Thread: How often...
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Old 02-25-2017, 06:44 PM  
AmityvilleHams
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Join Date: Mar 2016
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Default Re: How often...

Actually a 1,000sq in+ cage could go upwards of a year without full cleanings Even then if you're gradually removing soiled substrate and replacing it with fresh substrate,a full clean shouldn't ever be needed.That being said,if you have shallow substrate in such a cage size it won't last anywhere near as long and will need replacing more often.

Substrate depth and cage size are the two factors with cage cleaning,but no matter what weekly cleanings are just too much.The push for oversterilization is not good for hamsters,as it not only stresses them out in a way that can cause behavior problems but also weakens their immune system through a combination of constant removal of the good bacteria from their environment as well as constant stress.

As for actual cleaning sprays,the strongest a healthy hamster needs is a plain vinegar and water solution.You want to avoid chemicals,dyes,fragrance,and other things that aren't good that are very common in "pet safe" disinfectants.If you can find a completely natural hamster-friendly disinfectant(extremely difficult,especially since most will use citrus in some form which is not good for hamsters in general although citric acid in small amounts as a preservative can be fine,but that's a whole separate issue)it might work for the deep cleans,but those are only necessary when a hamster contracts a serious illness.Other than that,disinfectants do more harm than good.
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