Bathing your hamster is something that should only be attempted in extraordinary situations.
A hamster's fur contains oils that are vital for regulation of their body temperature.
Therefore, it can actually be dangerous to wash away those oils with soap and water.
A bad smell is not a good reason for bathing your hamster, since that is caused either by dirty bedding or illness.
If dirty bedding is ruled out as the cause of the odor, it is time to take your hamster to the veterinarian for a check-up.
Circumstances where you might want to attempt bathing your hamster would be if it got into a harmful substance, such as paint.
However, a water bath should be the last resort, after all other possibilities have been tried.
The first step is to consider less harmful methods of cleaning the hamster's fur.
Sand Bath In the wild, hamsters clean themselves by rolling in sand.
The process of digging their burrows also serves as a natural bath.
To remove ordinary grime, providing a bowl of chinchilla sand is the best option for bathing your hamster.
And the bonus is that all the owner needs to do is place the container of sand in the cage, and the hamster will do all the work.
Chemical-Free Pet Wipes One notch down on the safety scale are pet wipes, but it is important that they be free of perfumes or detergents.
Baby wipes are loaded with artificial scents and are not appropriate for bathing your hamster, since the hamster will lick any residue from his fur.
To use a pet wipe, hold the hamster in the palm of the hand and wipe the fur from front to back.
Avoid the nose and eye area.
Soap and Water Baths Bathing your hamster using soap and water may be necessary if the hamster's fur is coated with a harmful substance.
A hamster's instinct is to lick himself clean, but doing so may be fatal.
First, use a Pet Wipe to remove as much as possible of the offending substance.
If possible, immobilize the hamster by wrapping him in a washrag with only his nose emerging to keep him from licking his fur.
This will probably only be practical if there is someone to hold the hamster while you run the bath.
The bath receptacle should have tall sides, in case during the process of bathing your hamster, he gets loose.
However, the water should be shallow, in case you drop the slippery, soaped-up hamster into the water.
The receptacle should also be placed on the floor so that if the hamster does get loose, he doesn't jump blindly from a great height.
An ideal set up for bathing your hamster would be two buckets within a bathtub - one for washing and one for rinsing.
That way, if the hamster escapes the bucket, he will not be able to scale the sides of the tub, and you can quickly retrieve him.
Water that is neither too hot nor too cold is essential when bathing your hamster.
To test the temperature, hold your wrist in the water.
The ideal would be to have the water at the same temperature as the hamster's body.
Do not have the hamster present as the water is being poured, since the sound of running water may stress him.
Prepare both the buckets prior to beginning the process.
If possible, only wet a small area of the pet.
For instance, if the hamster's back feet got into some fresh paint, total immersion is not necessary.
If the hamster's entire body must be washed, lower him gently, taking care not to submerge his face.
In fact, if his face can be submerged, then the water is too deep.
Hamsters may develop dangerous infections if water enters their nose or ears, so try to keep the head dry when bathing your hamster.
After wetting the hamster's fur, take him out of the water to apply the soap or shampoo, which should be the mildest type available.
A baby shampoo, gentle soap, or specially formulated pet shampoo is best for bathing your hamster.
Work the soap through the hamster's fur quickly.
Put him back in the first bucket to remove the first layer of soap.
Then gently lower his body into the second bucket for the final rinse.
As soon as you have finished bathing your hamster, the greatest priority is to dry his fur.
A washrag and absorptive paper towels should be on hand to quickly remove water.
Towel-dry the hamster as thoroughly as possible in a warm room.
A hair dryer may be used to finish removing moisture after bathing your hamster.
It is vital that the hamster not be put back into his cage if he is still wet.
When using a blow dryer, set it at the lowest possible setting and hold the dryer at least a foot away, to avoid burning the hamster's delicate skin.
It is unlikely that the hamster will hold still for this, so you will probably need to put your hand over him and blow dry the exposed parts of his fur.
This will keep you from overdoing the heat, since you will be able to feel the hot air on your skin.
If the hamster ingested any of the harmful substance, it will be necessary to give him activated charcoal, which is available at any pharmacy.
You may need a veterinarian's help administering it.
Activated charcoal prevents internal absorption of toxins, and is a good substance to stock in your medicine chest.
A hamster's fur contains oils that are vital for regulation of their body temperature.
Therefore, it can actually be dangerous to wash away those oils with soap and water.
A bad smell is not a good reason for bathing your hamster, since that is caused either by dirty bedding or illness.
If dirty bedding is ruled out as the cause of the odor, it is time to take your hamster to the veterinarian for a check-up.
Circumstances where you might want to attempt bathing your hamster would be if it got into a harmful substance, such as paint.
However, a water bath should be the last resort, after all other possibilities have been tried.
The first step is to consider less harmful methods of cleaning the hamster's fur.
Sand Bath In the wild, hamsters clean themselves by rolling in sand.
The process of digging their burrows also serves as a natural bath.
To remove ordinary grime, providing a bowl of chinchilla sand is the best option for bathing your hamster.
And the bonus is that all the owner needs to do is place the container of sand in the cage, and the hamster will do all the work.
Chemical-Free Pet Wipes One notch down on the safety scale are pet wipes, but it is important that they be free of perfumes or detergents.
Baby wipes are loaded with artificial scents and are not appropriate for bathing your hamster, since the hamster will lick any residue from his fur.
To use a pet wipe, hold the hamster in the palm of the hand and wipe the fur from front to back.
Avoid the nose and eye area.
Soap and Water Baths Bathing your hamster using soap and water may be necessary if the hamster's fur is coated with a harmful substance.
A hamster's instinct is to lick himself clean, but doing so may be fatal.
First, use a Pet Wipe to remove as much as possible of the offending substance.
If possible, immobilize the hamster by wrapping him in a washrag with only his nose emerging to keep him from licking his fur.
This will probably only be practical if there is someone to hold the hamster while you run the bath.
The bath receptacle should have tall sides, in case during the process of bathing your hamster, he gets loose.
However, the water should be shallow, in case you drop the slippery, soaped-up hamster into the water.
The receptacle should also be placed on the floor so that if the hamster does get loose, he doesn't jump blindly from a great height.
An ideal set up for bathing your hamster would be two buckets within a bathtub - one for washing and one for rinsing.
That way, if the hamster escapes the bucket, he will not be able to scale the sides of the tub, and you can quickly retrieve him.
Water that is neither too hot nor too cold is essential when bathing your hamster.
To test the temperature, hold your wrist in the water.
The ideal would be to have the water at the same temperature as the hamster's body.
Do not have the hamster present as the water is being poured, since the sound of running water may stress him.
Prepare both the buckets prior to beginning the process.
If possible, only wet a small area of the pet.
For instance, if the hamster's back feet got into some fresh paint, total immersion is not necessary.
If the hamster's entire body must be washed, lower him gently, taking care not to submerge his face.
In fact, if his face can be submerged, then the water is too deep.
Hamsters may develop dangerous infections if water enters their nose or ears, so try to keep the head dry when bathing your hamster.
After wetting the hamster's fur, take him out of the water to apply the soap or shampoo, which should be the mildest type available.
A baby shampoo, gentle soap, or specially formulated pet shampoo is best for bathing your hamster.
Work the soap through the hamster's fur quickly.
Put him back in the first bucket to remove the first layer of soap.
Then gently lower his body into the second bucket for the final rinse.
As soon as you have finished bathing your hamster, the greatest priority is to dry his fur.
A washrag and absorptive paper towels should be on hand to quickly remove water.
Towel-dry the hamster as thoroughly as possible in a warm room.
A hair dryer may be used to finish removing moisture after bathing your hamster.
It is vital that the hamster not be put back into his cage if he is still wet.
When using a blow dryer, set it at the lowest possible setting and hold the dryer at least a foot away, to avoid burning the hamster's delicate skin.
It is unlikely that the hamster will hold still for this, so you will probably need to put your hand over him and blow dry the exposed parts of his fur.
This will keep you from overdoing the heat, since you will be able to feel the hot air on your skin.
If the hamster ingested any of the harmful substance, it will be necessary to give him activated charcoal, which is available at any pharmacy.
You may need a veterinarian's help administering it.
Activated charcoal prevents internal absorption of toxins, and is a good substance to stock in your medicine chest.