Introduction
To keep a pet brings lots of responsibility to them. They need to be cared for and maintained and also keeping them clean is one very important task. Larger pets like dogs and cats can be bathed to clean them but what about those with smaller pets such as hamsters? Many people keep hamsters as their pets as they are so adorable and are less expensive to have. They have this question of whether they can bathe their hamsters or not? Here we will discuss more on this.
Overview
So if you ever had this question about your pet hamster, can they take a bath, then the simple answer is No, not a water bath at least. Hamsters don’t need a regular water bath or even occasionally. These pet hamsters don’t like to wet their body and fur. You don’t need to worry about the cleaning activity for your hamster as they do this themselves and they love to clean themselves up on their own.
If you try to clean them with water, you might remove all the vital molecules from your hamsters’ covering, which could cause many skin problems to your hamsters. Thus, Bathing a hamster is not recommended unless it is an emergency and there is no alternative. Occasional spot cleaning may be necessary, especially around its bottom, but dipping a hamster in water can prove fatal. Providing a sand bath is an excellent way to help your hamster clean itself.
Cleaning tips for your hamsters
Hamsters love bathing in sand. Providing a sand bath offers environmental stimulation and will go a long way in your hamster being able to keep itself clean. These adorable little creatures spend most of their time grooming and cleaning themselves but if it’s too necessary to clean them up then be careful while cleaning them as hamsters have very sensitive skin and therefore you need to be careful with their cleaning. Here are some of the cleaning tips you should follow:
- Always take instruction from the vet before giving hamsters a bath
Even if your hamsters become dirty from some harmful substances, you should ask your vet before cleaning them. Cleaning them with water and soap is never the best choice as it might cause various health issues to your hamsters. The pet can die due to the cold and stress.
- Clean your hamster by giving them a sand bath
Providing them with sand baths is the best option to clean them. will love the sand and feel right at home digging and letting the granules absorb any dirt and moisture trapped on its fur. The best part is you don’t need to do anything; they can clean themselves in the sand.
- Use a soft toothpaste or cloth to clean your hamster
Use a soft and dry toothpaste or cloth gently to clean their coat. Check its bottom for any clumps of poop or urine that may be soaked into its fur. Then you can take a little sand and then rub it gently over the body to remove dirt. If you feel that the hamster is not liking it immediately stop. Being too harsh on hamsters’ skin might cause skin problems.
- Snip off the chunks of dirt from your hamster coat
If your hamsters have any chunks of dirt stuck on the fur of their body, you don’t need to use water to rub them off, it’s better to snip off the chinks of dirt rather than scrub them off. While doing the snipping process, be careful not to hurt your hamsters.
- Spot cleaning or cleaning them with lukewarm water
This specific method should be a last resort to clean your hamsters if your answer is too dirty to follow any of the above methods. For this, you need to take hamster wipes or a soft clean cloth soaked in lukewarm water, then gently start cleaning the spot of your hamsters. You can use a little mild shampoo if the dirt has stuck in their fur but be careful with that. After cleaning them, dry them completely with a cloth and keep them in a warm room. Hamster’s skin is sensitive to cold, which is why it’s advisable to protect them by minimizing cold water.
How often should I change my hamster’s sand bath?
The frequency of changing your hamster’s sand bath depends on how often he uses it and this may differ depending on his breed. In general, this is the frequency of changing sand baths according to your hamster’s breed:
- Dwarf hamsters: Every 1 – 2 weeks
- Syrian hamsters: Every 3 weeks or when cleaning the cage
- Other breeds: Every week
Additionally, if you see wet clumps in the sand, you should also remove them.
Also, know How to care for a hamster?
Conclusion
So, if you have a hamster as a pet, be careful while cleaning them with water, otherwise, you can use the other methods which won’t harm your hamster with any health or skin problems. Hence, it is concluded that you should never bathe your hamsters like other pets such as dogs. As these hamsters are very small, they need very good care. For other queries or problems, you can consider visiting a vet with your hamsters.
FAQs
Can you bathe your hamsters?
Hamsters like to be cleaned and that is why you should regularly clean them up. But cleaning them with water is avoidable. Instead, you can use animal wipes or sand baths. If you want them to be cleaned up by water then just a little bit of water on their skin will be enough.
Is the bathtub okay for Hamsters?
So bathtubs are the controllable places for water level and quite safer for your hamsters to take a bath. But the bathtub is also a large place for small hamsters which might lead to panic for them. So yes they can swim in your bathtub but again it might be okay at first but create problems when they last for too long or even after a sec.
