Most of the humans are a clean freak. We love to keep things clean and perfect. But pets are not things that we can just clean up whenever we want. Before buying a hamster from a shop, many people ask this question that can they give a bath to hamsters. How often does a hamster need baths? And so on.
The question is fascinating, and people often have disagreements over the answer. But the correct answer is a big NO.
Many pets need to have a bath once or twice in a week. But, luckily, you don’t have to worry about that because Hamsters are one of those pets who are cleanliness freak themselves. They don’t like being dirty, so they regularly clean themselves. Hamsters actually believe in keeping themselves meticulously clean so that they have no odor. But, if you notice some unusual smell coming from them, then you must pay attention to this because there might be chances of having a severe issue soon.
Bathing is never recommended for Hamsters. But there are some exceptions too. In this article, we will explore the possibilities of the situation and then get to the results at last.
Table of Contents
Can you give a Bath to your Hamster?
We all know that letting your pets out on the lawn or park will surely make them dirty. The hamsters are small, and hence they are more susceptible to dirt and dust particle. They will get dirty faster than you expect.
Therefore grooming them becomes essential. So, yes eventually, you can give a water bath to your hamsters but only in certain conditions.
But, giving a traditional water bath is an emergency only condition. Most of the people don’t know that being surrounded by water or any other wet stuff makes the hamster agitate. Thus, it can possibly lead to some unwanted circumstances like biting, scratching, etc.
So, if your Hamster smelled terrible and had a very pungent and strong smell, it is advised that you should immediately take them to a veterinarian to diagnose him so that he can be treated as soon as possible.
Why Is Bathing a Risk for Hamsters?
Don’t worry it is not the usual life-threatening risks just the simple ones. Hamsters are just a tiny little animal that can easily catch a cold. Hence, one of the main reasons you shouldn’t be giving a water bath is this.
Another reason is that water removes the essential oil from the hamster’s fur that is necessary for keeping them healthy. Apart from that, the most significant risk is that they can drown in water if it is too deep. Hamsters are not professional swimmer as their other rodent family members. So, try to use as little water as you can and ensure that their head is not submerged in the water.
So, if the hamster has got something toxic on his body, then you must be spot cleaning that area instead of making him have a proper water bath. And that too must be done in a warm, environment so that their fur will dry quickly and they can return to their natural habitat.
What are the reasons to give a bath to Hamsters?
The main reason to give a bath to a hamster is to clean them and free them from unpleasant odor or smell. Usually, hamsters are capable of doing it on their own, but sometimes, even they can’t control the odor.
Some most commons reason for having a bad smell on your Hamster includes:
- The bedding might be dirty
- Unexpected illness
- They have blood on them
- Poop is stuck in their hairs
- Stomach issues
- Wrong food intake and hence stool smells bad
Whatever the reason is, bathing a hamster with water must be avoided in all cases. As you can clearly see, the main reasons they have the smell on them is the atypical ones. So, taking them to a vet is the better option instead of giving them a bath.
But if they are only dirty and don’t have any alarming signs and symptoms, then they can surely take another form of a bath.
How to Give Hamsters a Proper Bath?
If you want to clean your hamster than using the Sand bath instead of a water bath is more appropriate. Sand bathing is the natural way for your pet to clean themselves. If you don’t want them to do this in the regular sand, then you can surely use a particular type of sand called Chinchilla sand. It is fine sand, and the particles don’t include dust. Thus, there won’t be any side effects of giving a sand bath to your hamsters.
Just put the sand in a bowl of the size of your hamster so that he will fit into it and still be comfortable. Place the hamster in the pot, and it will do the rest on its own. Similar to humans, the hamsters have their individual tastes, some of them will amusingly take a sand bath, and some will refuse. But you don’t need to worry that much. You can always use a damp towel to clean up your hamster, and he won’t even feel the wetness.
You can always rely on your hamster to clean themselves from time to time. But the most important thing to remember is that if they are stinky, then there might be some health issue.
Conclusion
I too had a hamster. I didn’t know that much about hamsters, so I thought of giving him a bath. But I didn’t know the exact way to do it, so I asked the veterinary. Veterinary advised hamsters are not even supposed to take a bath. So, I let my hamster do the cleaning now.
So, hopefully, now you know that Hamsters don’t really need a bath, especially not a water bath. You can also pass this information to your friends and family member so that they won’t get experimental with the hamsters risking their lives.
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Photo by cdrussorusso, https://www.flickr.com/photos/23516192@N08/2267168991