Hamsters are very clean animals that constantly groom themselves and maintain their hygiene. But you’re probably wondering if you should bathe the hamster or wet it.
Why shouldn’t hamsters get wet?
Hamsters should never be wet because it causes an instant drop in their temperature. Then the hamsters experience thermal shock which can only cause stress in your pet.
Hamsters do not need to get wet because they clean themselves and do not need to be wet or bathed with water.
In today’s article, you will learn why it is not good to wet your hamsters, how to make sure that they do not get wet, and what to do if they do get wet.
Why shouldn’t hamsters get wet?
Hamsters should not be wet because they cannot withstand the change in their body temperature.
When the hamster gets wet, it gets a thermal shock and then starts shaking, and it can get hypothermia, regardless of whether the temperature in its environment is warm.
A second important reason why hamsters should not be wet is that there is no need to wet your pet. Hamsters can develop life-threatening respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
Hamsters are animals that groom themselves daily and maintain their own hygiene, similar to other animals such as cats.
So let’s take a closer look at the reasons why hamsters shouldn’t get wet.
Hamsters are sensitive to changes in temperature
The body of hamsters is very sensitive to temperature changes, so when they get wet, they get stressed and start to panic.
And as we know, stress is one of the main factors why hamsters often get various diseases, which can result in fatal consequences and the death of the hamster.
When a hamster gets wet it will change its temperature, it will be cold and if it cannot warm itself with its fur the next thing you will need to do is take them to the vet.
A hamster can get cold from getting wet because their fur has shorter strands that are close to its skin and when they are wet they don’t have enough power to warm the hamster.
Hamsters are best not to be wet at all, so we have to make sure they don’t get into a situation where they get wet.
Hamsters do not need to be wet because they clean themselves
Hamsters do not need to be wet or bathed because they clean themselves daily, or about a third of the time they are awake they use to clean themselves.
Hamsters are most active at night when we the owners are sleeping and sometimes we cannot see how and how much they clean themselves, but they certainly do it.
It is very important to note that hamsters also have their own natural oils in their fur that help keep them clean with excellent hygiene.
Therefore, if you decide to bathe your pet anyway, you will make a problem and lose its natural cleaning oils.
They may get respiratory attacks
When hamsters are wet they can get respiratory problems, this is especially true for hamsters who are older because they have weaker lungs.
In addition to respiratory attacks, wetting the hamsters can also lead to pneumonia, which is dangerous for their lives.
Specifically, pneumonia is among the leading causes of death for hamsters, as it is very dangerous for their health.
Signs of pneumonia in hamsters are:
- decrease in appetite for food
- lethargy
- reducing their weight
- heavy breathing
What to do so that the hamster does not get wet?
The more the hamster will be dry and will not get wet, the better its health will be and there will be less stress.
That’s why you should pay attention to some things that will help the hamster to get less wet, let’s look at them together.
Take care of the bedding
Bedding is very important to keep the hamster dry and not wet.
Of course, depth also plays its role, so always put deeper bedding so that it can absorb more and prevent the hamster from getting wet.
In any case, whatever bedding you choose for your pet, it is necessary to change it at least once or twice a week if it is very dirty so that there is no unpleasant smell and not much moisture is created.
Watch out for the hideout
You should also pay attention to his hiding place because if it is plastic it can easily lead to the appearance of moisture and dampness in the place where he sleeps.
A better option for a hamster hiding place is if you use a wooden hiding place because wood absorbs moisture and expels it.
It is also good if you make a few holes in the roof of the hideout through which air can circulate and prevent the appearance of moisture and dampness.
Watch children when they play around the hamster
Children enjoy playing with their hamsters, which is completely normal, but you must watch out for them, especially children under 12 years old, who may accidentally harm it and your pet may get wet.
Also, other pets in your home may spill water from the bottle if they bump into it, causing the hamster to get wet.
That’s why everyone who has children under 12 years of age and other pets near the hamster should pay attention to everything that happens around their cage.
When you are not at home, it is best not to let small children play with the hamster by themselves, so as not to accidentally wet it and make your pet sick.
Use a water bottle instead of a bowl for water
You should always use a water bottle and avoid a bowl for water as the hamster can easily knock it over and get wet with water.
Hamsters don’t know that they shouldn’t overturn the water bowl, they will actually play and the overturning will be fun for them.
When the water from the bowl is overturned, the bedding will become wet and mold stains may appear, which can then cause problems with the health of the hamsters.
Unlike bowls, water bottles are a much better choice as they will almost never have a problem with water flowing, just be careful with the ball bearing, because if not functioning properly water will get stuck and hamsters cannot drink water.
Play with the hamster close to the cage
Always practice playing with your hamster inside or close to the cage to avoid accidental wetting with water.
Because if you play with your pet near a bowl or glass of water, the hamster may slip out of your hand and fall right into the water and get wet.
No matter how careful you are when playing outside the cage with your hamster, it is still unpredictable and can surprise you with its movement and jumping.
Whereas if you play with him in the cage and he jumps, he will fall directly into the bedding and will be safe from unwanted wetting.
How to dry the hamster if it gets wet?
If despite the fact that you were careful, the hamster still managed to get wet, then you should dry it as quickly as possible.
Therefore, let’s read in which ways you can best and most easily dry the hamster if it gets wet.
Increase the temperature in the room
When the hamster is wet, you will need to increase the temperature to dry faster.
To do this increase the regular temperature by about 10 F or set it to about 85 F so that the hamster can dry out.
In this way, you will be able to dry the hamster quickly and at the same time protect it from health problems and unwanted consequences.
After the hamster is dry, return the temperature to the normal level, and set it to be around 65-75 F.
Use a cotton cloth
When your hamster is wet you can also use a cotton cloth to wipe and dry it.
You probably won’t be able to completely wipe it off with a cloth, but you will still be able to reduce its humidity.
If the hamster doesn’t want to be wiped or starts to resist then put it back in the cage because you don’t want to upset it too much.
Use paper towels
When the hamster is wet you can also use paper towels to wipe your pet.
Put the paper towels in a box, and then put the hamster in it, and it will wipe itself by moving inside the box and the humidity will decrease.
You can change the paper towels more often so that you can have an even better effect in reducing the humidity of the hamster.
To do this successfully do not use toilet paper because it will crumble and just stick to the hamster’s fur and fail to remove the moisture.
You should not use hair dryers
When you need to wipe the hamster when it is wet, do not use a hair dryer or use it on the lowest setting.
Using hair dryers can further irritate your pet and scare them.
The best drying of the hamster is by increasing the temperature in the room, that way the hamster will dry and will not be disturbed or stressed by drying devices.
Do hamsters like to swim?
Hamsters do not like to swim even though they can swim. Hamsters live in dry areas and therefore do not want and should not be wet with water.
If you do let the hamster bathe, it will have a bad experience and may get sick when you take it out of the water.
Although it’s hot in the summer and you might think of bathing the hamsters, don’t do it, it’s better to use fans or some kind of airflow so that the hamster can cool down, and don’t wet it with water.
Read more: Can You Use Beach Sand for Hamsters? Let’s Discover
Can hamsters die from contact with cold water?
Yes, hamsters can die if they come into contact with too cold water.
Also, they can get pneumonia which can cause fatal consequences for their life.
Apart from pneumonia, the hamster will also experience severe stress which can also cause diseases and dangers to lower health and life.
Read more: Can You Clean Your Hamster With Baby Wipes? Let’s Discover
Conclusion
Hamsters should not get wet because any wetting with water can only cause a change in their temperature and health problems.
Hamsters do not need to get wet because they clean themselves and do not need baths or any other body wetting.
If the hamster does get wet then use paper towels or increase the temperature in the hamster’s room to dry it off.
Be careful when you take it in your hands so that it does not jump into a glass of water or any other container of water because it will get wet and then you will have to dry it so that it does not get sick.
