Beech chip substrate

These beech chips are made of hamster safe beech wood and they're great for promoting digging and foraging.

How many hamster safe beech chips do I get?

There's 300g of beech chips in each pack which is enough for a decent sized forage dish or bowl. You should have enough for a standard forage bowl with some left over to top up after spot cleaning. 

Are the beech chips hamster safe?

Yes, these grade beech chips are hamster safe. They've been bagged and then frozen at -20°c for 48+ hours, so you can use them straight out of the bag with confidence, no need for baking or freezing.

Should I get coarse or fine beech chips?

Both grades of beech chip are safe and suitable for hamsters. Coarse chips provide a chunkier texture and are great for adding variety and creating more naturalistic enclosure areas. Their larger size makes them especially lovely for Syrian hamsters, who are powerful diggers and enjoy moving heavier substrates around.

Fine beech chips are easier for dwarf and robo hamsters to dig in and are gentler on tiny paws. While dwarfs and robos can still use coarse chips, fine grades are usually more comfortable for smaller species.

Many owners also enjoy combining different substrate textures throughout the enclosure to encourage natural behaviours and enrichment.

How can I use beech chips with my hamster?

Beech chips really are a digging and foraging substrate. Because of their bitty nature, hamster food falls in between the chips making them the perfect option for scatter feeding. Flamey was a huge fan of beech chips. He used to find food around his cage and then take it back to his beech chips to snack on. He used to dig into them and forage for his food in a dedicated beech chip area. Sylvie also likes beech chips, she's less likely to dig in them but enjoys eating her crickets and silkworms in them! 

How long do beech chips last when used with a hamster?

The beech chips last quite a while, they absorb odour and moisture quite well which means they don't have to be changed constantly. With spot cleaning they'll last a long time. The only exception to this is if your hamster likes to use them as a toilet, in which case they'll need to be changed a bit more often.