress mulch contains the volatile oil, thujone and this can cause skin irritation as well as respiratory problems. Hamsters, in particular, due to their bad eye sight, rely very heavily on their sense of smell which is very sensitive.

You should only use wood chippings and bedding that are clearly marked that they are safe for small animals.  There are different varieties - so if you can't get wood chippings, there are others available that you can use to line your hamster's cage.

I doubt if a couple of days in this will have done serious damage to your hamster, but I would strongly advise you to change this bedding today.  It would be good to thoroughly wash out his cage to get rid of any trace of the smell.

Regards