Re using hamster toys.

[Bunnybees]

Can you reuse wooden hamster toys and wooden house etc for another hamster and if so how do you clean them please ?
Many thanks xx

[AmityvilleHams]

Personally I wouldn't reuse wooden toys and such.They can't be properly sanitized and if they've been chewed at all yet are plastikoted/painted then it would not really be possible to make them completely sanitary without getting something soaked into the wood as you'd want to remove the scent of the previous hamster that used them completely.Just freezing wouldn't likely do this,plus it wouldn't be entirely effective with every single potential issue.

[Crayolalaura]

As annoying as it is, I Haven't reused mine
Plus my other hammies were Syrian boys so if I wasn't able to clean them fully and properly their smell might have driven my female dwarf crazy, perhaps
Even the ones they didn't use much, I shan't reuse them on her but I may reuse the barely used ones on any other males I get
But really it's probably best to just not reuse any of them one new hammy

[Fluffagrams]

I reuse my wooden toys providing that they've not been chewed too much and the previous occupant didn't pass away through an infectious illness. Some of the toys that I've reused were hardly used by previous owners and to me it seemed wasteful to throw them away and in other cases the toys have only been used by a short term resident and again, I felt it wasteful to keep buying and discarding toys with every hamster that comes and goes through our hamstery. However, I can see why people would prefer to buy new and if they feel more reassured by buying new then they should stick to what they're most comfortable with.

We usually buy new wooden nest boxes for all our permanent residents although Matthew prefers one of the hides that we'd given to his father when he was on loan here rather than the new one we'd bought for him.

[Drago]

I have reused wooden toys before without issue, but that being said, just because someone's done something and nothing bad happened, doesn't mean it's okay. I disinfect them using vinegar and water first and then boil them. Generally I'd say it's okay if proper precautions are taken, but it's all a matter of opinion.

[AmityvilleHams]

Since would is absorbent it would also soak up any vinegar or anything else you might use,as mentioned previously in the thread.So,unlike cleaning cages or wheels and such that are not absorbent and can be aired out to get rid of the vinegar completely,wood toys and similar wood items would still have vinegar in them.

Opinions will vary on whether it is safe or not to reuse toys from other hamsters,but you can't deny that wood soaks things up so at the very least this is a concern.

Definitely good to mention that people can do something and get off lucky,much like people have used things such as cotton fluff and had nothing happen while it is commonly known how dangerous it is and how so many people have already lost or nearly lost pets to it.

[Drago]

Since would is absorbent it would also soak up any vinegar or anything else you might use,as mentioned previously in the thread.So,unlike cleaning cages or wheels and such that are not absorbent and can be aired out to get rid of the vinegar completely,wood toys and similar wood items would still have vinegar in them.

Opinions will vary on whether it is safe or not to reuse toys from other hamsters,but you can't deny that wood soaks things up so at the very least this is a concern.

Definitely good to mention that people can do something and get off lucky,much like people have used things such as cotton fluff and had nothing happen while it is commonly known how dangerous it is and how so many people have already lost or nearly lost pets to it.


I certainly agree, I wonder, is there perhaps a way to rid of the vinegar and moisture nearly completely? Either way it's a good point with the cotton fluff example, better safe than sorry!

[cypher]

Providing the hamster that's used them before didn't have any illness that could be passed on I reuse things like wooden toys, coconuts & things made from natural materials, wheels or houses that may have been peed on I tend not to use but anything else I just air out & I've never had any problems.
I never use vinegar but do sometimes give things a soak in safe 4 disinfectant then just make sure they dry completely, usually on a radiator or leave them on my airer for however long it takes.