Bedding is one of the most important husbandry decisions you will make for a hedgehog, and it is one owners most often get wrong. Hedgehogs spend the majority of their day burrowed and asleep, so their bedding is in constant contact with their skin, feet, and respiratory tract. The right substrate buffers their feet, absorbs urine, traps ammonia odor, and supports the digging behavior these animals are wired to perform. The wrong substrate can trigger respiratory irritation, dry out the skin, or cause life-threatening leg injuries.
When choosing bedding, I prioritize three things: it must be soft and loose enough to burrow into, low in dust to protect the lungs, and free of aromatic oils. This is why I steer owners away from cedar and pine shavings and toward dust-extracted paper beddings. Look for absorbency, odor control, and a fluffy texture that holds a tunnel without collapsing into a hard mat.
