Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:51 pm
Hamsters clean themselves, they have clean fur and look nice. However, hamsters may sometimes need a little help with cleaning and hygiene.
Should hamsters be washed with soap?
No. Hamsters should not be washed with soap unless it is absolutely necessary to do so. If the hamsters need to be washed, it is best to do it with sand baths, wet tissues, and lukewarm water.
If the situation really requires washing with soap, then you must be very careful about the soap you choose.
In today’s article, you will learn whether it is safe to wash hamsters with soap, what kind of soap to choose, and a substitute for soap to wash your hamsters.
Can You Wash Hamsters With Soap?
Hamsters generally do not need bathing, because they clean and groom themselves. Hamsters do not like water, but sometimes when they are too dirty we need to bathe them with water.
When we mean too dirty it means that they are sometimes too dirty as a result of diarrhea or if they have some sticky substance stuck to their fur and they can’t clean on their own.
If hamsters have nail polish or paint on their fur, as they are toxic, that is another reason why you must bathe them in water.
Apart from such situations, we must mention that even older hamsters sometimes need help cleaning because as hamsters get older they are less active and groom themselves less, which is a natural phenomenon for them and this happens very often.
If you want to wash the hamsters with soap, you should be very careful with the choice, because the different pH value is the most important factor that you must take into account.
For example, we humans can use several different soaps, while hamsters have sensitive skin and require a lot of care when choosing soap.
If you try to wash it with the soap you use for yourself, it can easily cause allergies, dry skin, redness, and other reactions in your pet.
What Soap Can Be Safely Used for Hamsters?
When you have to choose a soap for your pet, you should pay attention to its ingredients so that they do not harm his skin and his health in general.
So let’s read together about the different types of soaps and how they work on hamsters when bathing them.
Glycerin Soap
Glycerin soap is not ideal for bathing hamsters, but it can be used, it can only stick to their fur, so you will need more water to wash the hamster well.
Unlike ordinary soap, glycerin soap is non-toxic and odorless and is obtained as a by-product when making soap.
Glycerin soap is a soap that has not removed glycerin when it was manufactured. This kind of soap is very good for human skin and improves its moisture.
Soap Bars
You can find this type of soap in many stores and there is a large selection of different types according to price and composition.
However, these soaps all have 3 basic ingredients from which they are made:
- oil
- water
- Lye
Of these ingredients, water is not at all harmful to hamsters, while oil can cause greasy marks on the fur of our hamsters.
Lye is used to create a lather along with the oil and then creating the soapy lather we all expect when we bathe.
Such soaps are primarily intended for human skin, although we can also use them on hamsters.
This type of soap can be used to bathe hamsters, but the following problems may occur:
- redness
- dry skin
- traces of soap and oil on the fur
We should avoid all kinds of flavored soaps, they are not good for hamsters, because in order to have an aroma, the soap must have additional ingredients that can be harmful to hamsters.
Medicated soap
Medicinal soaps are good for humans but not for hamsters. Such soaps have additives to prevent itching, irritation, and redness of the skin in people.
But to have this effect they have added ingredients such as antibacterial ingredients which are fine for humans, but again not good for hamsters.
All the chemicals added to the soap are not good for hamsters and therefore this soap should be avoided for your pets.
Liquid Soap
Liquid soap is ordinary soap in liquid form and it can cause irritations on the skin of hamsters.
Especially if it gets into his ears or eyes, it will cause irritation, as well as drying of the skin. We, humans, use liquid soap a lot because of its shape and because it is easier to use.
Hamsters will have problems with liquid soap because all of its ingredients are almost the same as regular soap except for replacing the sodium hydroxide with potassium hydroxide found in liquid soap.
But it will still be the same for hamsters no matter which soap they use.
Dish Soap
Dish soap is not good for bathing hamsters because it contains methylisothiazolinone, an ingredient that, in addition to being toxic, will certainly cause irritation to the hamster’s skin.
Dish soap is less harmful than ordinary soap as it is considered milder in terms of its reactions, it can be used to clean the hamster’s cage and toys.
But for bathing the hamsters, we should not use dish soap, even though it is popular, such as Dawn, which is one of the best-selling soap brands in the United States.
What Else To Use to Clean a Hamster?
Water, wet wipes, and a sand bath are the best options for cleaning hamsters. Soap is not the best solution for cleaning hamsters except in exceptional situations.
So let’s read how water and other ingredients can be used to clean and bathe hamsters.
Water
Water is always the best choice for hamsters, simply and without any additives that may irritate their skin. Just take water that is at room temperature and take a soft cloth to wipe the hamsters.
Soak the cloth in the water or put the hamster in the water, but not completely, just a part of it, and wipe it.
Never put the whole hamster in the water at once so it doesn’t fall or get scared.
A toothbrush
A toothbrush can serve as a brush for bathing and cleaning hamsters.
Just take the toothbrush and dip it in water, hold the hamster with one hand, and with the other hand gently brush your pet and remove any dirt or sticky substances that are on the fur.
Then leave the hamster in a warm place to dry it or wipe it with a clean cloth to prevent them from cold.
Baby Wipes
Baby wipes can be used to wipe and clean hamsters, just be careful with your choice.
There are all kinds of baby wipes with different compositions and different pH values, which can cause irritation to the skin of hamsters.
It is safest to buy wipes from a pet store as they are designed to fit the skin of hamsters. There are different wipes for all animals, cat wipes are not suitable for use on a hamster.
Read more: Why Does My Hamsters Fur Look Greasy? Find Out Now
Chinchilla Sand
Such sand is an excellent choice for cleaning hamsters. Hamsters themselves prefer chinchilla sand, from bathing in water.
Just put the sand in a suitable container and put it in the cage and enjoy watching the hamsters roll in it so that when they come out they will be cleaner.
Usually smaller breeds like dwarf hamsters will benefit the most from rolling in a sand bath, as larger hamsters will take more time and maybe they will need help from us to clean.
The sand bath should be changed every week or every two weeks.
Read more: Why Do Hamsters Always Try To Escape? Let’s Discover
Conclusion
Hamsters usually clean and groom themselves, except in exceptional situations when they cannot do that, then they need to bathe.
Hamsters should not be bathed with soap except in exceptional situations when it is unavoidable or when they have some substances stuck to their fur that they cannot clean on their own.
It is known that Hamsters do not like water, but if you have to bathe them, you should do it carefully.
When choosing soap for bathing hamsters, you should pay attention to its ingredients, because they can be harmful and cause skin irritation.
Glycerin soap is better than other soaps because it does not contain toxic ingredients and has no smell and can be used if bathing the hamsters is necessary.
Finally, avoid soaps for bathing hamsters, use water, baby wipes, and a sand bath, they are the best choice for cleaning your pet.
