Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Navigation
Front Page
Forum
Gallery
Wiki

Ads by Google


Go Back   Hamster Central > Hamster Central Forum Topics > Hamster Healthcare

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-22-2022, 05:42 AM   #1
kaylintan
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 4
Post Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Hi,

Two of my hamsters had a lice infection. I've received medicine from the vet but had questions around sanitising the cage and preventing another infection:

Sanitising
The first time I brought my hamster to the vet, she said to clean/wipe plastic and ceramic items and throw out any cardboards used as hides. I'll do that, along with throwing out any substrates and flowers etc. But where I got confused was the wooden items - she said I can bake them (I assume at 100 degrees Celsius, for 30 mins?) and then leave them alone for a month to ensure all the bloody lice die.

The following week when I visited the same vet, to bring my other hamster who had an infection, for a check-up, she advised me to throw everything out (for all my hammies), including wooden items. I understand where she is coming from and to be safe, I should throw everything. However, I have five hamsters and I am reluctant to throw ALL of their wooden stuff out (paid quite a bit for them as good quality wooden accessories in the UK aren't cheap).

I wanted to ask if anyone has had to sanitise their hamsters' items after an infection and how you approached it?

Prevention
If lice like to lay eggs in wooden items, should I steer clear from wooden accessories then? Do I go for plastic/ceramic?? When I started rearing hamsters, I did a lot of researched and a lot of people said plastic isn't the best as it's not porous so ventilation isn't great. And plastic isn't great for chewing either. I could get some ceramic hides, but I don't think there are any ceramic multichamber hides?

Anything I can do to prevent lice infection, like cleaning their cages more?? I don't have any other pets and I live in a newly built flat (top floor) which is warm and has no holes (that I know of o.o) so I can't figure out how my hamsters got the lice
kaylintan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2022, 10:33 AM   #2
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Hi, I have just done a video on weevils which may help, especially the section where i cook and freeze then quarantine all the items. I have 3 hamsters and unfortunately i cross contaminated all my items in storage too. (i decided to organise all my items before i realised i had weevils)

I found with weevils it is easy to get rid of them and the eggs off smooth wood like the mutlichamber hides or platform and ceramics and plastics, it's the natural items which were so much harder but i got there in the end using the method i talk about in my video.

How to get rid of weevils - YouTube

can i ask where the lice actually living on the hamsters or just in the cage? do you think they were more like weevils? just asking because they can come in on food etc as i discuss in the video - along with some ideas to prevent them in the future.
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 04:29 AM   #3
kaylintan
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 4
Smile Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Thanks so much!! I watched your video has found it really helpful

The vet said it was biting lice - she took samples and viewed them under the microscope. Hmm I might look at getting glass storage jars and more plastic boxes to become more organised like you haha. And I'll look to freeze any new food.items I receive.

I think I could adopt your approach anyways as the concept is the same - break their lifecycle. I have quite a few wooden items and I don't have a lot of space to bake/freeze them so now I'm tempted to just throw them out haha.
kaylintan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 04:30 AM   #4
kaylintan
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 4
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Oops sorry forgot to add the lice were on their bedding initially, but then started attacking my babies and climbed on their hides
kaylintan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 05:19 AM   #5
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

gosh that sounds worse than weevils, but yes it does boil down to breaking the life cycle of whatever bugs they are. goodluck and i hope your hammies are ok.
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 05:40 AM   #6
kaylintan
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Scotland
Posts: 4
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Quick question about diatomaceous earth - how do you use it? this is the first time I'm hearing about it.

Can I rub it on the wooden items and my hamster? Do I put a little plate of it in my hamster's enclosures? What happens if they ingest it?

Really glad I watched your video and learned set new
kaylintan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 06:19 AM   #7
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Quote:
Originally Posted by kaylintan View Post
Quick question about diatomaceous earth - how do you use it? this is the first time I'm hearing about it.

Can I rub it on the wooden items and my hamster? Do I put a little plate of it in my hamster's enclosures? What happens if they ingest it?

Really glad I watched your video and learned set new
i know of people who have used it in cages and on hamsters but i wouldn't recommend it, it's not a nice substance to breathe in, not worth the risk in my opinion. I used it in little tubs that i placed around the outside of the cage and in the items i was quarantining, the idea being if there are still bugs it will attract them and it will remove the outerlayer from their exoskeleton, which causes dehydration and then they die.

if you are going to use it make sure you use the food grade safe version as the non food grade is toxic
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 08:46 AM   #8
Professor_Nibbles
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 27
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Hi sorry to cut I to the conversation, but I have a quick question regarding sanitising/Sterilisation if you don't mind. I have ordered a hemp mat and the granite stone thing from Rodipet, and was wondering do I need to put them both in the oven to Sterilize them incase. Especially the hemp mat, or should they just be frozen? Also if it needs to go in the oven, what time and temperature should it be at? Am a first time hamster owner so this is quite new to me. Thank you kindly.
Professor_Nibbles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 10:19 AM   #9
LunaTheHamster1
Cosmic Hamsters
 
LunaTheHamster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Quote:
Originally Posted by Professor_Nibbles View Post
Hi sorry to cut I to the conversation, but I have a quick question regarding sanitising/Sterilisation if you don't mind. I have ordered a hemp mat and the granite stone thing from Rodipet, and was wondering do I need to put them both in the oven to Sterilize them incase. Especially the hemp mat, or should they just be frozen? Also if it needs to go in the oven, what time and temperature should it be at? Am a first time hamster owner so this is quite new to me. Thank you kindly.
I freeze my hemp mats. Not sure what the granite stone thing is, is it just a tile? can you post me a link or a picture please. Thanks
__________________
Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel
LunaTheHamster1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-23-2022, 03:59 PM   #10
Professor_Nibbles
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Posts: 27
Default Re: Sanitising/prevention after lice infection

Quote:
Originally Posted by LunaTheHamster1 View Post
I freeze my hemp mats. Not sure what the granite stone thing is, is it just a tile? can you post me a link or a picture please. Thanks
Thank you . This is the link to the Granite stone/tile Rodipet® +GRANiT Cooling and Pedicure Stone
Professor_Nibbles is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
wooden, lice, infection, items, hamsters

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.43 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright © 2003-2022, Hobby Solutions
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:18 AM.