Whether or not you can give a hamster a bath is one of the most common hamster related questions. On one hand, you want your furry friend to be clean, happy, and comfortable and baths are often associated with a clean pet. However, hamsters aren’t the same as cats or dogs and a typical water-based bath isn’t the best way to to ensure your friend is clean.
The quick answer is that you should not give your hamster a bath because they just don’t do well in water. But let’s give more context and understand why hamsters aren’t built for water.
That’s why in the following article we’re going to talk all about whether you should give your hamster a bath, how to ensure a hamster is clean, and whether a hamster can even swim. So by the end of this article you’ll know everything you need to know to make sure your hamster is happy, clean, and comfortable.
Can You Give a Hamster a Bath?
No, you shouldn’t give a hamster a bath because their fur isn’t adapted to water and they become stressed out when placed in new, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable situations. Instead, there are other ways to make sure your hamster is clean.
Hamsters aren’t really designed for water based baths like cats or dogs. They’re tiny animals and any new or uncomfortable situation can lead to extreme discomfort and stress, which is best to be avoided.
But putting feelings of stress aside, hamsters just don’t have fur that is built for water based cleaning. When their fur becomes wet, it becomes tangled and clumped up, which can ultimately cause skin irritation and even minor cuts and bleeding. The other physical issue with giving hamsters a bath is that the water can get into their ears, ultimately leading to infections.
While hamsters shouldn’t be given water based baths, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be cleaned or live in a clean environment. To clean your hamster and their cage, there are lots of alternatives that we’ll talk about in the next section. So let’s jump into that right now.
How to Give a Hamster a Bath With Water
While you shouldn’t give your hamster a bath because of the reasons listed above, if they’ve been exposed to a toxic chemical or have residue stuck in their fur, you may not have a choice. Always consult with a veterinarian before giving them a bath and if you get the go-ahead you can proceed with the following steps.
Always give them a bath as a last resort and follow the steps outlined below to ensure they are comfortable and safe during the process.
Time needed: 15 minutes
- Fill a container approximately 1 inch of lukewarm water
The first step is to fill a small container with about 1 inch of lukewarm water. You want enough water for your hamster to be immersed, but feel comfortable and safe without the risk of drowning.
- Gently place your hamster in the water
Next, gently place your hamster in the water, but be careful to ensure they are feeling comfortable. Water isn’t a typical environment for a hamster, so they may feel skittish or scared. If they start to panic, claw, or bite take them out of the water and let them feel comfortable before attempting again.
- Apply hamster safe soap to their fur
After your hamster becomes comfortable in the water, apply a small amount of hamster safe soap to their skin and lather to ensure they’re clean and any sticky residue comes off.
- Rinse the soap off
After you’ve applied soap, gently rinse the soap off. It’s important to be very gentle here since hamsters are small and delicate.
- Dry and keep your hamster warm
Finally, once they’re rinsed off and clean of any soap, gently dry them and put them in a towel so they remain warm. Hamsters are warm blooded and if they get too cold they can get sick.
Can a Hamster Swim?
Hamsters can swim, but they should be gradually introduced into water, they should never be left alone, never allowed to swim in open water, and only allowed to swim in clean water that is free of chemicals and other harmful contaminants.
That’s a lot to know right off the bat, but it’s important to know what is safe and what isn’t for your furry friend, especially because hamsters aren’t built for swimming. Yes, they can swim, but it’s not their strongest skill and they can easily drown or get sick if not taken care of correctly.
First of all, hamsters should be gradually introduced to swimming and water. They’re very skittish animals that get spooked easily and if they’re thrown into the deep end, they may panic and drown. A quick way to get them used to water is to put them in a small pan filled with enough water that they can easily walk through. Then slowly add more over time as they get more comfortable swimming. As they explore the water, they’ll eventually become more comfortable.
Nest, make sure that the water you’re using is free of any toxic chemicals and isn’t open water. And that immediately excludes your pool if it’s chlorinated because chlorine can be toxic to hamsters, especially if ingested. Open water should be avoided because of other animals and lack of control, currents, and more.
And finally, you should always monitor your hamster for 100% of the time they’re in the water. It only takes seconds for a hamster to drown so if you turn your back even momentarily, you could return to the worst. If you have to step away, take your hamster out of the water and put them back in when you are ready to watch them intently. It’s as easy as that.
So while hamsters can swim, it’s important to know what to do to ensure their safety and enjoyment in the water.
Additional Reading
If you’re interested in reading more about hamsters, how to clean them, and their abilities around water, check out the following articles:
- Complete Guide to Hamster Behavior and What It Means – The Pet Property
- 3 Ways to Give Your Hamster a Bath – WikiHow
- Can I Let My Hamster Run Around My Room? – The Pet Property
Conclusion
And there you have it! After reading this article you should have a much better understanding of whether you should give a hamster a bath and hint hint, you shouldn’t give your typical water based bath. But that doesn’t mean your hamster shouldn’t have the luxury of feeling clean. They just have a different way of getting clean.
And finally, there’s a lot to know about hamsters and their swimming abilities. Always make sure