How to bathe a hamster

The hamster has become a very common pet, and although with this type of rodent we can not interact in the same way as we do with a dog or a cat, it is very important to take into account that they require important care to stay healthy. A frequent question that owners of these pets ask themselves is whether they can bathe their hamster and the proper way to do it. In this article of .com we clarify these doubts and we explain how to bathe a hamster through different strategies.

Can I bathe my hamster?

One of the most frequent questions that the owners of this rodent ask themselves is if they can bathe their hamster, the answer is clear: you should never bathe this animal unless it is strictly necessary. The bath can make the natural oils present in the skin of your pet disappear, putting your well-being at risk unnecessarily.

That your hamster smells bad does not imply that you should bathe it only indicates that you should improve the cleanliness of its cage to ensure that its smell is not unpleasant, if doing so your hamster is still smelling bad you should take it to the vet to rule out any disease. Keep in mind that during the heat it is possible that the females have a stronger smell.

You should only bathe your hamster if:

Some substance toxic to the animal has fallen into its fur.
If there is a substance or sticky substance on your coat that you can not remove in another way, such as cutting affected hair.

Before proposing to bathe the hamster in a conventional way you should consider other safer alternatives for the animal that will eliminate odors and maintain cleanliness. If the coat of your pet has been soiled with a chemical substance, you can try the second cleaning alternative that we will give you in this article.

Sand to clean your hamster

If the problem is that your hamster's coat smells bad and you think it may be dirty, then the best alternative is to opt for sand for cleaning . In a natural environment these rodents wallow in the sand to clean themselves, so it will suffice to place a container full of it in its cage for the animal to start doing.

It is very important that you choose chinchilla sand for this purpose, the right one for these animals. You can leave it in its cage for a day and then remove it.

Wash the hamster with a damp cloth or washcloth

We have already explained to you that it is important to avoid bathing the hamster with soap and water and doing it only in exceptional conditions. However there are two good solutions to remove any dirt or substance from your skin without having to introduce the animal in water:

The special wet wipes for animals : these products sold in pet stores are very practical to clean your hamster and eliminate odors. It is important that they are special for pets and that they do not contain any type of perfume, under no circumstances should you use baby wipes or any other type.
With a damp cloth : in a container with lukewarm water add a drop of odorless shampoo, wet the cloth in the mixture and gently rub the skin of the animal, then you should dry it gently with a towel. It is very important that you do not overdo the application of the shampoo because if the mixture makes too much foam it will not be suitable for the hamster.

Bathe the hamster with soap and water

You should opt for the soap and water bath only in case the hamster's skin is full of any toxic substance that the animal should not lick. To do it, you must:

Choose a container with high sides so that the animal can not escape if it is released from your hand while you bathe it.
Choose another container in which you will have the water to rinse the animal, which should be warm.
Fill the container where you will put the rodent with approximately two fingers of warm water, it is important that the animal can reach the bottom and have the head outside.
If you can avoid moistening any part of your body then do it. Carefully wet the hamster and apply a drop of baby shampoo preferably without odor to your coat.
Rub the fur lightly and then gently rinse the animal to remove all the foam. Then you should dry it immediately with a towel rubbing gently to remove the water as much as you can.
It will be important to completely dry the hair of the hamster before placing it in the cage, for this you can use a dryer at warm temperature and very soft power placing it at least 30 centimeters from the animal. Hold it well because surely the noise will not like it.

Remember that this is something extraordinary and you should never bathe your hamster frequently.