Should i give my Dwarf hamster a bath with chinchilla sand or a bath with water?

Question

I have a 7 month old cambpells dwarf hamster and she's getting kinda stinky. I've heard people say bathes with water are fine but then again i've heard people say that they will get them sick and the last thing i want to get is my baby sick, so i was having a total genuis moment and thought of chinchilla sand, would that be better??

Answer 1

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!! whatever you read about how its ok to give a hamster a bath, ignore it. This is so incredably dangerous and can kill your hamster.

Hamsters originate from the deserts of Syria, so they are desert animals, you dont get water in deserts!! Hamster actually self clean themselves ina simular way to a cat, but it is recommended to use a sand bath to clean your hamster.

Again, please dont ever put your hamster in contact with water, people who do, and advise other people to do the same are irresponsible pet owners.

Answer 2

Use sand not dust. Chinchillas have a special nostril flap that closes to prevent the dust from being inhaled. Gerbils and hamsters do not. Most animals do not need water baths. The only time I recommend it is in an extreme situation. Like they got into something that is harmful if left on them or if they ingest it while grooming; or they are severely infested in parasites and this is the first step to clearing it up (since severe infestation of parasites can cause anemia and reduce the animals ability to recover with medications).

I generally put sand in the carrier I put my pets into while I clean their cages/tanks. So once a week they and their home get cleaned. Some leave a dish of sand in 24/7. However the tendency is for the little darlings to use it as a pantry, potty & bed as well as a bath. So restricting sand baths to once a week prevents this but still lets them play.

Answer 3

Most of the time hamsters do a pretty good job of cleaning themselves. If she is getting stinky it may be a sign she is getting sick. Make sure you are cleaning her cage on a regular basis. As for bath time. Water is fine. When my brother was little he used to give his hamster baths all the time. just make sure that you dry her off after and that she is not near a draft. good luck with the hamster washing. :-)
I would just like to add that hamsters cannot get wet tail from taking a bath. That is totally untrue. Wet tail is an infection that causes sever diarrea to the point of death. It is very common in pet stores because large numbers of hamsters are housed together. But your hamster WILL NOT get it from a bath. That makes no sense at all. wet tail is treatable with pedialite or arrow root.

Answer 4

If I Was You.. I Wouldnt Wash Him. If Hes Smelling Clean Him Out ! It Always Works. Then Give Him A Few Days To Spread Food Around The Cage Ect. Then In A Couple Of Days (It May Sound Disturbing) Just Smell Him And Hopefully He'll Smell Ok. =] Let Hope This Works !!! Paige =)

Answer 5

NO WATER! They could drown,Chinchilla Sand is fine,not Dust,Dust Can Get Into Eyes *ouch* But Sand Is Fine :)
I Put Some In A ceramic Food Bowl for them,If Not You Can Buy Tubs but mainly giant ones for chincilla's

Also Dwarfs can't get wet tail only syrians

Answer 6

hahahaha! I've had hamsters all my life and if they got stinky, I gave them a bath with warm water and baby shampoo. After that, I dried it up and cuddled with it for a while so it wouldnt get cold. None of my hamsters have ever died from it so dont worry. Just make the bath really quick and just the necessary amount of water. But be careful to dry him up very very very well and keep him in a warm place after. If u dont, then and only then, could he get sick

Answer 7

I had a hamster when i was in 4-h and i did a project on them. What i always did was give him a bath in the sink. With hamster shampoo. He never got sick in his life. We had to give him away because he was making too much fuss in his cage.

Answer 8

NO WATER !!!!!!!!!!!

Hamsters don't like water, at all !!! They can get a disease called wet tail, it starts with diarrhea and ends with death !!! Hamsters only use water to drink ! They clean themselves like a cat, so no need to give them a bath !!!

Dind't they tell you at the pet shop ??? They need chinchilla dust bath to keep their fur shiny, you should really get one !!!

I have a dwarf hamster, and I give him a chinchilla dust bath, he rolls himself in it, and it's really cute, don't miss it ! You can get it for like 6 dollars at PJ's pet shop...

Answer 9

give them a bath with chinchilla sand the only time you wash your hamster is if your vet tells you to!!!!!

Answer 10

NO WATER>>>>> sand yes - they love it and it will make the cage easier to clean