FAQ: Bedding for small pets

Small pets dig and push their bedding around, so it often spills through the bars or over a shallow base. A deeper base, guards around the cage or a tank-style enclosure help; this is normal behaviour that should not be stopped by reducing the bedding.

Not always. Wet patches and droppings are removed daily, while a full cage wash with all the bedding replaced is done less often, depending on the species. For burrowing species, full cleans that are too frequent cause stress.

A partial change means removing only the wet and dirty parts of the bedding and topping up with fresh bedding in their place. This keeps the bedding clean, saves bedding and keeps the animal's surroundings familiar.

Change the bedding when you notice an ammonia or sharp urine smell, or the bedding is wet, matted, full of droppings or darkened. If the smell appears after just a few days, clean toilet spots more often or choose more absorbent bedding.

Ammonia forms as urine breaks down in the bedding and irritates the eyes and airways, and over time it can contribute to respiratory disease. Small pets live close to the bedding, so they are exposed to it more strongly than people.

Wash the cage with hot water and a mild, unscented cleaner or diluted vinegar, rinse well and let it dry before adding bedding. Strong bleach or scented cleaners can irritate the animal's airways.

Rabbit and guinea pig urine is high in calcium, so white scale builds up in the tray. It dissolves most easily with diluted vinegar: leave it for a few minutes, scrub, rinse well with water and dry before adding fresh bedding.

Move the animal to a safe, enclosed place such as a carrier or a playpen with a hide, away from other pets and draughts. Do not wake hamsters and other timid rodents in the day just to clean unless necessary.

A small scoop for toilet corners, a brush and dustpan, rubbish bags and cloths are useful. Simple tools kept near the cage make daily cleaning easier and help you not skip it.

Gloves and washing your hands after cleaning are good hygiene, as small pets' droppings and urine can carry microorganisms transmissible to people. If you are sensitive to dust, a mask helps too.

Allergies can be triggered by bedding dust, the animal's hair or urine proteins, and hay dust is a common culprit. Try low-dust paper or hemp bedding, clean while wearing a mask and talk to your doctor.

Yes, dusty or scented bedding, bedding with aromatic oils and ammonia from dirty bedding can irritate the airways. Sneezing, nasal discharge or laboured breathing are reasons to see a vet.

Bumblefoot (pododermatitis) is inflammation of the soles of the feet, common in rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. Hard, rough or wire floors, wet and dirty bedding and excess weight promote it; if you see red or sore soles, see a vet.

Yes, lying on wet bedding for long makes the fur damp and the skin irritated by urine, which can lead to inflammation, especially in long-haired guinea pigs and elderly animals. Keep bedding dry and check the belly and rear end.

Mites can come in contaminated bedding or hay stored in damp or open places, though they also spread from other animals. Itching, bald patches, dandruff or scabs mean the animal needs a vet check; do not start treatment yourself.

Some owners keep bedding and hay in the freezer for a few days to kill any mites or insects. This is not necessary with good-quality, sealed bedding, but it can help if you have had parasite problems before.

A sick or weak animal usually does best on soft, low-dust, easily changed bedding such as paper or fabric liners, which also make it easy to monitor droppings and urine. Follow the vet's advice.

The bedding is where health changes are easiest to spot: the amount and shape of droppings, diarrhoea, urine colour or blood. If you notice fewer or changed droppings or blood in the urine, see a vet.

Not always: rabbit urine can be orange or reddish due to plant pigments. But it is hard to tell this from blood at home, so if the colour is unusual, keeps recurring or the rabbit is behaving differently, talk to a vet.

Soft, low-dust bedding without long fibres, such as paper bedding, suits babies, along with enough nesting material for the mother to keep them warm. In the first weeks, do not disturb the nest unless necessary.