Disagreeable info

[Lil_Branchette]

I went and checked out some hamster books out of the library, and one book said that giving a hamster a bath is not okay. The other book said that sometimes, you can give a hamster a bath before a showing event. What is right?

 

[LucksAngel28]

I have always heard not to give hamsters a bath, but I'm not totally sure, so :bump1:.

 

[ErinB]

You can give hamsters dust baths, similar to chinchillas. They make tiny ceramic dust bath containers and bath powder for them as well.

Erin

 

[3CsMommy]

My roommate had a dust bath for hers for the same reason we dust bathe chins; hamsters are from a mostly dry environment and didn't really evolve to bathe in water.

Incidentally, any good web sources for hammies? I'm just starting out with a beige and white Teddy Bear hamster I've christened Princess Peach, but I'm always on the look out for more/better/new info.

 

[Lil_Branchette]

Seriously? You can give a hammy dust baths? But won't the dust get in their protruding eyes?

 

[starleomach]

same problem with chinchilla books, one says one thing, the other a completely different thing and yet both are often very wrong.....

 

[TillyChinchilla]

Your best bet is to find a hamster forum, kind of like this one for hedgies and chins. You'll find the best up to date info from enthusiasts.

 

[amsue0222]

I have always had hamsters and have taken a few to the vet for a few different issues. The only time the vet recommended I bathe the hamster was when one of them came from the pet store with something that he thought was mange-- he had a special shampoo that he told me to put on her. Other than that I have never bathed my hamsters. One hamster used to run in her wheel and urinate-- so I used to wipe her down with baby wipes. She was a smelly hammy.

Are you planning on showing your hamsters?
I would really worry about your hamster getting a chill from being wet if you did bathe him.

I have never given my hamsters dust baths and have never even thought about it until I had chins. I have heard other people giving their dwarf or robo hamsters baths though. I wouldn't bathe your hamster unless there was a definite reason to.
Our current hamster-- Peaches is 3 and a half years old-- and that is pretty old for a hamster. She has NEVER had a bath.

 

[Jenn]

I have only given my hamster a bath once, and that was with baby shampoo when he had soiled all over himself. He was towel dried well, but I got in all kinds of trouble from the hamster enthusiasts who informed me that what I did was dangerous to the health of my hamster. He is doing fine a year later, but the general rule is that they will take care of hygiene themselves and don't need anything from us.

 

[Lil_Branchette]

Are you planning on showing your hamsters?

Nope, I don't even have hamsters, but I work at a petstore that sells them, so I've been doing some research, and that bit of info caught my attention...

 

[Lil_Branchette]

Actually, I have another question. I've been doing research on guinea pigs, and one book said that guinea pigs live really well with rabbits, but another said that rabbits are dangerous to a guinea pig because rabbits can kick hard. So, what's right?

 

[TillyChinchilla]

Absolutely no rabbits with guinea pigs, that is something that should never be done.

 

[3CsMommy]

Most of the rabbits I've known weren't even safe to have around small children, let alone a smaller animal. My best friend has permanent scars from some of hers clawing and biting her while she tried to clip nails, etc. They can really be quite aggressive and forceful when they don't get their way. (Sounds familiar, *looks at chin cage*...)

 

[Lil_Branchette]

Wow, I had no idea rabbits were like that. I guess the author of that book thought that guinea pigs and rabbits were ok because they were the same size, but now I see that that's wrong. Thanks guys!