A hamster, like any animal, can get dirty. And many owners, in connection with such a problem, begin to wonder - is it possible to wash hamsters, or is this not worth it?
Of course, nature endowed these cute furry creatures with the ability to lick and tidy themselves up. It is fair to say that hamsters are very neat animals, they are ready to sit for hours in a cozy place and “make a marafet”. Moreover, they not only “wash”, but also comb, using their teeth instead of a comb. At the end of this procedure, the hamster looks very cute and elegant, the hair is spread out in a row and descends to the sides. Not always such a row turns out equal, like a good hairdresser, but still the hairstyle of the hamster is very good! In fact, such a row is formed, because the hamster alternately scrupulously cleans and combes the left and right halves of its body. In the end, he tidies up his muzzle, making himself a fashionable bangs obliquely, it is especially noticeable in long-haired hamsters.
Nevertheless, no matter how hard the hamster himself tries, sometimes we, the owners, should nevertheless intervene in the procedure of “cleaning” the fluff. The reasons for this may be different, for example, the hamster turned over a saucer with kefir or milk, or managed to get dirty with other food that you carefully put in his house. More often, such troubles happen later in the evening or at night, because it is during this period that the hamsters become hyperactive. Animals want to walk and begin to "break" the cage literally with shouts of "freedom to hamsters." They try to climb to the very top of their house, and then jump down. Rebel hamsters can use their teeth to drag their food plates to another place to check if there is a secret passage under them to freedom. As a result, a terrible mess is established in the house during this period, which, of course, will subsequently rest on your conscience, because the hamster is able to wash only himself, and not his house.
In such exceptional situations, hamsters can be washed. This must be done very carefully. Firstly, the water temperature should be slightly warmer than room temperature so that the hamster does not catch a cold, but also does not overheat. Secondly, the water should in no case get into the eyes or ears of your pet. It is undesirable to lower an animal under a stream of water from a tap, it is better to keep it near and water it with your hand - this way the pressure of water will be less, and the hamster will not panic too much, feeling the owner’s hands.
The main rule when swimming: its time should be as short as possible. Any washing of hamsters is a great stress for them. Try to turn the bathing, if it is inevitable, into a minor shock, which the hamster "will not have time to notice." When thinking about whether hamsters can be washed, remember that hamsters are generally very nervous, they should not be scared, scolded, even a slight rearrangement of furniture in their house affects the tenant’s nervous system badly.
Washing with shampoo or soap is necessary only if parasites have curled up in the animal, then you use special therapeutic detergents. In other situations, regardless of the degree of contamination, simple clean water is sufficient.
So, we highlight all the pros and cons of the "bath procedures", and decide once and for all whether it is possible to wash hamsters.
The advantage is that the animal becomes clean, beautiful and fluffy, at least bring it to the exhibition! The hamster is not always able to achieve such an appearance with his own efforts, especially with a strong degree of pollution.
Unfortunately, there are more cons.
Firstly, hamsters have low immunity and easily catch a cold. This can happen simply at a low temperature in the room and, of course, after bathing. Therefore, try not to resort to such a procedure if the room is not warm enough. Be sure to wipe the hamster after washing and make sure that he is in his house in warm rags until it is completely dry. But do not try to blow dry it, otherwise you will blow it and bring it to a heart attack at the same time!
Secondly, swimming is stress. And stress, as you know, shortens life for everyone, including hamsters.
Thirdly, tap water can cause peeling of the skin on the hamster’s ears. After all, it contains a lot of chlorine and often other impurities that are far from beneficial to the animal.
So try to weigh the pros and cons when deciding whether hamsters can be washed. Finally, one more should be added. Hamsters do not tolerate extreme heat. That is, for you it may also not be strong, but a small creature is already very bad. You will notice changes in his behavior: in the heat he will crawl out of the mink house and will sleep on the floor of his cage or aquarium. In such a situation, you can slightly wet the hamster. Only the back half should be moistened; water should not be cold. Ears can simply be wiped with a wet hand. Drying the hamster in such a situation should not be done, after getting a little wet, let it back into the cage or aquarium.
And remember: never put hamsters in a bath of water. No need to check whether they can swim, such checks can end in disrepair! Theoretically, hamsters are swimming, but being afraid, they can drown or just go to the bottom, until you pull them out with water in your ears and a bunch of other problems. If you want to see how hamsters “swim”, you can wash them not under running water from your palm, but in a basin where the water level is not more than three centimeters. A hamster should be lowered into the water only by holding it with his hand, otherwise he will not swim, but will jump and run away to hell. When the pet's paws touch the water, it will start to row desperately with them, suggesting that it is swimming. Thus, you can wash the hamster, not forgetting that you need to do this as quickly as possible and that water should not get into the ears and eyes of the baby.