FAQ: Bedding for small pets

Yes, thanks to its good absorbency and odour control, hemp bedding is often used in rabbit litter trays. Put hay on top, and remove wet patches every day or two.

Yes, hemp bedding breaks down quickly, and together with herbivore droppings it makes good compost. Compost it in a separate heap and do not put fresh compost straight onto edible vegetables.

Hemp absorbs well and controls odour, but on its own it is hard for a hamster to dig stable burrows in. It is often used in the toilet corner or mixed with paper bedding and hay.

Flax hurds are similar to hemp: absorbent, low in dust and compostable. They suit rabbits, guinea pigs and rats, and some owners like them for their light colour and softness.

Both are made from plant stalks and have similar properties, but flax hurds are often finer and softer while hemp is coarser and slightly more absorbent. Choose based on what is more comfortable and less dusty for your pet.

Straw is warm and inexpensive, but it absorbs urine poorly and the sharp stalks can injure the eyes. It works better as an extra layer in the house of outdoor rabbits and guinea pigs in winter than as the only bedding.

Hay is dried grass meant for eating, while straw is cereal stalks with little nutritional value, used for warmth and insulation. Rabbits and guinea pigs must always have hay, and straw replaces neither hay nor absorbent bedding.

Hay can be part of the bedding, especially for the nest or in a hide, but once wet it moulds quickly and the animal eats it dirty. So put absorbent bedding on the floor and keep hay in a rack or a separate pile.

Yes, hard, sharp straw stalks and coarse hay can poke into the eye, especially in guinea pigs, which burrow head-first. If an eye is watering, closed or cloudy, see a vet.

Add a thick layer of dry straw on top of absorbent bedding in the sleeping area so the rabbit can burrow in. Replace the straw when it gets damp, as wet bedding chills more than none at all.

Corn cob pellets are hard, absorb poorly at the surface, mould quickly when damp and can cause gut blockages if eaten. That is why softer bedding is recommended for most small pets.

Coconut fibre or coir substrate is more often used for reptiles, but sometimes for small pets as part of a digging box. It holds moisture, so it is not suitable for the whole cage, as small-pet bedding must stay dry.

Yes, fleece or other fabric liners with an absorbent layer underneath are popular in guinea pig and rat cages. They are soft, dust-free and washable, but need frequent cleaning and washing so they do not build up odour.

The top fleece layer lets urine pass through to an absorbent layer below, such as a towel or a purpose-made pad, so the surface stays drier. For this to work, new fleece is washed several times before use.

Droppings and hay are swept off the fleece daily, and the liners themselves are usually washed every few days or once a week, depending on how many animals there are. Shake off hair and hay before washing so you do not clog the machine.

Use a mild, unscented detergent and no fabric softener, as softener reduces how well the fleece lets liquid through and can irritate the animal's skin. Rinse and dry the liners well before putting them back.

Not as the only bedding, because hamsters and gerbils need to dig deep burrows, which they cannot do on fleece. Burrowing species need a deep layer of loose bedding.

Liners are dust-free, cost less over time and create no waste, but they need constant washing, control odour less well and do not allow digging. Loose bedding suits burrowing animals better and takes less daily effort.

A towel can be the absorbent bottom layer under fleece, but it is not suitable as the top layer: claws catch in the loops and the animal may chew it and swallow threads. Use towels only under another fabric.

Cotton wool and synthetic fluffy fillings have long, strong fibres that can wrap around the legs and cut off circulation, and if swallowed they can block the gut. Unscented toilet paper or paper bedding is safer for the nest.