Corn Cob Bedding Safe to Eat?

[TikkiLink]

I bought some corn cob bedding to try as litter last weekend-- I am desperate to get the cat litter out of my girl's litterbox because she plays in it so much that she's always coated in dust and it dries out her skin.

This stuff looks a lot like the kitty litter, which is good because I still want her to play and be active in it. I have been freezing it for a week as a defense against bugs before opening it, and I know I need to be careful about mold.

But my main question, which I have not found a sure answer to, is: can hedgehogs safely ingest the corncob bedding? She eats everything--paper, paper towel, and kitty litter included-- so I'm nervous. I have not seen ingesting as being listed as a risk for this stuff though, so that's why I bought it. Should I be worried if she eats some here and there?

[tony21]

I can't speak on the bedding, but some bugs can live through being frozen, they just go dormant. you would be best to microwave it.

[Nancy]

Corn cob bedding isn't safe to use. In males especially it can get caught in sensitive areas, but it also can in females as well. It also can be sharp. Add that it doesn't absorb anything, it's really not a good idea to use.

[TikkiLink]

Yeah, I know it has risks with getting in privates-- I've had that problem with the cat litter once recently but I was able to get it out. But this is what's driving me crazy: with every type of bedding there seems to be danger, except with fleece, which I don't want to use for litter (I use it as liners already) because I have to wait until I can go to the laundromat to wash it properly. Plus I want her to play in her litter because she LOVES it and is already prone to bouts of laziness so it helps keep her more active...

So when I weighed the risks, I KNEW she would eat it and that it will be a for sure danger, because she's eaten everything I've tried, whereas everything else is a risk that may or may not affect her in her lifetime.

So as far as all that goes, what's a better, safe to ingest option that has less other risks and that she can still play in?