Full cage clean for roborovskis

[flowerfairy]

I have only spot cleaned both Flower and Fairy's cages since I split them up (fighting) over four months ago.

I want to give their cages a really good clean. I have watched erinsanimals wonderful cage cleaning video.

I guess I will just have to destroy their tunnels/stashes and give them fresh food in their new bed to make up for it. Will it be horribly stressful for them? I am only really used to syrians. These little sensitive sweeties are new territory for me.

All replies most welcome. Thankyou.

[Cinnamon Bear]

What size cages do you have for each of them?

[Pebbles82]

Maybe you could just do half the cage if they have tunnels. And then do the other half another week? I don't know I'm afraid. Cypher knows a lot about dwarf hamster things. I rarely do a full cage clean, just a partial one about every 3 months, but as you say it's different with a Syrian. We do get the urge to have everything spotless though, and maybe only some of it needs to be cleaned

I guess if the tunnels go, the tunnels go - they can dig new ones. Are they nesting in their tunnels/burrows? I would go with cleaning the wheel end and clean the other end in a couple of weeks maybe?

[cypher]

I doubt they really need a full cage clean even after four months tbh & it would be stressful for them.
I would do half at most, I usually just scoop out the substrate from one side, push the other half out of the way if need be, sweep up any bits at the bottom & wipe over with a damp paper towel, that usually collects up any sand & small bits that may get left on the bottom.
Put fresh substrate in & repeat the process with the other side doing one side a month maybe, usually less often but you won't know what you'll find until you dig down in there!
It is a shame to have to destroy their tunnels & burrows but it has to be done sometimes & they'll soon get digging & set the world to rights again!
If you can put some of the hoard back where you find it do, or if you're happier with fresh mix put that where you found the hoard, if it's not really possible I'd scatter a bit of extra food on the substrate rather than just adding it to the bowl, finding it will distract them from the stress of the cage clean a bit.
I never clean wheels or toys the same day as the cage, I generally find cleaning a peed in wheel once a week is enough. Toys rarely need cleaning but a wipe down with a damp paper towel is usually enough if they do.

I found this bit of an article on the German Diebrain pages on dwarf hams interesting, not that I needed convincing total cage cleans were a bad idea but if I had this might have done it!

"The complete cleaning of their homes feel dwarf hamsters as extremely stresses. By cleaning lost all down scent trails, the dwarf hamsters can be difficult to orient. Professor Gattermann from the University of Halle has found in hamsters which a probe was implanted that hamsters after complete cleaning of the enclosure had a greatly increased heart rate, the pulse has increased from 300 to over 500, the animals were in some cases fever, they needed an average four hours to calm down again. Odor tampering with their home mean for dwarf hamsters more stress than z. B. a fight with other other hamsters."

[racinghamster]

Not needed. Only spot clean or half and half and always try and keep the nesting material too and just add a handful or two of fresh. Wipe any shelves and other areas with wet kitchen towel and don`t use cleaning sprays. These are never necessary unless the hamster has diagnosed wet tail (usually Syrian hamsters).

I know it sounds draconian but it isn`t. It`s all about keeping the hamsters habitat familiar to them without removing what they consider their scent/territory. Same for any food stash. Unless they have urinated on it, these should also be left where they are. When we disturb their good work, they might view it as a predator has disturbed their territory and they will pee on it. Resulting in waste. They tend to make their cages like rooms. They know where they place things.

Give it a go and I`m sure you will see what a difference it makes. Saves resources too. x

[flowerfairy]

Originally Posted by Cinnamon Bear

What size cages do you have for each of them?

Only 80 x 50 for Fairy and a bit smaller for Flower. (Alaska and Grosvenor large rat and hamster cage).

[flowerfairy]

Serendipity, yes I am defo. getting the urge to have everything spotless. I only ever do half cage cleans at any one time for the syrians and will do the same for the whizzers. So you only do a partial clean every three months, thats interesting.

Cypher that article is really interesting. I love stuff like that. I will stick with partial cleans and only do a small part of their bed area at any one time.

racinghamster I totally agree about not using sprays. I always use warm water and dont clean toys on the same week that I do spot cleans.

Thanks again everyone. Lots of great hamster friendly advice.