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Pebbles82 · 07-02-2021, 06:45 AM

Has he been tested for mites? It's best if Invermectin is only prescribed by a vet. They can do a skin scraping and look under a microscope. I only ask because there are other things can cause fur loss and Invermectin is quite toxic to them if they have it too much. Assume it is vet prescribed. Hamsters have mites living on them as normal, very few. It only becomes a problem/outbreak usually if their immune system is down. But it is possible from hay so I guess it could be from hemp. But I've never heard of anyone having mite problems with hemp.

Regardless of that, if you suspect mites, it's best to do a full cage clean. Not good for the hamster but necessary and he'll get over it in a couple of weeks.

I'd use some pet safe disinfectant (must be suitable for small animals like rodents - ask the vet which is the best one) on the bars and cage base - rinse well to remove any scent after leaving it on for a bit. Hamsters can be really affected by strong smells - they have a sensitive respiratory tract and a very strong sense of smell. If it smells nice to us it could be overpowering to them or even affect their breathing.

Put all new bedding in. If the hemp has been frozen for a week it should be fine - or use a paper one for now. Like Kaytee Clean and Cozy. Maybe you can start adding hemp later a bit at a time when it's been frozen for a week. But if you suspect a batch I might be tempted to bin it. It can be good to have a mix of two different substrates anyway - a bit of variety for them.

Anything plastic or ceramic can just be washed in washing up liquid (again rinse well) but if you want to be ultra cautious, use the pet safe disinfectant on those too.

Wood items are tricky. Some people bake them - that is supposed to kill anything. I think at 100 degrees centigrade for not sure how long - about half an hour maybe.

They can smell funny afterwards though! I wouldn't rely on freezing for mites on wood items with lots of crevices. A wheel can be washed or sprayed with pet disinfectant too. But again rinse well even if it says it doesn't need rinsing off. You need to leave it on for at least 10 minutes I reckon to make sure it does its job.

Sadly you'll need to throw away the nest and hoard as well so put new food out where the hoard was to make up for it and a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper so he can build another nest. Throw away any chews and replace them. Such a palaver.

Do be sure it's mites though - hamsters can itch and lose fur with allergic reactions too and they can be allergic to some beddings. Paper is usually safe and non allergenic.

07-02-2021, 06:45 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: How to cage clean after mites Has he been tested for mites? It's best if Invermectin is only prescribed by a vet. They can do a skin scraping and look under a microscope. I only ask because there are other things can cause fur loss and Invermectin is quite toxic to them if they have it too much. Assume it is vet prescribed. Hamsters have mites living on them as normal, very few. It only becomes a problem/outbreak usually if their immune system is down. But it is possible from hay so I guess it could be from hemp. But I've never heard of anyone having mite problems with hemp. Regardless of that, if you suspect mites, it's best to do a full cage clean. Not good for the hamster but necessary and he'll get over it in a couple of weeks. I'd use some pet safe disinfectant (must be suitable for small animals like rodents - ask the vet which is the best one) on the bars and cage base - rinse well to remove any scent after leaving it on for a bit. Hamsters can be really affected by strong smells - they have a sensitive respiratory tract and a very strong sense of smell. If it smells nice to us it could be overpowering to them or even affect their breathing. Put all new bedding in. If the hemp has been frozen for a week it should be fine - or use a paper one for now. Like Kaytee Clean and Cozy. Maybe you can start adding hemp later a bit at a time when it's been frozen for a week. But if you suspect a batch I might be tempted to bin it. It can be good to have a mix of two different substrates anyway - a bit of variety for them. Anything plastic or ceramic can just be washed in washing up liquid (again rinse well) but if you want to be ultra cautious, use the pet safe disinfectant on those too. Wood items are tricky. Some people bake them - that is supposed to kill anything. I think at 100 degrees centigrade for not sure how long - about half an hour maybe. They can smell funny afterwards though! I wouldn't rely on freezing for mites on wood items with lots of crevices. A wheel can be washed or sprayed with pet disinfectant too. But again rinse well even if it says it doesn't need rinsing off. You need to leave it on for at least 10 minutes I reckon to make sure it does its job. Sadly you'll need to throw away the nest and hoard as well so put new food out where the hoard was to make up for it and a big pile of torn up strips of plain white toilet paper so he can build another nest. Throw away any chews and replace them. Such a palaver. Do be sure it's mites though - hamsters can itch and lose fur with allergic reactions too and they can be allergic to some beddings. Paper is usually safe and non allergenic.