Grooming Your Hamster

One of the most common questions hamster owners have is whether they need to groom their hamsters. Hamsters are very clean creatures, and with the exception of the male Long Haired Syrian Hamster, don’t require any grooming at all! In fact, bathing a hamster removes essential oils from their fur and, if they’re not dried off properly, can catch a chill. Instead of a water bath, consider giving them a bowl of sand to roll around in. It keeps them clean, and they really enjoy it! If you do own a Long Haired Syrian use a toothbrush to remove any bedding material that may be caught up in his fur.

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By: Libby on 23-06-2008 20:21

my hamster is a teddy bear hamster and her fur is growing really long and its not suppose to what should i do should i be worried :upset

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By: anita on 27-02-2008 02:57

We got two hamsters in Dec. and we woke up on valentines day to four of the funniest babies. I read somewhere that the daddy may eat them so we took him out of the cage. But then I read that you should leave him in the cage. So I was wondering what was or is the right thing to do?!

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By: Trevor on 11-02-2008 17:09

Hi,i was wondering during the summer can i bring my teddy bear hamster for a walk in his walking harness outside in the sun???

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By: Mike on 01-02-2008 06:04

Hi there. I just recently got my first hamster and at first she was extremely active at night, now it seems like she is always sleeping. She doesn't use her wheel or the funnel tubes as much as she once did. I have also noticed she has hair on her backside that is longer and frizzing out while the rest is not. I have not seen that before, is it normal? Thanks, any input and advice is a big help!

Mike

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By: Liz on 25-01-2008 14:07

Hey,
I noticed that my dwarf hampsters nails are getting rather long so i looked online and read that someones hampsters nails got so long they curled under there feet and it was hurting them. I also heard that someone who cut their hampsters nails made it bleed. I kept seeing mixed responses on rather or not i should cut them, but no educated people responded to me. I am also not sure if it is nescesssary to cut them if i should take him to the vet or just do it myself. I dont want Picasso to get hurt.
Thanks :grin

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By: Adam on 23-01-2008 12:56

Hi Mawi,

Glad you're enjoying the site :grin

As for your hamster claws, you can take him to the vet and have him trim the claws properly, and while you're there you can get him to show you how to do it at home. If you've ever owned a dog and trimmed his nails you know that if you cut too close you can cut the quick which causes bleeding and pain, so let the vet show you the proper way to do it. Good luck!

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By: mawi on 23-01-2008 02:13

this site helped me alot since my hammy just gave birth~ thanks! ^^
but i do have a queston tho,, I noticed my hammies nails are quite long and sharp it hurts me now when they are on my hands [esp if they struggle out of my hands when i hold them] is it okay to keep it that way??? thanks.

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By: Adam on 21-12-2007 17:52

Hi Vix,

Is the urine smell still on the hamster, or is it coming from the cage itself? If it's coming from the hamster, and you keep the hamster warm, you should be okay to give him a wash. The main problem with bathing hamsters is the risk of getting a chill and their sensitivity to chemical odors. If you can find something gentle and with zero odor you should be okay. Good luck!

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By: Vix on 20-12-2007 23:32

Hello,
I understand that they are not supposed to be washed as the oils could get removed and if the air is cold, its not good for them. However, i live in a tropical country (about 28-32degC / 82-90degF), and even after the sand bath there is still an urine odour. How do i get rid of that w/o bathing them?
thanks

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By: Adam on 19-12-2007 09:12

Hi Kirsty,

It's best not to wash your hamster as he's pretty clean anyway, and washing them can give them a bit of a chill.

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By: Kirsty on 18-12-2007 12:31

Hi i was just wondering if i can wash my Hamster or not i'm not to sure

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