Best bedding for chinchillas: what is safe and what to avoid

What is the best bedding for chinchillas?

Dust-free paper bedding. It is the one type that every source we read accepts: VCA and PetMD recommend paper-based bedding, the MSD Veterinary Manual says paper is less likely than wood shavings to block the gut if eaten, and PDSA lists wood pulp and paper for nest boxes. It is soft, absorbent and easy to scoop.

Whatever you use, chinchilla bedding has to do four jobs: keep their feet off bare wire, soak up urine so the cage stays dry, be safe if they nibble it, and give off as little dust as possible. Chinchillas already roll in fine dust to clean their fur, so their eyes and airways don't need more from the floor. PDSA warns that dusty bedding harms lungs and eyes.

Chinchilla bedding types compared

Can chinchillas have wood shavings?

This is where good sources really disagree, so here is the full picture. PDSA says dust-free wood shavings or wood pulp can line the floor. The MSD Veterinary Manual accepts pine only if it has been kiln-dried, because untreated pine gives off oils that can harm the lungs. VCA warns against cedar and pine shavings, which can irritate the airways and block the gut if eaten. PetMD says avoid wood shavings altogether for the blockage risk. Wood Green, a UK animal charity, says never to use wood shavings or sawdust, because they are dusty and linked to skin problems.

We would skip wood shavings. Paper and hemp do the same job with less dust and less risk if eaten, and when two safe-enough options exist, we take the one nobody objects to. Cedar and untreated pine are a firm no in every source.

Is fleece bedding good for chinchillas?

Yes, with conditions. VCA lists fleece liners as a suitable bedding, spot-cleaned daily and replaced weekly. Wood Green is stricter: anti-pill fleece is the only safe type, and liners should be changed every day or two and washed so they never stay damp. Anti-pill fleece is a tightly finished fabric that doesn't form the little bobbles that ordinary fleece does, so there is less loose fibre to nibble.

Fleece suits owners who prefer washing to buying bedding, and chinchillas who leave fabric alone. It doesn't suit chewers. If you find holes, frayed edges or missing pieces, take the fleece out and go back to paper, because swallowed fibres can block the gut.

How to set up fleece liners

1. Buy anti-pill fleece only. Check the label says anti-pill. Plain fleece sheds fibres.
2. Pre-wash it. New fleece repels water at first. Wash it a few times so urine soaks through rather than pooling on top.
3. Add an absorbent layer. Put a towel, a padded core or a layer of paper bedding underneath so wet soaks away from their feet.
4. Fit it snugly. Cut or tuck the liner so there are no loose edges or gaps a foot could catch in.
5. Shake it out daily. Brush droppings and hay off every day with a small dustpan and brush, as Wood Green suggests.
6. Swap every day or two. Keep at least two sets so one is always clean and dry.
7. Wash gently. Use an unscented, non-bio detergent and skip fabric softener, which leaves a coating. Shake off hay before washing to protect your machine.

The pre-wash and detergent steps are standard fleece-liner practice rather than advice from our main sources. They follow from the point in every source that bedding must stay dry and free of scents.

What bedding goes in a chinchilla's nest box?

Soft hay or shredded paper. The RSPCA says chinchillas need constant access to nest boxes filled with good-quality, dust-free hay. PDSA suggests hay, shredded paper, recycled wood pulp or cardboard litter, as long as it is dust-free, clean and dry. Hay has a bonus: they can eat it, and Burgess suggests sprinkling a few pellets or dried herbs into it so they forage. For the boxes themselves, see the best chinchilla hides and houses.

How deep should the bedding be?

About 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) of paper bedding on a solid floor, says PetMD. Oxbow suggests 2.5 to 7.5 cm (1 to 3 in) for its paper bedding. Use the deeper end if your cage has a deep tray, and the shallow end with fleece underneath. Chinchillas kick bedding about when they jump, so a tray base with a high lip keeps more of it in the cage. Our chinchilla cage setup guide shows how to lay the floor out, and our cage size guide covers floor types.

How often should you change chinchilla bedding?

Spot-clean every day and change it all once a week. PDSA says to remove wet or dirty bedding daily and change all the bedding weekly, with a full strip and scrub once a month. VCA and PetMD agree on daily spot-cleaning and a weekly change. Fleece is the exception: Wood Green says to change it every day or two. Keep a handful of clean used bedding to put back, so the cage still smells like home, a PDSA tip. Our chinchilla cage cleaning routine lists every job.

Bedding we would look at

We don't make pieces for chinchillas yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at. Each one is a type our sources accept. Check the label for "unscented" and "dust-free" or "dust-extracted" whatever you buy.

Signs your chinchilla's bedding isn't working

• Wet or yellow-stained fur on the feet or belly: bedding isn't soaking up enough, or needs changing more often.
• Sneezing, runny eyes or a wet nose: bedding may be too dusty. Switch and see a vet if it continues (PDSA).
• Red, sore or swollen feet: not enough solid, soft floor. See a vet, and our chinchilla health guide.
• Chewed fleece or eaten bedding: switch to paper or hay.
• A strong ammonia smell: change bedding more often, or add a toilet tray.

For everything else your chinchillas need, see our complete chinchilla care guide.