Questions and Answers: Can I wash hamsters?

A hamster, like any animal, is able to get dirty. And many owners, in connection with such a problem, begin to wonder - is it possible to wash hamsters, or should not this be done?

Of course, nature has endowed these lovely fluffy creatures with the ability to lick themselves and put themselves in order. It is fair to say that hamsters are very clean animals, they are ready to sit for hours in a cozy place and "to guide marafets." At the same time they not only "wash", but also comb, using instead of a comb their teeth. At the end of this procedure, the hamster looks very nice and smart, the hair is straightened out and goes down. It's not always that such a line turns out to be equal to that of a good hairdresser, but still the hairstyle of a hamster goes very well! In fact, such a row is formed, because the hamster alternately scrupulously clean and comb the left and right halves of its calf. Finally, he tidies his muzzle, making himself a fancy bangs obliquely, especially it is clearly visible in long-haired hamsters.

Nevertheless, no matter how hard the hamster tried, sometimes we, the owners, should nevertheless intervene in the procedure of "cleaning" the fluff. The reasons for this may be different, for example, a hamster turned over a saucer with kefir or milk, or managed to get dirty with other food that you carefully put in his house. More often such troubles happen closer to the evening or at night, after all during this period hamsters become hyperactive. Animals want to walk and begin to "break" the cage literally with cries of "freedom to hamsters." They try to climb to the very top of their house, and then jump down. Hamster rebels can drag their plates with food to another place with their teeth to check whether there is a secret passage under them to freedom. As a result, a terrible mess is set in the house during this period, which, of course, will later lie on your conscience, because a hamster can only wash itself, and not its own house.

In such exceptional situations, you can wash hamsters. It must be done very carefully. First, the water temperature should be slightly warmer than room temperature, so that the hamster does not catch cold, but it does not overheat. Secondly, the water in no case should not get into the eyes or ears of your pet. It is undesirable to lower the animal under a tap of water from a tap, it is better to keep it close and water it - so the water pressure will be less, and the hamster will not panic much, feeling the owner's hands.

The main rule when swimming: time should be as short as possible. Any washing of hamsters is a great stress for them. Try to turn the bathing, if it is inevitable, into a slight shock, which the hamster "does not have time to notice." Thinking about whether you can wash hamsters, remember that hamsters are generally very nervous, they should not be scared, scolded, even a slight rearrangement of furniture in their house is bad for the tenant's nervous system.

To wash with a shampoo or soap it is necessary only in the event that the animal was paralyzed, then you use special medical detergents. In other situations, regardless of the degree of contamination, simple clean water is enough.

So, let's highlight all the pros and cons of the "bath procedures", and determine once and for all whether it is possible to wash the hamsters.

The plus is that the animal becomes clean, beautiful and fluffy, even at the exhibition bear! It is not always possible to achieve such appearance by the efforts of a hamster, especially with a strong degree of contamination.

Unfortunately, unfortunately, more.

Firstly, hamsters have low immunity and easily catch cold. It can happen and just at a low temperature in the room and, of course, after bathing. Therefore, try not to resort to such a procedure, if the room is not warm enough. Be sure to wipe the hamster after washing and make sure that until the time of full drying it was in his house in warm rags. But do not you dare dry it with a hair dryer, otherwise blow it and bring it to the heart attack simultaneously!

Secondly, bathing is stress. And stress, as you know, reduces the life of everyone, including hamsters.

Third, tap water can cause skin peeling on the hamster's ears. After all, it contains a lot of chlorine and often other, far from useful for animal impurities.

So try to weigh all the pros and cons when you decide whether it is possible to wash hamsters. Finally, we need to add one more. Hamsters do not tolerate extreme heat. That is, for you it may not yet be strong, and a small creature is already very bad. You will notice a change in his behavior: in the heat, he will get out of the mink house and sleep on the floor of his cage or aquarium. In this situation, you can get a little wet hamster. Dampen should only the back half, the water should not be cold. Ears can simply be wiped with a wet hand. Wipe dry in this situation hamster should not be a little wet, let him back into the cage or aquarium.

And remember: never put hamsters in a bath of water. Do not check whether they know how to swim, such checks can end badly! Theoretically, hamsters swim, but, frightened, they can drown or just go to the bottom until you pull them out with water in your ears and a bunch of other problems. If you want to see how the hamsters "swim", you can wash them not under running water from your palm, but in a basin where the water level is not more than three centimeters. To lower a hamster into the water follows only, holding the hand, otherwise it will not float, but will jump and run away to hell. When the pet's paws touch the water, he will start rowing desperately, assuming that he is swimming. So you can wash the hamster, not forgetting that it should be done as quickly as possible and that the water should not fall into the ears and eyes of the baby.