How to Give a Teddy Bear Hamster a Bath

The teddy bear hamster, also known as the Syrian hamster, is a long-haired species of hamster. These small rodents are popular pets that are easy to care for. They are naturally clean animals that groom themselves frequently and should never require a bath. If your hamster's fur becomes smelly from dirty shavings, clean out the cage more frequently and you can give it a "bath" using chinchilla sand. You can give a hamster a more aggressive bath with water and soap only if it comes in contact with some toxic substance, such as paint or varnish. However, any other time regular baths with water should be avoided, as the hamster can catch a cold quickly and die.

Things You'll Need

  • Pet brush
  • Damp washcloth
  • Warm water
  • Small bowl
  • Chinchilla sand
  • Scissors
  • Baby shampoo
  • Soft towel
  • Hair dryer
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Instructions

  1. General Cleaning

    • 1

      Brush out the teddy bear hamster's coat with a pet brush to remove any bedding or tangles. Do this once a week or whenever you notice the coat looking tangled.

    • 2

      Dampen a washcloth with lukewarm water. Wipe the hamster's fur from the head to the tail, then on the sides and under the belly. Do not get the eyes, ears or nose wet.

    • 3

      Place a small bowl with 2 inches of chinchilla sand in the hamster's cage. The hamster will roll in the sand and bathe itself to remove excess dirt from the fur.

    Emergency Cleaning

    • 4

      Try to cut the toxic substance out of the fur before wetting the hamster. Use sharp scissors and cut the entire affected area of fur away from the body. If the substance is too sticky, the hair is too matted or the substance has reached the skin, you will need to wash it off.

    • 5

      Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water. Dip a washcloth in the water and wet the affected area completely. Put a pea-sized amount of baby shampoo onto the wet cloth and work it into a lather. Gently work the baby shampoo into the affected spot until you remove the toxic substance.

    • 6

      Rinse out the washcloth in lukewarm water. Rub the soapy area with the wet cloth to rinse off the soap. Pat the hamster dry with a soft towel.

    • 7

      Set your hairdryer to the lowest setting. Hold it 2 feet to 3 feet away from the hamster and direct the warm air at the hamster. Hold your hand between the air flow and the hamster. Continue drying the hamster's fur until it is no longer wet, so the shavings from the cage do not stick to it.