Where to Clean a Hamster Cage?

Question

1. Do you clean it in a bathtub, sink, outside or what?
2. How do I get ALL the shavings and thigs out?

I usually clean mine in the bathtub and I can't get all the bedding and stuff out so should I wear gloves and wipe it out?

My hamster cage has a habitrail nest thingy from the Crittertrail X and how do you clean that?

Answer 1

I absolutely HATE the Habitrail and tube-type cages. They are messy, hard to clean, and totally unnecessary. Really, the tunnels, colors, and fun little "compartments" are for humans. Give the little critter a comfy place to nest up (a little cardboard box works great) and a wheel, and seriously, he is content.

The best cage for them is a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen lid. (They sell both at the pet stores and some Walmarts.) To get the bedding out, you can easily just dump it, then wipe out any remaining with a little bit of soap and water, dry, and you're done.

If you can't just dump it (say you don't have a large enough waste can), you can use a dog food scoop (small size; they sell them right at Petco for 1.99) which works great (the shape is perfect for scooping it all up and breaking loose the bedding that is stuck on). Then just again wash it out with soap and water, (I just use soaped up paper towels and a little Lysol), rinse, and dry. Takes about 15 minutes. VERY easy--and truly clean.

Do make sure to wash out his toys (like the wheel and his bed {mine has a little frog dish sponge holder that I have in there for his hideaway}) as well, but they can be done easily in the sink. (I just spray it down with a little Lysol, rinse, and dry.)

Hope this helped!!!!

Answer 2

because habbitrail or crittertrail are hard to take apart and reassmble, i usually leave it together unless it needs to be washed out

to get the shavings out, try putting your hand in a ziploc bag, u can grab the bedding out, and your hand won't get messy, make sure u check the tubes, if there is some food, bedding, or poop in the bottom of the tube, scrape it out, put all the bedding in a plastic bag from a gorcery store or clothes store, it doesn't need to be big, usually those cages are small, some bedding will most likely end up on the floor, this is almost unaviodable, so u will need to vacuum after

a hamsters cage should be washed out about every month or so, because the pee and dropping can stick to the plastic, this time u will need to disassemble it, i usually wash it outside until it gets too cold to go outside, then i do it in the bathtub, i use dish soap and to scrub it i use a tooth brush, or a brush u can buy for plates at the store, make sure this brush is only used for the hamster cage, dry it COMPLETELY with paper towels, the only things u need to wash are the sleeping area, and any other part of the cage that has built up droppings or is sticky

Answer 3

The way I clean mine is by taking it all apart. I get a plastic bag, and empty all the bedding into it and throw it away. Then I take the parts that need to be washed into the sink. After that, I bring it all back to my counter to spray with deodorant and wipe dry.
You can purchase this product called CLEAN CAGE, it's a spray that safely deodorizes and sanitizes the cage. All you do is spray it in the smelly area and wipe it dry. I find this useful in cleaning areas that are hard to run under the sink, so you can use that to clean the nest area.

Answer 4

Well, I have two hamster cages.
One is bigger wire cage with plastic bottom. I take the bottom, throw the bedding into compost bin and shower the bottom then. Occasionally I shower the wire top of the cage, but it isn't needed, as my Syrian is potty-trained.
The another is a 24x15x10" glass tank. I take all furniture from it out, take the bedding out using a dust pan into a bucket, clean the furniture, wipe the glass.
Anyway, hamsters are in a plastic carrier during cleaning.

Answer 5

I just take a paper towel in my hand and scoop out all the old bedding. For the crittertail cage I don't take it all apart, I just wipe it out with some environmentally safe LOC soap and water. She goes pee and poop in one of her compartments so I'm able to take that out and rinse in the sink and use a bit of vinegar if regular soap and water won't do the trick for odor. I usually clean the cage inside on the carpet so I can vacuum up any bedding that gets out during the process. If I need to sterilize the cage I will take it outside with the hose and use soap, water and bleach and let it airdry. Meanwhile my hamster is in a playpen made out of a cardboard box with paper shreddings, boxes to hide in, etc.

Answer 6

I usually clean mine outside. It's a lot cleaner and you don't have to worry about getting hammie poo on your floor :)

I also use a kitty litter scooper to get all the shavings out! It works a lot easier.

You could use latex or rubber gloves and some lysol to clean out the cage, too!

Answer 7

I used to fill the cage with newspaper. Every week i would go to the cage, put my hamster in a temporary bucket, grab the newspapers, replace them, put the hamster back and, wash my hands and the bucket.

Answer 8

i usually go outside with a huge grabage back and shake it out in there, then i take the water hose and i spray it down. Or i do it in the tub, then i use gloves and get anything that i cant get off with the spray of the water. its a messy job.

Answer 9

I usualy do it outside. When I clean it I would take an old toothbrush and scrub the bottom with the hose on.