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Old 04-02-2022, 02:53 PM   #1
Grinewin
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Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 37
Default Cleaning After A Death

Hello all,

My little grandma, Bertha, was put to sleep earlier this week. She'd been steadily aging for a month or so, and then on Tuesday I found her in a bad state. She was three years old and already in renal failure, so I decided to let her go rather than put her through the stress of diagnostics and treatment (if it was even anything able to be treated).

So, I've now got a 2,100 square inch cage that is empty and a roborovski hamster who has been showing signs of not being entirely happy in his smaller cage. I have already sanitized Bertha's cage, but I'm wondering how long I should leave the cage to "air out" before filling it up and moving Bathrick -- the robo -- over. I don't think Bertha had anything contagious, but she was having some diarrhea the day she died, so I want to be extra cautious just in case. I've seen some guides saying you should leave a cage empty for a week or two, but they were written some years back, so I wanted to get everyone's (current) opinions and experience on whether it's truly necessary.

Thanks in advance
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Old 04-03-2022, 12:42 AM   #2
Ria P
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Location: Wiltshire, UK
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

So sorry for your loss of Bertha.

I have read to leave a cage empty for a week.

When one of my dwarfs died i washed with washing up liquid and hot water, disinfected with pet friendly spray which i left on for a while before thouroughly rinsing and drying the cage the same day. A couple of days later i saw one who needed a home so i moved him in.

I think that anything that can be washed and disinfected that way could be used rightaway.

Anything pourous that absorbs scents i throw out but wooden items that i can wash and dry i freeze for a week before reusing.
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Old 04-03-2022, 01:40 AM   #3
cloudy
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

I am so sorry for you loosing Bertha.
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Old 04-03-2022, 04:34 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

Three weeks. That's what used to be recommended, even after disinfecting and airing. Just in case there was anything contagious. Better be safe than sorry. The other issue is ensuring there is no "scent" left from the previous hamster and airing outside and a 3 week wait will help with that. Even after using something like Beaphar disinfectant (which I use after a death) a hamster has a much stronger sense of scent than us and there can be a "death scent". I know a hamster can be completely freaked out if they sense death or dying in their environment.

If you give it another going over with something like Beaphar pet disinfectant for small animals and can then get it outside in the sunshine for a day or two that will really help remove any set in odours. Plus fresh air and sunlight helps disinfect.
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Old 04-03-2022, 05:24 AM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Three weeks. That's what used to be recommended, even after disinfecting and airing. Just in case there was anything contagious. Better be safe than sorry. The other issue is ensuring there is no "scent" left from the previous hamster and airing outside and a 3 week wait will help with that. Even after using something like Beaphar disinfectant (which I use after a death) a hamster has a much stronger sense of scent than us and there can be a "death scent". I know a hamster can be completely freaked out if they sense death or dying in their environment.

If you give it another going over with something like Beaphar pet disinfectant for small animals and can then get it outside in the sunshine for a day or two that will really help remove any set in odours. Plus fresh air and sunlight helps disinfect.
If you'd leave it outside for a day or two, wouldn't you need to wash and disinfect it allover again? Bugs could get brought in from outside.
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Old 04-03-2022, 05:42 AM   #6
AmityvilleHams
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ria P View Post
If you'd leave it outside for a day or two, wouldn't you need to wash and disinfect it allover again? Bugs could get brought in from outside.
You definitely would, otherwise you'd risk spreading disease from wild animals as well as parasites and bugs in general as you've said.
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Old 04-03-2022, 07:33 AM   #7
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

I've not had that problem - if you just put it out on a sunny day. I wouldn't leave it overnight. But maybe put it out again a second time on a sunny day. Washing it with soapy water should be ok after that, but no harm in disinfecting again - although half the idea is to let the scents air off in the fresh air! Hamsters eat bugs anyway. Obviously keep an eye in case a dog poos near it or a cat decides to sit in it! Fresh air and sunshine is actually quite a good disinfectant.
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Old 04-03-2022, 11:47 AM   #8
AmityvilleHams
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

Hamsters do naturally eat bugs, but these are pet hamsters born & raised in captivity without the natural immune defense to be able to always safely do so. Some people may get lucky and not have issues with one off cases of this happening, but wild insects can be loaded with pesticides and even potentially parasites - they're not something we should actually be allowing our pets to consume. The reptile community, or at least the responsible side of it, always heavily warns against ever feeding wild insects for extremely good reason that goes way beyond just impacting reptiles.

Tons of animals can harbor parasites, disease, etc - and you can't ever say for sure what has been on or around something outside because nobody is capable of watching 24/7. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and in this case not being careful with that could seriously harm your hamster(s). For people with other pets, they could also potentially be impacted too if you brought something in that would be harmful to them but not hamsters!
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Old 04-03-2022, 12:32 PM   #9
Grinewin
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

The cage is way too massive to take outside, so it's kinda a moot point anyway! We do have some warm days coming up in the next week though, so I can definitely open the windows and get some fresh air in the ham room then.

But I will definitely let it sit empty for a couple weeks since everyone seems to be in agreement about that I've already used sanitizing wipes and a pet safe spray on it, but since I have to keep it empty anyway, it wouldn't hurt to go over and clean it a few more times while I'm at it. And I've spent the weekend boiling / baking everything that didn't need to be thrown away.

Thanks for the advice and consolation. This community is a huge help as always!
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Old 04-03-2022, 01:18 PM   #10
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Cleaning After A Death

Lol - yes a tank is a bit big to get outside As long as you've cleaned it well with pet disinfectant that's the main thing but I'd suggest rinsing that off well as well after it's done it's job for a couple of hours - removing any scent or residue. And then just let it air for three weeks. Should be fine then.

I'm not sure there is a lot of difference between having windows open and putting something outside in the garden Depending on whether you have a garden or whether it's in a smokey built up area or something! Shouldn't get any bugs and if it did get a bug in you just wipe it.
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