Hamsters

Can You Bathe A Hamster

Misty Thomas
By Misty Thomas. Updated: January 20, 2017
Can You Bathe A Hamster
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Just like having any other type of pet, caring for a hamster does require a lot of work. They are fun to have as a pet, but you do need to be careful when taking care of them. As well as making sure they are fed correctly, their cages need to be cleaned frequently in order for them to stay clean. But how do you make sure your hamster itself stays nice and clean? Is it advisable to give a hamster a bath? The answer to this question is no - if you want to find out more then read below and OneHowTo will tell you why you should never bathe your hamster.

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Contents

  1. Hamsters Clean Themselves
  2. Hamsters and sickness
  3. Proper Grooming of your hamster
  4. How to look after a hamster

Hamsters Clean Themselves

Hamsters are one of those animals that do a really good job of cleaning themselves. This is one of the main reasons that you should never give your pet hamster a bath. They will lick their bodies just like a dog or cat would. This action causes the glands of the hamsters body to release some essential oils that it needs on its skin. Even when you pick it up to play with it, you will see it cleaning itself as soon as you put it back in its cage.

Hamsters and sickness

By bathing your hamster, you are risking it getting a cold or a disease. Hamsters are very fragile animals and if they are given a bath, this can make them very sick. Giving a hamster a bath can also remove some of their very important oils in their fur. Many of the oils help to keep their fur soft and full and by giving them a bath, it could really effect their fur and their health.

Can You Bathe A Hamster - Hamsters and sickness
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Proper Grooming of your hamster

We mentioned that hamsters are very delicate creatures so when you are brushing them, it is good to keep that in mind as well. When brushing your hamster, it is very important that you use a very soft toothbrush. Do not use a cat or dog brush, this could harm your hamster and pull its fur out causing quite a lot of pain.

If you feel that your hamster is starting to smell, try cleaning out the cage more often. Generally, the cage should be cleaned out once a week. If you continue to smell something terrible coming out of the cage, your hamster could be really ill. If the scent persists, immediately take your hamster to the vet. There are so many diseases that these little guys can get and a strange odor is a sign of one of them.

How to look after a hamster

Having a pet hamster is a lot of fun, but it is also quite a bit of work. They should be treated like any pet that you have had, with love and care. If you take care of your hamster, it will be the best pet you've ever had!

If you want to read similar articles to Can You Bathe A Hamster, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

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Can You Bathe A Hamster