My mum is complaining my hamsters make my room stink, I can't smell them?

[ExtremelyFluffyHamster]

Hello everybody. I have two Syrian hamsters, an old female that does smell as she is having some uterine health issues, a young male I've only had a few days and three female baby mice I rescued yesterday

The cages are all clean, I lit a safe candle today and had the window and door open all day, the room does not really smell of much only the candle. She came in a minute ago and say they stink.

I use Wilko wood shavings and I'm slightly suspicious they may be adding to he smell as they have a slight chemical scent to them that irritates my nose when they're fresh out.

The cages get cleaned out every 7-10 days depending.

Is there anything I can do to get rid of the germs in the air and make my room smell fresh as a daisy? I've had pets in my room for about 4.5 years now and don't notice any bad smell unless they need cleaning out. I'm suspicious my mum is making this up because she's not keen on the animals.

[BrainGirl]

Some people are naturally super-sensitive to scents. Instead of full cleans once a week or so, how about spot cleans every day? Most animals will pick a corner and use that as their toilet. If your hams are potty trained it will be even easier. Forgive me if you posted about your female's uterine infection elsewhere but is she under vet treatment? That would definitely contribute. As well as having a young male in the house. Think of him as a hormonal teenager frantically searching for a lady friend

Have you tried an electric air filter? There are small-size ones available with acivated carbon pads for neutralizing smells. You could also look for bags of volcanic rock sold as deodorizer. I like to hang mine in front of a fan for quicker effect.

[Pebbles82]

I know what you mean about the pine shavings and they smell much stronger when they are wet, whether it is wee or just wet. Fitch doesn't smell at all and is much nicer. It works out quite cheap as well. I started using it a while ago and introduced it gradually so as not to make too much of a change, so I kept adding a bit and mixing it in every few days. You could do this when spot cleaning, or just add a bit anyway. Charlie immediately kept nabbing the stuff I added to line his nest with because it's nice and soft, so I'd add more and then he'd nab that. Now he has a huge nest lol. And although I still have a mix of shavings and Fitch it is now mostly Fitch and Supreme Cosi n dri, which I've recently started using and really like but it works out more expensive. It is soft and no dust and brown rather than white, which I prefer somehow. I'll add the links to both.

Also, as Brain Girls says, if you try using a potty litter tray it could help enormously. Charlie has one, which I empty once a week and the rest of the cage stays dry. It means I only have to do a cage clean about once a month and even then it's only a partial clean. If you put the litter tray with potty litter in, in the usual wee corner, they should start using it, especially if you put a bit of wee'd on litter on top (just a very small bit). Also, when you do a cage clean, if you change all the substrate and clean everything in one go, it might make them wee more, to start marking things again if they can't smell their own scent. I found this video of cage cleaning tips by Erin, very helpful and now I never clean the toys at the same time as doing the substrate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jVnEjrXbww

Having said all that, I think it could be the mice being added as well. I don't know much about mice, except that they wee a lot! And it smells more I think. I don't know if mice will use potty litter trays or not, but I would avoid having any wood items in a mouse cage - keep to plastic or metal, and you may need to clean their cages more often. I found this info about cleaning mice, how often etc. It does say don't ever use air fresheners in the room as this can harm their lungs. That probably goes for hamsters too. I can vouch for that, as I'm asthmatic and aerosol air fresheners set my breathing problems off too.

Cleaning, Bedding, and Smells!

It does sound like mice need cage cleaning a lot more often than hamsters - it says daily spot cleaning and weekly cage cleaning.

Your Mum probably has a sensitive nose!

I think changing bedding might help though. Mice can have the same bedding as hamsters. Here's the link for Fitch _ I bought the smallest 10kg bale which is pretty big and lasts ages (near the bottom of the page).

Fitch Recycling - Fitch Pet Bedding - Animal Bedding

It sits in the corner of our bedroom next to a wardrobe. I wouldn't recommend keeping any bedding outside or in a garage or it could get damp and fusty. You can always put a blanket over it to make it look less like a pet shop lol!

This is the link to the Supreme Cosi n dri I've been using

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Petf...eme+cozi+n+dri

As the weather is a bit better now too, just open your window for about half an hour each morning too, which will help.

[racinghamster]

Hi FluffyHamster. I hate to say it but it will most likely be the mice that are causing the smell and not so much your Syrians. I kept mice for a long time as pets and my room had a lovely aroma of pepe le mouse! It`s not something you bother about, but others will notice it if they are inclined not to like the smell.

It`s their urine and faeces that smell, not the mice themselves, so I can only suggest spot cleaning the mice because full cage cleans will make them scent mark more, especially male mice.

Aubiose (hemp bedding for horses) or another brand would be a nice substrate for your mice. Wood shavings are not the best for mice as they will be prone to respiratory problems and the strong scent from shavings doesn`t help. Zooplus sell two types of hemp but the Hugro is the cheapest.

Fitch would also be fine, but stay away from Carefresh for mice too as it`s too dusty for them and could trigger sneezing.

Mice always smell sadly so there isn`t a great deal you can do except spot clean daily, wipe down shelving and keep a window open a little to allow good ventilation on days when it`s not too cold. x

[ExtremelyFluffyHamster]

Originally Posted by teddiham

Would you be open to changing the type of bedding you're using? Anything that says odor control should do, so long as it does not contain baking soda. Also, how much bedding are you using in each habitat? Two to three inches worth of bedding helps cut down on smells.

I currently use a quality wood shaving with no pine, cedar, phenols or scented stuff in them. I normally use at least 2-4 inches.

I'm definitely looking into the choice of bedding but it's very limited. I know vanilla essence helps with the mice but I need to get rid of these shavings for something better. Any suggestions? I tried care fresh and it was easily brushed aside and they peed on the plastic.

[ExtremelyFluffyHamster]

Originally Posted by racinghamster

Hi FluffyHamster. I hate to say it but it will most likely be the mice that are causing the smell and not so much your Syrians. I kept mice for a long time as pets and my room had a lovely aroma of pepe le mouse! It`s not something you bother about, but others will notice it if they are inclined not to like the smell.
It`s their urine and faeces that smell, not the mice themselves, so I can only suggest spot cleaning the mice because full cage cleans will make them scent mark more, especially male mice.
Aubiose (hemp bedding for horses) or another brand would be a nice substrate for your mice. Wood shavings are not the best for mice as they will be prone to respiratory problems and the strong scent from shavings doesn`t help. Zooplus sell two types of hemp but the Hugro is the cheapest.
Fitch would also be fine, but stay away from Carefresh for mice too as it`s too dusty for them and could trigger sneezing.
Mice always smell sadly so there isn`t a great deal you can do except spot clean daily, wipe down shelving and keep a window open a little to allow good ventilation on days when it`s not too cold. x

Yeah I wipe everything down once a day and I've found vanilla essence for cooking in their water and sprinkled on the shavings, especially in the toilet corner, helps but these wood shavings I'm using are making my animals smell worse care fresh is useless

[ExtremelyFluffyHamster]

Originally Posted by BrainGirl

Some people are naturally super-sensitive to scents. Instead of full cleans once a week or so, how about spot cleans every day? Most animals will pick a corner and use that as their toilet. If your hams are potty trained it will be even easier. Forgive me if you posted about your female's uterine infection elsewhere but is she under vet treatment? That would definitely contribute. As well as having a young male in the house. Think of him as a hormonal teenager frantically searching for a lady friend

Have you tried an electric air filter? There are small-size ones available with acivated carbon pads for neutralizing smells. You could also look for bags of volcanic rock sold as deodorizer. I like to hang mine in front of a fan for quicker effect.

Unfortunately none of my animals will use a potty tray *sigh* and only one has sort of a toilet corner but she scrapes anything I put into it out to pee on the plastic which STINKS!

My male doesn't smell at all, I've sniffed his cage around this morning and there's nothing but the smell of shavings in there. My female smells terrible because she's old and had vet treatments and she's not very well. Unfortunately there's nothing I can do. She's quite aggressive towards unknown humans, other animals and especially if she spots the dog so I don't think there's much to be done for her only different bedding.

[ExtremelyFluffyHamster]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I know what you mean about the pine shavings and they smell much stronger when they are wet, whether it is wee or just wet. Fitch doesn't smell at all and is much nicer. It works out quite cheap as well. I started using it a while ago and introduced it gradually so as not to make too much of a change, so I kept adding a bit and mixing it in every few days. You could do this when spot cleaning, or just add a bit anyway. Charlie immediately kept nabbing the stuff I added to line his nest with because it's nice and soft, so I'd add more and then he'd nab that. Now he has a huge nest lol. And although I still have a mix of shavings and Fitch it is now mostly Fitch and Supreme Cosi n dri, which I've recently started using and really like but it works out more expensive. It is soft and no dust and brown rather than white, which I prefer somehow. I'll add the links to both.

Also, as Brain Girls says, if you try using a potty litter tray it could help enormously. Charlie has one, which I empty once a week and the rest of the cage stays dry. It means I only have to do a cage clean about once a month and even then it's only a partial clean. If you put the litter tray with potty litter in, in the usual wee corner, they should start using it, especially if you put a bit of wee'd on litter on top (just a very small bit). Also, when you do a cage clean, if you change all the substrate and clean everything in one go, it might make them wee more, to start marking things again if they can't smell their own scent. I found this video of cage cleaning tips by Erin, very helpful and now I never clean the toys at the same time as doing the substrate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jVnEjrXbww

Having said all that, I think it could be the mice being added as well. I don't know much about mice, except that they wee a lot! And it smells more I think. I don't know if mice will use potty litter trays or not, but I would avoid having any wood items in a mouse cage - keep to plastic or metal, and you may need to clean their cages more often. I found this info about cleaning mice, how often etc. It does say don't ever use air fresheners in the room as this can harm their lungs. That probably goes for hamsters too. I can vouch for that, as I'm asthmatic and aerosol air fresheners set my breathing problems off too.

Cleaning, Bedding, and Smells!

It does sound like mice need cage cleaning a lot more often than hamsters - it says daily spot cleaning and weekly cage cleaning.

Your Mum probably has a sensitive nose!

I think changing bedding might help though. Mice can have the same bedding as hamsters. Here's the link for Fitch _ I bought the smallest 10kg bale which is pretty big and lasts ages (near the bottom of the page).

Fitch Recycling - Fitch Pet Bedding - Animal Bedding

It sits in the corner of our bedroom next to a wardrobe. I wouldn't recommend keeping any bedding outside or in a garage or it could get damp and fusty. You can always put a blanket over it to make it look less like a pet shop lol!

This is the link to the Supreme Cosi n dri I've been using

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Supreme-Petf...eme+cozi+n+dri

As the weather is a bit better now too, just open your window for about half an hour each morning too, which will help.

I like the sound of this Fitch stuff. Is it available in the UK? many beddings are not and pet shops are just crammed with wood shavings and the odd bag of care fresh. I keep my window open sometimes for 6-7 hours during the day as I'm at home a lot and open the door but it apparently doesn't make a difference according to my mum (I know it does)

[RubyDG]

Fitch is available only in the UK . I personally get the 20kg bag. The difference in price from the 10kg and the 20kg is not much and the 20kg is massive and lasts forever so I don't really see the point in getting the smaller bag. Although it's size may be why some people prefer the smaller bag, just because they may have nowhere to store it. The big 20kg is pretty big and does need to be stored in a dry place. If you've got somewhere to store it I'd definitely recommend getting the 20kg Fitch, it's £19.99 incl delivery

[herbi7]

One idea for dealing with the smell that won't put something in the air that is bad for your pets... You can get stainless steel discs that work as an air freshener, they are etched with loads of concentric rings a bit like on a cd but deeper and they do something to the air that hits them, you put a wet sponge for it to rest against and it just works to reduce smells, don't ask me how. I got mine from a natural health company, they are a bit pricey but last a lifetime. I will see if I can find a link altho I can't seem to post a link with my phone so it will b when I am on the computer. They do work, I am allergic to fragrances and household chemicals so it was the only option for me.