Is it possible to bathe hamsters, how to wash Djungarian and Syrian rodents in water at home

If the smell of a hamster spreads throughout the apartment, the owner thinks about whether it is possible to bathe hamsters in the water. In fact, a rodent rarely needs a bath, but you should know how to wash a hamster at home so as not to harm him. Water procedures are unsafe for rodents, so you should not resort to them unnecessarily. Much more hamsters prefer to take sand baths.

water danger

Severe stress

In nature, the hamster avoids immersion in water in every possible way. Having come into contact with it, the animal experiences a strong overload of the nervous system. The shock-sensitive nature of decorative hamsters should not be underestimated: the pet can die from cardiac arrest.

If you can’t decide if your hamsters like to bathe, rest assured they don’t. It’s just that sometimes the owners misinterpret the behavior of the pet, and then post a video on the Internet that seems funny.

Subcooling

Water of the wrong temperature, wet fur after washing – lead to colds, and sometimes to pneumonia. If the animal freezes during bathing, its immunity is greatly weakened. The slightest draft can lead to the death of a small rodent.

Violation of the protective layer of the skin

After washing, especially with the use of shampoo, soap, the pH of the skin and its protective fatty layer are disturbed. Even a single procedure sometimes causes dermatitis. They constantly itch, scratches and purulent wounds appear on the skin. Subcutaneous mites are activated if the hamster was a carrier of demodicosis in a “sleeping” form. Humid environment – excellent conditions for the development of the fungus (lichen).

traumatism

Wet fur makes the animal very slippery, the pet can escape from the hands and fall from a height. This must be taken into account when deciding how to bathe a djungarian hamster in water. Struggling to free himself, the animal injures its paws and scratches painfully. When water pours on it, the rodent can bite the owner’s hand. If a person involuntarily throws a pet aside, he will be seriously injured.

When can you go without water?

All these risks must be taken into account when thinking about whether it is possible to wash a hamster. The reason for water procedures should be at least serious. In many situations, you can do without wetting the hamster with water:

Smell from the cell

Most often, the source of the smell is not the animal itself, but its habitat. Before washing your pet, you should try to change the bedding more often, as well as wash the cage and accessories with soap. The toilet corner is cleaned daily, and a complete change of the filler is carried out once a week.

Animals can smell stronger than usual during the period of sexual hunting. The smell will go away with the end of estrus, just wait a couple of days.

unkempt wool

If the fur looks greasy, dirty, or feces or pieces of food are stuck to it, this is still not a reason to wash the jungar. The sand bath effectively cleanses the coat, making it soft and shiny. This bathing suit for a hamster will provide a pleasant pastime and hygiene at the same time.

local pollution

When a long-haired animal faces such a problem as chewing gum, candy, glue tangled in the hair, you need to try to cut the affected area. The owners of Angora hamsters will agree that it is better to sacrifice the beauty of wool than to bathe Syrian hamsters in water.

Heatstroke

Sometimes the owners let the hamster swim, or put them under a stream of cold water with the best of intentions – to cool the body as soon as possible in case the pet has received a sunstroke. This is unacceptable; in case of acute overheating, the temperature should decrease gradually. It is permissible to moisten only the ears and paws with cool water. The pet should be put on a tile or ceramic dish, and given time to recover. There are many other methods to save the animal from the heat, in addition to bathing.

skin diseases

A non-rodent veterinarian may prescribe a bath with a medicated shampoo as a treatment for parasites or deprivation. This is not justified, since there are other forms of drugs (injections, sprays) that do not put the pet’s life at risk. In such a situation, it would be right to contact a rodentologist for a treatment appointment.

Pre-exhibition preparation

Owners of long-haired Angoras sometimes argue about whether it is possible to wash a Syrian hamster to give silky and shiny hair. Bathing is necessary if the hair is contaminated with urine and droppings, but this situation is out of the ordinary. She talks about poor living conditions and a rare change of bedding.

Owners of dwarf shorthairs also ask if hamsters need to be bathed if they smell. It is necessary, but not to use water, but sand.

A sand bath is a good way to keep the coat in order for all kinds of hamsters. Bathing suits are sold at the pet store, although any container can be used. Dzhungarik will be happy to lie on his back in such a bath. Syrians bathe differently, rub their sides. This is not too much of an expense item, and is very beneficial for the pet.

Many decorative rodents happily live their lives without water procedures. But it cannot be denied that there are situations in which hamsters can be washed, even necessary. If, through negligence, a pet is in trouble, the owner will need information on how to bathe a hamster.

Bathing hamsters is justified in the following situations

Food contamination

Hamsters are very clean. Owners love to watch hamsters wash. They constantly put the fur in order, licking and combing it. If the pet gets dirty with jam, honey, butter, mayonnaise and other liquid and sticky foods, it must be washed. Otherwise, starting to clean the wool, the rodent will eat the forbidden food. At best, this will cause indigestion or allergies, and at worst, the animal will die from poisoning.

If the contamination is fresh and not too strong, you can wash the fur by wiping it with wet wipes or a cotton pad moistened with water. Sweet foods are well removed in this way, but to wash off fatty foods, you will have to lather the wool.

Toxic pollution

You will have to wash your fluffy pet immediately if household chemicals (disinfectant, acetone, floor washing liquid, bleach) get on the coat.

If the hamster needs to be washed, you need to follow some rules so as not to harm the health of the pet even more. How to bathe a djungarian hamster in water:

• The animal should not swim or be completely submerged in water. The head remains dry, make sure that water does not get into the ears.
• Water should be at a comfortable temperature, warm.
• Do not use ordinary soaps and shampoos, they cause skin irritation.
• Hamsters are not dried with a hair dryer, so as not to aggravate stress.
• The room should be warm and without drafts.

You should prepare everything that you may need in advance so as not to be distracted during the process. If you ask a specialist how to bathe hamsters, the answer will be – quickly.

List of necessary components for washing

1. Bowl

Washing your hamster in the sink is not the best option. It is better if the animal can lean on its paws and not slide too much. Bath for a hamster – any stable container of a small size.

The bowl is filled with slightly warm water (slightly above room temperature) to 2 cm.

2. Improvised means

If you simply rinse the animal with water, running your hands over the body, it is not enough to clean the coat using a cloth or a soft toothbrush. It is convenient to wipe the muzzle, eyes, anus with cotton pads.

3. Shampoo without fragrance

Only for special soiling (sticky or toxic substance) use a detergent. The pet store may not sell a special shampoo for hamsters, it’s good if you can buy a product for washing rodents or rabbits. Human products (even for babies) are best not to use: they are designed for a different skin pH.

4. Hand towel, pet cloth, paper towels

5. Treat

Food rewards can help reduce stress levels and keep your pet long enough to dry off. Juicy or protein food (a piece of chicken, fruit) is usually used as a treat. The animal must like the product.

6. Assistant

In order to bathe a hamster, it may take two people, it’s more convenient. Small nimble animals should not be let out of your hands even for a moment. While the owner holds the rodent, the assistant pours water, gives a towel.

Bathing algorithm

1. Wet

The rodent is placed on a flat surface and gently poured with warm (30 C) water from a ladle or mug. You can not wet your head, or allow water to get into the eyes, into the ears of the animal.

It is preferable not to expose your pet to running tap water to avoid temperature fluctuations and slippery sinks.

2. Soap

You can not lather with shampoo in its pure form. A drop of the product is added to the water, and the hamster fur is already washed with foam. Gently massage the skin with your fingers, without using a washcloth.

3. Rinse

After shampooing, be sure to thoroughly rinse the coat and skin to completely remove the detergent. If the wash is not long enough, the animal will lick the soap after bathing and get indigestion. Shampoo left on the skin causes irritation and itching. It is better to avoid the use of detergents, but if you had to soap your pet, do not be lazy to rinse it once again until clean water.

4. Dry

The hamster is wiped with a clean cloth (cotton diaper, bike). Then it is wrapped in a dry cloth and held in hands until completely dry. At this point, you need to take the rodent with a treat.

Paper towels absorb moisture quickly. They are carried out in the direction of hair growth, you can not ruffle the hair.

If you have to bathe a long-haired Syrian hamster at home, you can try drying it with a warm hair dryer. Any hamster, both Dzungarian and Syrian, can panic from the buzz of an electrical appliance. Then the hair dryer is immediately turned off. Long hair is combed with a toothbrush or a special comb.

After bathing, the temperature in the room where the cage is located should be slightly higher than usual, drafts are unacceptable. You should allow the animal to hide in the house, and do not remove it until it comes out on its own.

Conclusion

Sometimes the veterinarian decides whether it is possible to bathe Djungarian hamsters in water. If untidy fur is a sign of a disease, then washing will not solve, but will exacerbate the problem. Water treatments are a last resort.

To avoid problems, the hamster is released for a walk in a walking ball, they are not allowed on the table and the cage is kept clean.

When bathing is necessary, it is carried out by a person who knows how to wash Djungarian hamsters in water. If you follow the rules, the harm to health will be minimal, and the small pet will not suffer.