Small Pet Bedding

Paper-based bedding, like Safe Bed Paper Shavings, is generally low-dust and a common choice where a more sensitive small pet, or an owner with allergies, might react to wood dust. Back 2 Nature Animal Bedding takes a similar low-dust, paper-and-plant-fibre approach, while traditional wood shavings are a longstanding, absorbent option many small pet keepers have used for years.

Bathing and burrowing substrates, like Selective Bathing Sand, serve a different purpose again — some small pets, particularly chinchillas, need a specific dust or sand bath rather than bedding to keep their coat in good condition.

Softwood shavings, particularly pine and cedar, have traditionally raised concerns for some small pets because of the oils they contain, so paper-based or specially treated bedding is often recommended as the gentler option, especially for rabbits and guinea pigs who spend most of their time in direct contact with it. Whatever you choose, avoid anything visibly dusty, since dust can affect the respiratory system of small pets kept in an enclosed hutch or cage.

Depth matters as much as material for burrowing species — a shallow layer doesn't let a rabbit or hamster express natural digging behaviour, while a generous depth gives them somewhere to properly settle and insulate against the cold.

Spot-clean wet patches and droppings daily, and do a full bedding change at least weekly, more often in warm weather or for animals kept in a smaller enclosure, since damp bedding left too long is a common cause of skin problems and unpleasant smells. Rabbits and guinea pigs in particular tend to toilet in one corner, which makes daily spot-cleaning of that area quick even between full changes.

If a small pet seems to be reacting to their bedding — sneezing, itching, or unusually restless — switching to a lower-dust, paper-based alternative is a reasonable first step, alongside a chat with your vet if it doesn't settle.