Is my hamster supposed to urinate?

Question

I kinda remember that an employee at Petco said that hamsters aren't supposed to urinate (something like that) and my friend's hamster urinates too and she says that it's a natural thing that hamsters do. Should I believe some stranger from Petco or my best friend that has been my best friend since 3rd Grade?

Well i mean..... duh my best friend, but what I'm saying is who's correct my best friend or the Petco lady? a.k.a.-Just correctly answer the stinkin' question! So I can pick somebody to have the best answer! OK?!

Answer 1

As you now know, yes they urinate. There are however some illnesses that can cause a hamster to urinate much less frequently. Wet tail is the most deadly hamster disease, and it causes severe dehydration as the hamster will go off its food and water. So if you ever notice your hamster no longer shows any interest in drinking its water, then it's important that you get medical help immediately.
I've had hamsters that i've managed to save from wet-tail by hand feeding them water (just holding them and squeezing water into their mouths with a pippette.)
I know that's off subject, but you should always be prepared for it, as it's a very common disease. If you should ever notice your hamster behaving strangely, then feel free to email me. I have many years of experiance with these lovely creatures and have a very good success rate with helping them recover from illnesses.
Anyway. Last thing i'd like to add, is that you should never really trust the advice of petco workers. I used to get my hamsters there, and they were often unhealthy and ill to start with. I find that many (although not all) of their workers just don't have a clue about hamsters. Which is a shame, as they often give incorrect advice to people that can lead to many terrible consequences. I once heard staff there telling a woman that it is fine to keep 2 male syrians in a cage together. As i'm sure you know, that is NOT good advice, as they will undoubtedly fight to the death! I had to tell the woman that they could NOT live together. Boy were the staff red faced!
All places like petco (or pets at home, as it's known in Britain) really care about is your money and selling as much stock as possible. Sad, but true. So i'm sure you must feel great that your friend was right, and not a stranger! If I were you, i'd go back to the store and ask the staff member what on earth they were talking about! Give 'em a piece of your mind! lol.
Well I hope your hamster has a long and happy life with you.

Answer 2

I can assure you all hamsters in the world wee! I think whatever the employee said from Petco must have been misunderstood in some way.

Although hamsters are nocternal you may see them wake up several times during the day to go for a wee and run back to their beds! They tend to urinate in just the one area of the cage making it much easier to clean and discard of every few days.

Answer 3

Contrary to what others are saying, hamsters urine is concentrated. That's why it takes over a week for one hamster to drink an 8 oz. bottle of water. Some hamsters will pick one favorite spot in the cage, while others will urinate in every corner. Your question is not unreasonable. I have been breeding hamsters professionally for 14 years.

Answer 4

Yeah hamsters urinate, and they urinate alot. My hamster Carl pees all the time and he smells horrible, hammys need their cages cleaned ALOT, plus hamsters HATE wetness, thats why usually they have a certain place in their cage just for urinating. Dont listen to the Petco people.

Answer 5

When I was a kid, I had hamsters. Boy, do they ever urinate! That's the cause of the odor and the need for bedding changes. What kind of twit told you hamsters aren't supposed to urinate? They're normal mammals, for God's sake.

Answer 6

Every living thing urinates. You drink a liquid and what do you know? You're peeing hours later. Everybody pees. Yes, even hamsters. The pet care person probably meant something else and you misunderstood. Their urine is like a creamy yellow color. Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go!

Answer 7

Hamsters usually pick one corner of their cage and use that area as their bathroom. You will find that it will quickly become wet and have to be frequently changed or it will smell. Hamsters urinate just like every other mammal.

Answer 8

Yes hamsters are suppose to urinate.

Answer 9

All animals urinate, and I'm unsure of why someone would tell you that hamsters do not do so. It's perfectly natural & healthy (rather UNHEALTHY, if they do not urinate).

Answer 10

If it eats and drinks, the natural thing to assume would that it would come out again. It's a mammal, which means it has a disgestive track, which means, yes, it DOES urinate.