Saturday, May 9, 2009

Is it alright to use cotton balls as like something soft to lay on in my hamsters cage??


Answers:
Im not sure what everyone's talking about with the lost limbs and stuff, but I owned and bred hamsters for 7 years and they were never hurt at all by a cottonball... I gave them newspaper, which some of them enjoy tearing up but others didn't care for, paper towel or toilet paper, which most of them loved, and cotton balls or cotton pads, which they also fluff up around their nest. Not even thier babies got "caught" in the cotton ball fluff, so I'm not sure how that would happen... I think if you check them/hold them frequently you'll be fine. (Sometimes mother hamsters go a little crazy or if they feel unsafe they nibble on thier baby's limbs... maybe that's what caused the missing foot?) All I can speak from is my personal experience, which has been that cotton balls are fine (Hamsters do need something for thier bed besides the wood shavings on the bottom of the cage) but maybe you would feel better if you used cloth strips or newspaper or something less argumentative.
You could try because they like that kinda stuff but I would look out and keep an eye on it because just recently, my chinchilla died possibly from choking on something since she was so young and also because she chewed on the big wood shavings in the cage.
No, definetly not. Hamsters can get their little feet caught, resulting in a broken or even lost limb. They can also get it wrapped around their neck, suffocating them.
I also don't recommend "fluffy" bedding, use CareFresh instead, it is quite soft and very absorbant. My hamsters love it.
No, especially with your robo. The stringy fibers in cotton balls can get tangled around the hammy's feet, and can actually cause digestive tract problems if ingested. The cotton is not digestible for hamsters, and since it is not water soluble, can actually get caught up in their throat. The same goes for that cottony nesting material that is sold in pet stores. There's a picture of a hammy getting comfy in the cloudy, cottony softness of the deadly stuff.
The best soft things to give your hammy is shredded paper towels. Don't use toilet paper, either; alot of them have aloe for softness or are very dusty. I used to give my hammys Scott paper towels, plain white with no print, and shred it into one inch thick by three inches long pieces. They would shred it even more and make nests out of it.
Soft Aspen shavings should be fine, or if you prefer CareFresh paper-type bedding, which I do not recommend, that is soft enough for hamsters.
As long as they are natural cotton (as opposed to the synthetic material) you should be okay...
No they will chew on them and get t caught in they're throat and choke, not a good idea
I definetly agree with Katzbark07....try ripping up regular pieces of paper instead. Your hamster will also have fun chewing it up to little bits!=)
Once I used cotton balls and I didn't keep good watch on the baby hamsters...until I noticed that one hamster was missing a foot. It got tangled up in the cotton ball and was there I assume days...till the foot died off...All I suggest is...If you use cotton balls to check your hamster daily for these things...
nope it can hurt your furry friend..try ripping up an old t-shirt into strips or you can get an old tube sock (clean of course) and ball in up for them.
No, it is very unsafe. As stated in other's posts, little feet can get tangled and lose circulation resulting in a lost limb. Also, it is important to remember that you should not put anything in the cage that could get stuck in the pouch of your pet. I have heard that the cotton gets suck in their pouches and also, if they swallow it, it does not get broken down in their little bodies and will most often be fatal. The same goes for the store bought kind. It is known to be very unsafe. I have two hammys and I give them torn up toilet paper and they both love it. Good luck with your little guy : )
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO IT WILL HURT YOUR HAMMY

1 comment:

  1. I have always given my teddy bear hamsters cotton balls and never had a problem. They absolutely love it! I sort of shred and fluff the cotton balls up for them.

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