Quote:
Originally Posted by MDMum
Hello. You mentioned hoards of food are important.
I have a new hamster and am wondering if when I clean her enclosure, and thus move her things and stash, am I stressing her out? How can I miminize that?
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The first couple of weeks i wouldn't clean at all to give the hamster a chance to settle in and scent mark.
How stressed a hamster gets from cleaning depends on the hamster and the amount of cleaning done.
For example, i have a very houseproud Syrian who will only pee in his sandfilled corner toilet which is located opposite his house. He chucks his poops and old food out his front door for me to remove. I don't need to clean his nest which is inside his house at all.
Another Syrian has an ensuite toilet because he will not leave his house during the day. I have to remove his toilet for a clean once or twice a week.
I have no idea where our Robo pees so follow my nose. If an area starts to smell bad then i replace the substrate with fresh.
I only do a full substrate change and full clean when a hamster dies or there is a good reason like bugs.
My advice would be to be guided by your hamster and by your nose because cleaning does stress a hamster.
If you do have to remove the hoard because it has been peed on then put down some replacement food otherwise your hamster will view you as a thief who robbed her of her precious hoard.