I bear in mind the primary time I held my hamster. Her fur was so tender, and he or she smelled so clear. Because the day passes, I watch my hamster clear herself by grooming her coat and utilizing her sandbath. However I typically marvel, is that this sufficient to maintain her clear?
On this article, we’ll focus on about:
- hamster grooming
- do hamsters clear themselves
- the way to wash a hamster (correctly)
- what sandbath is secure to make use of
- which sandbath to keep away from
- how typically to alter hamster’s sand and extra
HAMSTER GROOMING AND HYGIENE
With regards to preserving your hamster clear, it entails common cleansing and upkeep of the fur, nails, pores and skin, enamel, and cage. It’s very important to have an everyday inspection of your hamster to stop points similar to mites, pores and skin infections that might trigger fur loss, overgrown nails and enamel, and different well being issues.
Do hamsters clear themselves
Sure, hamsters love cleansing themselves. Similar to cats, a hamster would use their tough tongue to wash her coat. Hamsters would additionally use their palms to shake off dust and mud off their fur and pores and skin.
Lastly, a hamster would know when to go to the sandbox to take away the oils and different dust from their physique. You’ll discover your hamster rolling across the litterbox to make sure they’re cleansing each inch of its physique.
Tips on how to wash a hamster
You must by no means wash your hamster or use any water or moist fabric to wash your pet hamster. One other factor {that a} hamster shares with cats relating to grooming are how they detest getting moist.
There are movies of hamsters “swimming” in a sink or bathtub. Whereas hamsters can swim by paddling round, they’re doing this to get out of the water and go to a dry area. Hamsters will not be swimming as a result of they’re having enjoyable however as a result of they’re afraid of drowning.
Hamsters’ coats are tremendous thick for the physique dimension. Which means drying your pet’s fur will take a very long time. Publicity to having a moist coat for a protracted time frame can result in chilly, torpor (hibernation), and different well being points.
Hamster sandbath
As a substitute of cleansing of a hamster with water, the most secure and greatest means is to put a sandbox contained in the hamster’s cage and fill it with a non-toxic, non-dust sand tub. Your hamster will know precisely what to do with it.
It would take just a few days, however you’ll see your hamster rolling across the sand to take away oil from its fur and clear its pores and skin. Your pet may even use the sand for peeing, which is able to make it very smelly and soiled.
That is when you have to bear in mind to empty the sandbox, clear it, after which refill it with contemporary sand no less than thrice every week or as typically as wanted.
Hamster nail clipping
Hamster’s nails develop eternally and quick. It’s very important that you just assist your pet maintain their nails at a wholesome size. Although the nails assist hamsters to wash their coat and pores and skin, having nails which are too lengthy could cause extra injury than good.
A hamster with lengthy nails might by chance scratch its face. I bear in mind seeing my hamster Goerge with a purple line on her head. For days, I couldn’t determine what occurred till one morning, once I watched her, she would run her paws by way of her pores and skin, and I observed that her nails had been insanely lengthy!
I learnt that I ought to have been maintaining a tally of her nails. Fortunately, it was only a small accident at the moment.
There are 3 ways you’ll be able to trim your pet’s nails: through a vet, utilizing a nail clipping your self, and utilizing rocks contained in the cage.
You’ll be able to merely convey your hamster to the vet as soon as each month to chop the nails, however it might simply value an excessive amount of. You’ll be able to as a substitute ask your vet to point out you the way to reduce the nails after which purchase your individual pet nail cutter – though it’s not advisable should you’re afraid of your pet or your hamster is commonly skittish.
The best choice is to arrange a nail care salon contained in the cage the place you place rocks round, The extra ceaselessly your hamster passes by way of the rocks, the higher. The stones will assist trim the nails each time your pet walks by way of them. Learn our nail care information for hamsters and the checklist of greatest rocks for hamsters.
Tooth upkeep of hamsters
Fortunately, you don’t should brush your hamster’s enamel to maintain it clear (sorry, canine individual). The one factor you might want to do is make it possible for your hamster has loads of chew toys to maintain its enamel well-trimmed.
Similar to hamsters’ nails, their enamel constantly develop quick as properly. The chew toys will grind the enamel on the proper size to maintain them robust.
Don’t panic should you discover that your hamster’s enamel are yellow or orange, it’s truly an indication that it’s wholesome enamel.
One of many scariest outcomes of a hamster’s enamel rising too lengthy is the truth that your pet gained’t have the ability to shut its mouth or eat correctly. This might result in stress, malnutrition, and melancholy.
The most important concern is when the enamel can now not develop in direction of the bottom, they may begin rising upwards, risking damaging your hamster’s mind and cranium.
When choosing the proper chew toys, you’ll be able to present 4-5 chew toys on your hamster. Three of them ought to be a tough chew toys like Whimzees, after which two softer toys just like rice pops. We’ve a listing of really useful chew toys for hamsters.
ALSO READ: Tips on how to cease your hamster from bar biting
Inspecting pores and skin/coat for mites or pores and skin issues
Hamsters are good at preserving their fur and pores and skin clear, however it’s not proof against mites and different pores and skin issues. Hamsters usually get uncovered to mites and different bugs by way of sand, bedding, and dry combine.
These merchandise normally carry mites which may get to your hamster simply. For this reason you have to examine the bedding, sand, and dry combine earlier than placing it contained in the cage.
For the sandbath, it’s greatest to bake it first to kill any mites. With regards to bedding, you’ll be able to freeze it to make sure the termination of these bugs. A dry combine could be totally different and a bit extra difficult.
The perfect factor you are able to do is to examine them one after the other. You should use a strainer since most bugs are smaller than the objects inside a dry combine. You can too unfold the dry combine on a white fabric or paper towel to see any transferring mites simply.
Cleansing the cage
Lastly, clear your hamster’s cage. This activity is among the most necessary in relation to hamster grooming and hygiene. Hamsters are at all times energetic, consuming, pooping, and at all times sleeping. They merely spend a lot time inside their cage.
Between the sweat, poop, pee, and humid or restricted airflow, moist and dust can result in rising micro organism inside your pet’s enclosure. This concern might result in stress and different well being issues.
That is the rationale why you have to carry out cage cleansing. Sport cleansing is once you merely tidy up the cage, change the sand, and refill the meals and water. This ought to be finished 2-3 occasions every week. Deep cleansing is once you take away all the pieces, clear the cage, and alter the bedding. This could finished as soon as each 5 or 6 weeks.
Hamsters are obsessive about preserving their enclosure clear. You’ll discover that your pet will begin being a bit extra aggressive or harassed when its cage smells. Not solely a clear house is sweet for a hamster’s common well being, however it additionally contributes to its psychological well being.
We’ve a whole information that dives deep into cleansing a hamster’s cage. It will show you how to perceive the way to correctly and safely clear a hamster’s home. We even have a hamster activity planner that can help you in preserving on prime of your hamster to-do checklist.
SUMMARY ON HAMSTER GROOMING NAD HYGIENE
The highest issues you might want to bear in mind in relation to grooming is hamsters are their: enamel, coat, nails, cage cleansing, and pores and skin.
Hamsters are 80% independent in relation to taking care of their hygiene. Nonetheless, they nonetheless want your assist to make it possible for they’re clear and well-groomed to make sure that your pet is joyful and wholesome.
I hope that this text bout hamster grooming and hygiene helped you perceive what sort of help your pet wants from you to reside an pleasant life with you.
