KEEP YOUR PET HAMSTER HAPPY WITH A CLEAN CAGE

Since hamsters are a part of the rodent family, you may not think of them as being a particularly clean animal. However, cleanliness is very important to hamsters, and keeping your pet’s cage in the right condition will be a big part of whether or not your pet hamster is happy. Here are a few tips for making sure your habitat is in good shape for the well-being of your furry little friend.

Occupying Your Pet Hamster During Cleaning

This quick little animal can easily make a break for it during the cleaning process. Therefore, it is a good idea to move your pet hamster somewhere else while you care for the cage. An exercise ball that allows your hamster to explore the home outside of the cage while you do maintenance is a great idea, and also gives your pet some needed exercise and recreation.

Care for Toys Properly

First, take all of the toys out of the cage. Use warm soapy water, and be sure to rinse all of the toys thoroughly so there is no chance of the soap making your pet ill. Leave the toys on a paper towel so they can dry while you care for the cage itself.

Cleaning the Cage

Remove all of the bedding. Then use a specially designed hamster-friendly disinfectant to clean the cage. If you don’t have access to a safe disinfectant, you can make your own with a 1-1 mixture of water and vinegar. Leave the cage to dry completely before you lay down the new bedding and return the toys to the cage.

Important: Your pet hamster will remember where everything was when you removed him from the cage. Thus, putting everything back just so is important to keep your pet happy. You might want to make a note in advance before you remove everything from the cage to make sure you can replace it in a reasonably similar way.

That’s all it takes to clean a hamster cage. Clean your cage weekly if it is a smaller-sized one. Larger cages can go a little longer between cleanings.