First Cleaning - new hamster

[sikari73]

Hi Everybody,
we got a Syrian hamster this last Friday. This is our first ever hamster.
I just wondered when and how I should clean the cage without causing to much upset to our new friend.
So far Peanut is hiding most of the time in his house. He sometimes comes out but never for too long, he is obviously still a bit apprehensive about his new home.
I have been collecting some obvious poos and disposed of them, but I suspect his main toilet area is in his house as it is starting to smell rather ripe in the room he is kept in.
What would be the gentlest method of getting to the soiled areas and exchange the bedding?
Any tips greatly appreciated.

[AmityvilleHams]

An appropriately sized cage(preferably a square meter or larger for Syrians,although this will never be achieved with any unmodified cages specifically made for small animals)will only need cleaning if a hamster gets a contagious illness.However undersized cages or those with shallow substrate do not last long until they start smelling very bad!

As for how to clean a cage,hot water is more than enough in most cases however spot cleaning is honestly all that most hamsters will ever need.You may occasionally replace spot cleaned areas with new substrate.

You should avoid so called pet safe cleaners though,as these are rarely if ever completely safe and often contain harsh chemicals or toxic substances(such as propylene glycol,used to make antifreeze,which is frequently seen in cleaning products,low quality treats that should never be used for any animal,and sometimes dog grooming products among other things but really shouldn't be used in any form for any animal including humans or for another example you might find other harmful things like unspecified preservatives which even with so called natural products are often BHA/BHT/ethoxyquin which are known to cause cancer and should again never be used although in some countries there are loophole terms which just like unspecified preservatives allow manufacturers to use such harmful substances without even stating that they do).There are some enzyme-based cleaners which depending on ingredients could be safe in the event of contagious illness,but otherwise plain water for the most part or a vinegar water solution for certain things is all you need.

The frequently advised weekly cleanings by pet shops do a lot more harm than good,as weekly or even biweekly if not in some cases monthly cleanings(if full cleanings,as full cleanings should never be done except in extreme cases such as parasites or contagious illness that is proven by a reputable veterinarian)cause stress that ends up compromising the immune system.Because of this stress and the compromised immune system,the hamster in question would be more likely to become ill and would also have a harder time recovering as well as the serious psychological effects of such things!

Keep in mind that poop doesn't really need to be removed at all,and in fact is necessary for hamsters to be healthy.They do eat their own poop(sounds gross at first,but so do many wonderful things!)for nutritional benefits,and removing the poop could cause serious harm to their overall health

[Pebbles82]

Hi. Usually it's recommended to - leave them alone for 2 or 3 days to settle in, and not clean the cage for the first two weeks. If it gets particularly whiffy before 2 weeks, then you could spot clean a tiny bit in the wee area. ie take out a handful of wee'd on substrate and replace it with a handful of new, then mix it in a bit so it still smells familiar. They do fine for a couple of weeks like that. Don't worry about poops. They're not dirty or smelly and sometimes they eat them for extra vitamins Sometimes they put them in their food bowl as well or hoard them - just in case food runs short lol. We've just had a new hammy for just under two weeks and the other night he was sitting in the playpen and pulled out two poops and threw them across the floor LOL.

Cleaning can stress them out, so I go with the method of not cleaning everything at the same time, so there is always something that smells familiar. So I'll do the substrate (usually replace the clean half and mix it in with new) one week, any toys that need cleaning I'll do a different week, and if the wheel needs cleaning do that a different week again. Sometimes the wheel is ok with just a quick wipe inside and only a full clean once every couple of months - depends if your hamster pees in it and how often.

Mostly you can do spot cleaning, especially if you have plenty of substrate in the cage. If your hamster has a litter tray as well (they will use one if you put it in the corner/place they have chosen to pee) then you can just empty that every 5 days or so and with spot cleaning there's no need to do a "big" clean for maybe a couple of months doing things that way.

When I do do the substrate I don't use pet disinfectant, just a damp cloth. Usually the pee doesn't get down to the cage base if the substrate is deep enough. And disinfectant is only necessary if there's illness or disease. Best to avoid any strong perfumed things as this can affect hammies. If you do use a pet disinfectant - the Johnson's one is ok - and rinse well afterwards to help remove any scent. Cheaper not to though!

[sikari73]

Thank you for your replies! It actually turns out that it is all in my head - I seem to be the only one smelling anything at all. I guess it's just the knowledge of the wee that makes me think I can smell it
There is quite a bit of substrate in the terrarium, I will definitely mix the old with the new once the time comes.