When it comes to hedgehogs, a lot of people recommend different bedding options. It makes things tricky when trying to set up a cage and decide what the proper thing is to use. Some breeders will swear by a certain bedding, and, honestly, there really isn’t a right yes or no answer for bedding. I’ll give you an idea of what can be used and some of the perks or disadvantages for those. Let’s begin…

Wood Pellets – These so far are my personal favorite. They turn into sawdust when wet, which makes it easier to clean up. They don’t stick to your hedgie, which is a super big plus side when wanting to take them out. However, they do sometimes get stuck up into the belly of the hedgie when they roll up tight and you take them out – this makes them a little messy considering the second the hedgie unrolls the pellets fall out. This isn’t anything major considering how easy it is to pick up the pellets. It’s a little bit harder for the hedgies to burrow in this type of bedding so I do like to provide little pieces of blankets for them to cuddle up in and hide. The blankets can then be either discarded or washed after they get soiled.

Wood Chips (or sawdust) (Pine or Aspen are the safest) – Wood chips are nice because they’re easy to clean up and cheap to purchase. This is definitely a nice plus. They can, however, make the cage dusty for your hedgie and will get caught on their quills, making it messier for when you take them out. You also have to make sure that these are pine or some kind of safe wood for the hedgies just in case they ingest them.

Blankets/Fabric – Some people like just laying down a blanket (like fleece or something soft) for the hedgehogs and either throwing it out when it’s dirty or washing it in the laundry. This idea is nice, but just always seems so messy. You’d have to wash it probably every couple of days or once a week. In a way, this could be a cheaper method, but it could also be more expensive if you have to wash the blankets frequently. This is definitely cleaner for the hedgies, unless the blankets are dirty.

Carefresh Bedding – Carefresh has a lot of bedding options – wood pellets, wood chips, paper bedding, fluffy chunks, etc. This is a nice option for many. They can be a little pricey, but definitely give out a good array of choices. Most of these options do tend to hold the poop smell in more and aren’t as good to use, but definitely acceptable. The fluffy chunks and the paper bedding give a good thickness for the hedgies to burrow in, which they absolutely love and it does help to keep them cozy and happy.

Overall, wood pellets are my favorite due to being the least messy and being cheap. I mean you can pick up a 40-lb. bag for under $10.00 usually. Of course this depends on the brand and where you purchase it from. In the end, it’s up to you what you’d like to use for your hedgie, but at least you can choose with a more informed opinion on what works the best for your situation. Have fun shopping!

P.S. I do try to put links with all of the choices. Of course it’s sometimes cheaper just to find it at your local pet store or a farm/feed store, but there definitely are easier options. Amazon definitely is my favorite shopping place!