How do I wash my hamster??

Lucy loo · 12-30-2012, 02:44 AM

Well my hamster Lucy always pees in her wheel. The pee is getting all over her fur and has made it dry and smelly.
How do I wash her? (if I can)
Thanks for the help

Pie · 12-30-2012, 03:30 AM

Short answer: You don't.

Long answer: Do not wash your hamster. If I were you, I'd wash the wheel more often instead. Your hamster is perfectly capable of cleaning herself. Her sandbath will keep her fur clean and dry. Bathing removes natural and essential oils from the hamster's coat, which can cause the hamster to catch a chill and die. Normally there should be no need to ever bathe your hamster throughout her entire life. If the cage/wheel isn't clean, the hamster's fur will of course pick up the smell. To solve the issue, you might want to clean out more often (wheel and potty corners!) but remember to never fully remove the substrate because it upsets the hamster greatly to lose all of its scent in its habitat. Instead, do spot-cleans in her potty places.

Lougarry · 12-30-2012, 03:50 AM

I wouldn't recommend it at all. Hamsters can catch cold easily so it's not a good idea to get them wet. As Moonlight says, keep her wheel clean and give her a sandbath to use when she wants to and she will keep herself clean. I don't do full cage cleans and none of my hamsters smell.

Ilovehamsters · 12-30-2012, 03:50 AM

NO do not bath your hamster like Moonlight said the temperature won't be right and she could catch a chill and die, just wash your hamsters wheel and give her Bathing sand (not dust) and she should clean herself. Hamsters are very clean animals...most of the time!!!

Lucy loo · 12-30-2012, 04:04 AM

Thanks for the help..

Can someone suggest where I can buy this sand for Lucy. That would be great!!!

HorseyMandz · 12-30-2012, 04:07 AM

You can get it from most pet stores. The big green petstore (P@H) sell it, they call it Chinchilla Bathing Powder but it's fine to use for hammies because it isn't really powder, it's sand

Lucy loo · 12-30-2012, 04:21 AM

Thanks I am popping there tomorrow

Ellie · 12-30-2012, 04:22 AM

Pets at home also sell 'Grooming wipes' for small animals, I have used this if my hamsters are looking greasy etc and think they are fab, Obviously you don't use them often though!: )

vanilla-yazoo · 12-30-2012, 04:24 AM

using a baby wipe you can rub the worst off, this way it dose not make the hamster over wet, and can remove some of the worst of the smell and dirt. just make sure the room is nice and warm, so they cant catch a cold.
the chinchilla sand is also great, that will help keep her nice and clean, but some hamsters use it as a toilet, so I use mine in a carrier and put them in for their clean outs, and in between so they can have a nice sand bath

**kyrilliondaemon** · 12-30-2012, 05:24 AM

Just a note that it may be worth keeping an eye on her drinking and urinating habits in general if urine is actually getting over her fur when she urinates when running.
As far as I'm aware neither of our syrians has ever got urine on their fur from urinating when running, nor have any of our dwarf hams - although I will admit that the one with an undiagnosed health issue does probably urinate enough for it to happen, he just hasn't had wheels long yet.
Not saying its definetly a bad sign, just that it sounded worth keeping an eye on to me.