Although hamsters tend to relieve themselves in the same places in their cage, this isn't always the case. Anyone who has ever owned a hamster knows that he has very little control over his bladder and bowels, and that he relieves himself as soon as the urge takes him?
The frequency with which you need to clean your hamster's cage varies. The more hamsters you have living together, the more often you'll need to clean them.
Smaller cages start to smell faster. On average, you should clean your hamster's cage every other day and deep-clean it at least once a month, but ideally once a week.
It's not only unsanitary, but also incredibly unpleasant for your hamster to have to live in his urine and poo all the time. Imagine if you found yourself in this situation, and how much you'd hate it!
Hamsters have a more developed sense of smell than humansThis means they smell things more strongly than we do. This means that long before the smell of the cage becomes unbearable for you, it will be incredibly unpleasant for them.
The different cage styles and the materials they're made of also retain odours in different ways. The large cages require less frequent deep cleaning than small ones, as odors and fluids are spread over a larger surface area.
The advice given in this article is intended as a guide rather than a strict set of rules. Take your hamster as an example and, over time, you'll come to establish the program that suits you best. To find out more about the different breeds of hamster, see our article on hamsters. 5 popular hamster breeds.
Spot cleaning
It's a good idea to carry out small spot checks of your hamster's cage every few days. This will be easier to do once you've understood your hamster's habits and know where he likes to relieve himself. Generally speaking, your hamster will continue to use the same places as a bathroom, often preferring to use a toilet. use a sand bath.
If you don't know which areas your hamster uses, an easy way to quickly locate urine-soiled litter is to use a black-light flashlight. This will illuminate the wet and contaminated areasThis will allow you to remove them quickly and easily from the cage.
You must also remove all uneaten food from the cage every day. This is particularly true when you give your hamsters fresh fruit or vegetables, as they can quickly go mouldy. It is also advisable to wash food bowls and water bottles dailyas you would your own dishes.
Deep cleaning
You should give your cage a thorough and complete cleaning at least once a month. Removing all your hamster's litter and replacing it with a new one sounds like a good idea, but couldn't be further from the truth!
Hamsters can quickly become overwhelmed and stressed if the scent of their environment changes. They have very poor eyesight and rely mainly on their sense of smell to become aware of their surroundings.
We recommend replace about a quarter of the litter in the cage every week. This will enable you to keep to the cleaning schedule without stressing your hamsters. It is advisable to taking your hamster out of its cage and place it in a travel cage or playpen while you clean.
As the need arises, you should clean your hamster's cage. If your hamster pees a lot while running on its wheel, you can clean it every day.
Some hamsters are very clean and the plastic parts of the cage need to be cleaned less often. You can also use water for daily cleaningWhile we recommend using a specially formulated cage cleaning solution at least once a week in high-traffic areas.
Which litter to use?
Many people think that wood shavings or sawdust are the best choice. best litter choices. This is not the case at all. Wood shavings and sawdust contain a lot of dust, irritating your hamster's respiratory tract and leading to health problems.
Recycled paper litter is a popular choice among hamster owners. These litters are quite economical and environmentally friendly. Some people prefer to use hemp-based litter for their hamsters. This is a highly absorbent material that lasts a long time.
Another option is a more commercial litter to be purchased in large quantities. Take Megazorb, for example, a litter designed for horses that is also suitable for hamsters. It's an incredibly cost-effective choice! These bags are industrial-sized, which means they'll last a (very) long time.
How do hamsters clean themselves?
No need to wash or clean your hamsters. They are naturally very clean and groom themselves a lot. You should provide them with a sand bath to help them clean up even more.
This is a small container or bowl filled with sand, suitable for hamsters to roll around in. As well as helping to keep your hamster clean, it will enjoy rolling and frolicking in the sand. If you're wondering why your hamster scratches all the timeThis could be linked to his need to clean himself.
Make sure the sand is designed for hamsters, as you can also find dust baths that look very similar. The dust is very fine and can cause respiratory problems or irritation in your pet.
Chinchilla sand is generally suitable for hamsters and contains less dust. The sand particles absorb excess oil and dirt particles from your hamster's coat, helping to keep it clean.
Don't immerse your hamster in water. In the wild, hamsters don't naturally interact with water and aren't used to it. This could cause your hamster a great deal of agitation and stress, with the risk of biting you.
Water also removes much of the natural oils from their fur, which can make them sick. If you leave your hamster soaking wet, it may also get very cold, which could make it ill.