By nature hamsters are very clean and hygienic animals. Like cats, they spend more than 20% of their day grooming their fur. For them, it is part of their daily routine, and the act of grooming is a symbol that they feel good in every way.
The way hamsters clean themselves is so effective that bathing is not really necessary. In fact, immersing them in water or "giving them a shower" is not very correct and he althy for them.
However, if the animal is very dirty, there are special baths that we can give them to remove the dirt. Do you have a hamster, either long or short haired, that you think needs a bath? Continue reading this article on our site and you will know how to bathe your hamster
Give my little furball a bath?
As we mentioned earlier, regular bathing of your hamster is not highly recommended. The reason is because by subjecting it to large amounts of water we would be removing the natural oils that protect your skin and also act as body temperature regulators! Yes, nature she is very wise!
If it is very dirty or has residue attached to its skin, you can give it a bath every 2 or 3 weeks. This will be a particular type of bathroom, you have several options. If your hamster has short hair, you will have fewer problems with this because the shedding of hair will not be as dramatic, but if it has long hair, you can try brushing its fur with a brush with soft and natural bristles.
The three types of baths for hamsters:
As hamsters are very delicate animals, there are three specific types of baths that we can carry out. Discover the three options and decide which one is best for your pet:
1 - Dry Bath
Go to a pet store and ask for a dry bath shampoo especially for rodents. Do not use any product you see in the supermarket, there is no substitute. On the way home, take a small towel, for example the ones we use to dry our hands or a slightly larger one, and carefully place your hamster on it.
Go spraying it with the shampoo all over the body except for the head, we want to take care of the eyes, nose, ears and mouth. Use a soft bristle brush and give it a nice and delicate massage, which helps to spread all the shampoo evenly. Do it both for and against the hair so that, little by little, you remove all residue of dirt and product.
There are also Hamster wipes.
2 - Sand baths
This option is the easiest for you and the least stressful for your pet. It is the bubble bath version for hamsters. Place a large container with sand inside your pet's house (you can buy it at the same pet store), it should be large enough for your hamster to fit inside and feel comfortable, but not too big, so as not to fit in the house.
This is one of the reasons why you should give your pet a good home. Your hamster will love rolling around in the sand and it will be a great way to remove any dirt on her fur. You can buy the container at any supermarket.
Don't forget that the litter must be specific for rodents (chinchilla litters can work very well) and that it must be sterilized.
Image of @JoJo on YouTube:
3 - Bath with water
This will be the last option of all, one that you will use only if your hamster is not interested in sand, he is allergic to shampoo dry or very nervous when handled. To finish and know how to bathe your hamster, use the bath with water:
You should choose a container that is not very deep and always place the water at a lukewarm temperature. Avoid getting your hamster's head wet and carry out the entire process as gently as possible as this could be stressful for your pet.
For soap or shampoo, buy one that is special for hamsters or rodents. Do not leave it in the water for a long time, try to take advantage of the time. When the bath is over, immediately dry your hamster with a towel and keep him comfortable and warm.
