Kaytee: clean and cozy - burrowing and wooden item "cleaning".

[Imogen]

So, I've switched out my little guys [email protected]'s substrate for kaytee: clean and cozy. However, does this hold burrowing or do I need to mix it with another substrate?

If so, are there any possible cheap substrates to mix with kaytee (as it's expensive) to keep it sturdy?

Also, is harry hamster a good mix for hams? (the tasty mix one)...

I managed to grab a deal off FB market that gives 4 new full bags of harry hamster tasty mix, 24 litre kaytee white non-fragrant bedding, another mix of food in a storage container (will have to ask what mix this is when she drops it off tomorrow, but might be harry hamster as well), another hamster carrier, cleaning spray and wooden house all for £10 (offered an extra £5 for petrol so total £15)

On the topic of this; how would you go about "sanitizing" a wooden house? If I remember correctly people mentioned about baking it in the oven by keeping a close eye on it. How would I go about this? What temperature? (I go by gas mark as we have a gas cooker but can look up electric temps on this chart we have in the kitchen)

Also, any thoughts on the cleaning spray? It's the NATURAL cage and hutch cleaner. Is it safe?

Thanks in regards x

EDIT: This reminds me of a question I keep meaning to ask!!

What fragrance sprays are ok for spraying in my bedroom to keep it smelling nice? I usually use fabreeze or some body spray if I don't have fabreeze that I have laying around, but make sure I don't spray it actually over the enclosure of my ham.

But is there any that I don't need to worry about doing this? x

[Imogen]

bumping this up if that's ok x

[LunaTheHamster1]

Kaytee should work quite well on it's own to hold burrows, I have used it in the past and currently using fitch which is similar and that holds burrows well.

I think fitch works out cheaper in the long run if you can buy it in bulk, which we discussed on a previous thread of yours.

I would say Harry Hamster is about the most basic syrian hamster food you want to be using, but it is probably about the best out of the cheapest one or any other generic hamster food bags.

I put wooden items in the oven at approx 90 degrees c for anywhere between 20-50 mins. Just keep an eye on them.

Personally I don't use any fragrances in the same room as my hamsters, just because they are so tiny, and breathing any fragrances in can't be good for them.

I don't know about the cage cleaner, I only use vinegar and water.

[AmityvilleHams]

Fragrance sprays and similar things in the same room are always a strict no with many pets, hamsters included, and can unfortunately lead to serious respiratory problems(some being outright toxic whether natural or synthetic).

[Pebbles82]

Yep - no fragrance sprays - if the hamster is in your room - it can really affect them badly - their sense of smell is much more powerful than ours and they have extremely sensitive respiratory tracts. I have asthma and find things like Febreze and air fresheners affect my breathing so I don't use them. Opening the window freshens things up quite quickly Also just general low level pleasant scents like the smell of your washing powder on your bedclothes can make the room smell fresher.

If you're thinking about hamster odour then a little air purifier would do the job well. The small ones aren't expensive and they have filters in that remove odours and dust etc.

I don't know the hutch cleaner you mentioned but I wouldn't use it. The only safe ones really are the ones made for small animals by Johnsons and Beaphar. Also Safe4 pets is fine - and that's odourless.

You don't really need disinfectant or cage cleaner unless there has been illness or disease. For general cleaning I just use warm water with a bit of washing up liquid in (but the standard one not the lemon scented ones etc) and then rinse well. Or sometimes just warm water and a cloth.

As well as baking the house, I'd leave it outside in the sun for a couple of days - helps remove any odours from previous pets and airs it. Fresh air and sunshine are good for removing odours.

[AmityvilleHams]

Vinegar is also good for cleaning certain things and does an amazing job at killing odor, and once dry there's no smell of it at all. It's one of the few things to really work on cat urine odor which says a lot about the strength of it!