How Often To Change A Pet Rodent’s Bedding

You have a new rodent friend, and you may want to know how often you should change your rodent’s bedding. There’s so much information out there that it’s difficult to know how often to change it.

A rodent’s bedding should be completely changed at least once a week. This ensures that the rodent’s waste isn’t allowed to rot. You should do spot checks at least once a day. If you find any areas with urine or feces, scoop out the soiled bedding, and replace it with fresh bedding.

Different types of bedding are needed for different types of rodents. If you are interested to know exactly how often to change your pet rodent’s bedding and what kind of bedding you need, you can find more information in the guide below.

How Often to Change A Rodent’s Bedding

Change your rodent’s bedding completely at least once a week. This ensures that the rodent’s waste isn’t allowed to rot and cause more significant problems. Factors may vary on the frequency, such as:

• Type of rodent
• How many you have in the cage
• What type of bedding is used

Common types of rodents that you’ll need to do this for are

• Guinea pigs
• Rats
• Mice
• Chinchilla
• Hamsters

If you have more than one rodent in the cage, make sure the cage size and the amount of bedding is appropriate for that species. Do some research, or check with your local vet, especially if you plan on more than 2 rodents per cage.

Why Clean Bedding is Important

Clean bedding is important to maintain you and your rodent’s health. If you do not change your rodent’s bedding regularly, you (and your pet) can get sick from the chemicals and bacteria that dirty bedding produces.

Some detrimental effects are:

• Ammonia: Once urine stays in one place for a long period, bacteria can transform the urine into ammonia, a colorless gas with a pungent odor. Ammonia can affect your pet’s respiratory health, making it hard to breathe for them when the smell is all around their living space.
• Dirty bedding houses bacteria: When bedding is not cleaned regularly, it allows micro bacteria to grow. This can be harmful to both the rodent and the human and can cause sickness.
• Fungi: Another health hazard rodents need to worry about is fungi like Deuteromycetes and Trichophyton Mentagrophytes. These fungi have been known to cause ringworm, and they thrive in unclean, unsafe environments like dirty bedding.

How to Change a Rodent’s Bedding

It’s important to know how to change a rodent’s bedding so they can live in a healthy environment, and you enjoy their company without any foul odor.

You’ll need to do a deep cleaning on your rodent’s cage at least once a week, in addition to doing a weekly spot cleaning.

Supplies You’ll Need to Change Your Rodent’s Bedding

You’ll need to keep a good amount of supplies on hand to change your rodent’s bedding and clean their cage.

• Fresh bedding: the type of bedding you choose for your rodent depends on what kind of rodent you have. Your pet may show a preference for a certain texture or type. Keep a good supply of this on hand.
• Secondary rodent enclosure: this is to house your pet while you’re cleaning their cage out. It can be an aquarium or a smaller cage.
• Pet-safe cleaner: this is a good way to clean out your cage during the deep cleaning process or a regular spot cleaning. There is always some residue left behind after cleaning, which may not be seen by the naked eye, and you’ll want to ensure that it is pet-safe, hence the recommendation of a pet-safe cleaner.
• Disinfectant: White vinegar or Lysol to disinfect the cage after you’ve deep cleaned it.
• Anti-bacterial dish soap: to deep clean the various parts of the cage.
• Water: this can be straight from the tap
• Washcloth or paper towels: this is to help deep clean your cage or help freshen it up through the week. Paper towels are also useful for spot cleaning.
• Spray bottle: to put your cleaner or water in so you can wet down the inside of the cage when needed.
• Small nylon bottle brush: this is to help you clean those hard-to-reach places on any water dispensers or toys.
• Small animal and rodent pet wipes: These come in handy when you are spot cleaning and want to do a quick wipe down of toys or the inside of their cage.

Changing Your Rodent’s Bedding

It’s important to change your rodent’s bedding at least once a week. If you have time, it’s a good idea to do it while you deep clean their cage.

Here’s how to change your rodent’s bedding during the deep cleaning process.

1. Make sure you have fresh bedding, as well as food and water available, if not, you will have to go and purchase some.
2. Gently remove your pet rodent from the cage.
3. Place them in a prepared secondary enclosure to keep them safe during the cleaning process.
4. Wear gloves if needed to keep your hands clean.
5. Wear a disposable mask if you are sensitive to smells and dust.
6. Remove the top of the cage and set it aside.
7. Remove the food dish and water dispenser.
8. Remove any toys and other items that need to be cleaned and set them aside.
9. Carefully empty all soiled bedding into a trash bag.
10. Use a spray bottle to wet down any clumps of litter or bedding and loosen it up.
11. Throw the loosened clumps in the trash.
12. Fill the bottom of the cage with soap and warm water, and let sit for a few minutes while you do the rest of the steps.
    • Depending on the weather, you can take the larger elements of your cage outside to clean it – you can use a spray hose to clear any clumps that are hard stuck on the cage.
13. Submerge all hard-plastic toys and cage elements in hot soapy water.
14. Let them sit for a little while to loosen up any debris or clumps.
15. Dump the water out, and submerge the toys in a second bucket or sink full of hot soapy water.
16. Clean and rinse the toys thoroughly and let them air dry while you clean the cage.
17. Wash any cloth toys with soap and water and let them air dry or wash them in the washing machine.
18. Clean out food dishes and water dispensers with soap and water and let them air dry.
19. Use a scrubbing brush to remove any bedding still clumped to the bottom of your cage. Wash out any soap and dirt.
20. Clean the bottom of your cage with a washcloth.
21. If your cage has a wire top, make sure it’s clean and free of debris. Brush anything off with a brush or washcloth.
22. Spray everything with a disinfectant to ensure that no bacteria is remaining.
23. Let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.

Now that you have a freshly cleaned cage, you need to add new bedding to your rodent’s cage. To do this you:

1. Add fresh bedding so that it’s at least a quarter of an inch in depth
2. Put fresh food and water back in the cage, along with all the toys and entertainment elements.
3. Gently place your pet rodent back in their clean cage.
4. Make sure to clean out and disinfect the secondary cage so that it’s ready for the next time.

How to Clean Fleece Bedding for Rodents

If your rodent, such as a guinea pig, has a fleece bed, then it needs to be cleaned weekly. 

1. Make sure you have fresh and clean fleece, as well as food and water available, if not, you will have to go and purchase some.
2. Gently remove your pet rodent from the cage.
3. Place them in a prepared secondary enclosure to keep them safe during the cleaning process.
4. Wear gloves if needed to keep your hands clean.
5. Wear a disposable mask if you are sensitive to smells and dust.
6. Remove the top of the cage and set it aside.
7. Remove the food dish and water dispenser.
8. Remove any toys and other items that need to be cleaned and set them aside.
9. Sweep up any poop pellets off the fleece.
10. Throw away any soiled hay or other disposable bedding.
11. Fill the bottom of the cage with soap and warm water, and let sit for a few minutes while you do the rest of the steps.
    • Depending on the weather, you can take the larger elements of your cage outside to clean it – you can use a spray hose to clear any clumps that are hard stuck on the cage.
12. Submerge all hard-plastic toys and cage elements in hot soapy water.
13. Let them sit for a little while to loosen up any debris or clumps.
14. Dump that water out and submerge the toys in a second bucket or sink full of hot soapy water.
15. Clean and rinse the toys thoroughly and let them air dry while you clean the cage.
16. Wash any cloth toys with soap and water and let them air dry or wash them in the washing machine.
17. Wash the fleece and towels layers out in the washing machine using hypoallergenic laundry detergent
18. Clean out food dishes and water dispensers with soap and water and let them air dry.
19. Clean the bottom of your cage with a wash cloth
20. If your cage has a wire top, make sure it’s clean and free of debris. Brush anything off with a brush or washcloth.
21. Spray everything with a disinfectant to ensure that no bacteria is remaining.
22. Let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.
23. Add a fresh layer of fleece to the cage.
24. Add the clean toys and other elements back in, as well as fresh food and water.
25. Gently return your rodent to the clean cage.

Tips for Keeping Your Rodent Bedding Clean and Fresh

There are some things you can do to keep your rodent bedding clean and fresh in between regular bedding changes.

You should change your pet’s bedding during deep cleaning sessions every week. However, you should check on your rodent daily to make sure they are healthy and their cage is clean.

Here are some tips to help you ensure your rodent’s bedding and cage stay clean and fresh in between regular cleanings. 

• Scoop out dirty bedding daily: Use a small animal scoop or a pair of tweezers to clean out your rodent’s feces daily. Pick up any soiled bedding and the bedding around that area and throw it away.
• Be sure to replace the soiled bedding with fresh, dry bedding.
• If you have fleece bedding for rodents like guinea pigs, you may need to sweep the fleece daily with a small broom and dustpan to get rid of any poop pellets.
• Pay attention to how your rodent’s cage smells: Female and male rodents pee on their bedding to mark their territory and feel comfortable. If you notice your rodent’s habitat has a strong smell, regardless of how long it has been, it is time to change their bedding.
• Don’t change the bedding too often: Rodents are known for marking their territory by peeing and leaving their smell. If you change your rodent’s bedding too often, they may become nervous and aggressive. They will then keep marking their territory more often, which can make the whole area smell even worse.
• Deep clean the enclosure when you change the bedding: Do a deep cleaning on your rodent’s cage at the same time you change their bedding. This ensures a fresh and clean enclosure and removes any lingering bacteria or fungi.
• Place a small bowl or open box of baking soda outside your rodent’s cage to help absorb any odors throughout the week. Make sure to keep it outside the cage and out of your pet’s reach. Do not let them ingest this as it can be poisonous.
• If your rodent doesn’t naturally groom himself or is just lazy, you can spot clean your rodent on a regular basis to help keep their bedding and cage clean. Use a clean damp cloth and wipe them down gently.
• Wash out their food bowl and water dispenser on a regular basis. This ensures the health of your rodent and keeps the area from getting too dirty.
• Make sure all toys and accessories are clean and free of debris. You can shake or brush them off. Wipe them down as needed.
• Choose high-quality feed to keep your rodent friend healthy. Keep an eye on your pet and make sure they have no adverse reaction to the food. When your rodent pet is healthy, their bedding will remain clean.
• Add apple cider vinegar to their water to reduce the odor of their urine. Add two drops for every eight ounces. This will not only help your rodent’s digestive system function, but it cuts down on the odor in their urine.

Types of Bedding for Rodents

Some types of bedding can absorb urine better and have better odor control than others. Bedding that has the best absorption and odor control usually last longer before needing to be changed. This may be considered a more cost-effective and consumer-friendly option. 

Know Which Bedding is the Best for Your Rodent

Knowing which bedding is the best for your rodent is important. Some rodents will prefer a different kind of bedding compared to others.

Here is a list of some rodent pets and what bedding they prefer to sleep and pee on.

Type of Rodent	Popular Types of Bedding	Why?
Mice	Aspen wood shavings Paper pellets	Mice prefer bedding with larger fibrous elements and avoid the small ones
Rats	Aspen wood shavings Paper pellets	Prefer bedding with larger elements, also soft paper
Hamsters	Aspen wood shavings Paper pellets Timothy hay	They love to burrow and prefer soft bedding.
Guinea Pigs	Aspen wood shavings Paper pellets Timothy hay Fleece Grassy outdoor area	They need a soft place to walk on.
Chinchillas	Aspen wood shavings Paper pellets Kiln-dried pine shavings	Soft bedding is better for their feet as they walk around.

Best Types of Rodent Bedding

While there are many types of rodent bedding available on the market, some are better than others.

Here are some of the different types of the best bedding that I’ve found.

• Shredded Paper
  • This is soft and absorbent, which makes it relatively easy to know when it needs to get changed as it gets very soggy when wet. Its light coloring also makes it easy to spot waste. One of the downsides of shredded paper bedding is that they can be very dusty, and this dust can be irritable to most small rodents.
• Paper Pellets
  • Paper pellet bedding, like So Phresh and CareFRESH, is incredibly absorbent and is usually one of the best picks for rodent bedding material. It is not dusty and does not irritate smaller rodents. 
• Aspen wood shavings
  • It has good odor control because it is very absorbent. Choose aspen bedding with low dust. If you don’t like the woody smell of aspen, air the bag out for a few hours before using it.
• Paper and Wood Blends
  • These tend to be some of the more popular bedding choices because of their high absorbency rate and low cost. Be sure to look for blends that have aspen pellets, as other kinds of wood blends can be toxic and dangerous to your pets.
• Hemp
  • This bedding is very absorbent and very environmentally friendly. It can be used as a fertilizer after it has been recycled. It is also less likely to be eaten by your pet as rodents do not find hemp to be tasty in the slightest.
• Shredded Cardboard
  • It contains similar properties to shredded paper and paper pellets, being easily recyclable, easy to replace when dirty, and very absorbent. If you are making shredded cardboard or paper at home, find a way to remove the dust before you use it as bedding for your pet rodents.

Rodent Bedding with Mixed Results

There are some rodent bedding choices that come with mixed results. While they may be cheaper, they also have some drawbacks like less absorbency and more dust.

Here are some rodent beddings with mixed results

• Hay and Straw
  • This is not recommended for smaller rodents because it isn’t as absorbent and tends to be dustier, which is damaging to their respiratory systems.
• Fleece
  • It doesn’t absorb liquids as well as other bedding types, as the liquids are likely to sit on the surface of the fleece without being absorbed into the fabric. Because fleece cannot absorb liquids well, you will have to clean it out or change it quicker than other bedding types. Use an additional absorption layer under fleece bedding to help mitigate this problem.
• Corn Cob
  • This is a popular choice for bedding because it has great odor control, and has naturally preventative measures against deadly chemicals and bacteria. However, the hardness of corn cob bedding leaves rats and mice with higher aggression.
• Shredded newspaper
  • One of the most attractive things about this bedding is how cheap it is, and how easy it is to make and use it. However, it lacks odor control and absorbency, so you will end up replacing it much quicker than some other costlier options. Make sure your shredded newspaper is printed with non-toxic ink.

Types of Rodent Bedding to Avoid

• Cedarwood
  • This is a softwood and contains toxins, which are poisonous to rodents. In addition, it has a strong odor and can affect your ability to smell dirty bedding.
• Pinewood
  • Pine is a softwood and contains phenols. Phenols have been shown to have the potential to adversely affect your pet rodent’s liver and respiratory systems.
• Clay Cat Litter
  • It contains too much dust, and rodents are known to groom themselves like cats to remove dust and debris with their tongue. If they ingest the dust, it can have the potential to damage their respiratory system, especially if it’s clumping cat litter.

How to Make Rodent Bedding Yourself

Some people may prefer to make rodent bedding out of supplies they have on hand because it’s cheaper and better for the environment. If this is you, then making fresh bedding on your own is easy.

Some supplies you’ll need are:

• Plain white paper: Make sure your paper isn’t colored and doesn’t have ink because it can be toxic to small rodents. If it is colored or has printing on it, check to make sure the ink is non-toxic before using it. If unsure, do not use it.
• Pillowcase: Use an old pillowcase that you don’t need, as it will get dirty.
• Washing machine: You can use the one you have at home
• Oven: To dry the bedding out.
• Very large cookie sheet: To spread the paper clumps on
• Tumble dryer: Another way to dry out the paper clumps

To make your rodent bedding, you need to:

1. Accumulate a big pile of paper.
2. Wad or twist the paper into balls.
3. Stuff it into the pillowcase until it’s half full.
4. Twist the top of the pillowcase and then tie a tight knot at the top to keep all the wadded paper inside.
5. Put the filled pillowcase in the washing machine.
6. Use the hot water setting and run it for about 15 minutes.
7. Have it spin the water out for at least fifteen minutes.
8. Turn your oven on to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Open the pillowcase and dump the contents onto a large cookie sheet
10. Crumble any large clumps between your hands to get smaller clumps. This will help it dry faster.
11. Put the cookie sheet in the oven for at least 25 minutes and check every 10 minutes thereafter. Depending on how wet your paper is, it can take up to an hour to finish drying.
12. If you prefer to use a tumble dryer to dry your paper, before you place the wet pillowcase in the dryer, make sure to break up the wet clumps through the pillowcase. Do not open up the pillowcase before drying.
13. Tumble dry on low heat for about 20 minutes and check on the paper.
14. Once it’s dry, break it up into smaller clumps to use as bedding.

You can use this homemade bedding as a top layer to cover your other bedding or to completely fill the cage. If you plan on using this to fill the cage, you may need to do at least two or three pillowcases full of paper.

This type of homemade of bedding is good for any kind of pet rodent.

Guinea pigs sometimes need a different type of bedding made out of fleece. If you want to make homemade fleece bedding for your guinea pigs, it’s pretty easy.

These are the supplies you’ll need for the homemade fleece bedding:

• 100% polyester fleece: This will be the top layer for the guinea pig cage bedding
• Old towels: This will be the middle layer to absorb liquid. These old towels will be cut up so make sure you won’t miss them.
• Measuring tape and a pair of scissors
• Binder clips and pins

To make your homemade fleece, you need to:

1. Wash the fleece 3 times in a washer with warm water, using hypoallergenic and fragrance-free laundry detergent.
2. Dry it in a tumble dryer.
3. Pour a little water on the fleece – this is to check if water pools on the surface of the fleece or gets absorbed.
4. Keep washing the fleece until it absorbs water.
5. Measure out the width and depth of your guinea pig cage and add an inch on all sides.
6. Cut out 2 layers of fleece. You can supplement this with 3 layers of old towels, especially if you have more than 1 guinea pig.
7. Sandwich the towels between the two pieces of fleece.
8. Fold the edges under themselves to hold everything in place.
9. Use binder clips and pins to secure it to the cage.

This is an excellent environmentally-friendly and budget-conscious alternative if you are tight on funding.

Other types of bedding you make are:

• Shredded paper
  • You can use the shredded paper from your paper shredder as bedding. However, make sure it’s they are long strips as cross-cut shredding is too small. Also, make sure that there is no toxic ink on your paper.
• Shredded cardboard
  • You can cut up strips of cardboard into long strips for bedding.
• Toilet paper or paper towels
  • This is an excellent soft and absorbent material to add to your pet rodent’s bedding, especially for nesting material. This is great as a supplement to bedding, but shouldn’t be used as the entire bedding because it has high absorbency rates, and would have to be changed daily.

Change a Rodent’s Bedding Often

Knowing how often to change a rodent’s bedding will keep them happy and healthy. One of the best ways to take care of your rodent’s health is by completely changing your pet’s bedding once a week. This will ensure they have a clean habitat that is free from bacteria and ammonia. Then your rodent will be happy, and so will you.