Hamsters don't need wood shavings in summer. The primary function of wood shavings is to provide warmth. But in summer, when the temperature is relatively high, using wood shavings can easily interfere with heat dissipation and might cause hamsters to get heatstroke. Generally, in summer, it's advisable to use bedding materials with better heat - dissipating properties, such as cat litter, wood pellets, or corncobs. It would be great to add a heat - dissipating plate as well. When hamsters feel hot, they can lie on the heat - dissipating plate to sleep.
At the same time, due to the high summer temperatures, the bedding gets damp quickly. So, it's important to change the bedding regularly and clean the hamster cage to avoid affecting the hamsters' health.
Although some people believe that wood shavings have good water - absorption and deodorizing properties, and they're also breathable, making them usable in summer. However, you need to be careful to buy the dust - free version produced by legitimate manufacturers to prevent dust from triggering respiratory diseases in hamsters, and change them frequently. Nevertheless, considering hamsters' greater need for heat dissipation in summer and the potential heatstroke risk associated with wood shavings, it's not recommended to use wood shavings as bedding during summer.