Keeping a hamster: how to get rid of unpleasant odor

Source of smell

Those who breed and keep hamsters know that the problem of unpleasant odor lies solely in improper care.

Causes of odor in the cage

Many who have ever kept a hamster at home have noticed that a specific aroma appears in the cage 8-15 days after cleaning. The interval depends on the number of animals and the size of the cage. The smaller the house and the more rodents, the faster the cage gets dirty.

The smell in the cage is the result of hamster feces that accumulate over several days. The smell becomes strongest when the animal goes to the toilet in the same place at least 3-4 times.

Causes of hamster odor

There are several reasons why your hamster may produce a foul odor. Let's look at them all in more detail.

Leftover food

A common mistake that owners make is the misconception that the hamster will eventually eat the leftover food. However, this is not so - the animal is unlikely to take up stale crumbs - it will prefer to eat something fresh. Every time your pet refuses to eat the leftovers, it is better to remove them immediately so that the smell does not have time to spread throughout the house.

Bad filler

As a filler, it is necessary to avoid those materials that do not retain moisture and odor well. These include dirty rags, torn newspapers or hay. It is better to choose ordinary pressed sawdust, corn or cellulose filler.

Dirty cage

One of the most common mistakes is not cleaning the cage properly. Cleanliness in your pet's house is the key to the absence of an unpleasant odor. Ideally, you should wash and clean the cage every day, not once a week . It will not be superfluous to clean the rodent's toys and remove unnecessary scraps and scraps of paper.

Health problems

Improper care and poor food can cause a number of diseases in your animal. Vegetables containing nitrates should be excluded, otherwise your pet will experience an upset stomach and diarrhea. In addition, the hamster can pick up parasites or develop diabetes. All this causes a bad smell emanating from the rodent, and there is a serious reason to take it to the veterinarian.

Stress

Hamsters are very timid animals; they are easily susceptible to external factors that affect their mental state. An unpleasant surprise for your pet can be a new cage that does not suit him.

He may also be afraid of bright lights, loud noises, increased attention, or the presence of other animals in the house (cats, dogs). In this case, the little furry will let you know about his dissatisfaction - he will begin to mark the cage and start fights to defend his territory.

Do hamsters smell and if so, why?

Anyone who has kept these rodents knows that an unpleasant odor from healthy hamsters does not appear immediately, but a week after cleaning. The time period can increase or decrease depending on the number of individuals in the cage. This indicates that it is time to clean and wash the cage, because healthy animals themselves do not have a smell - it is their excrement that accumulates.

To understand the reason for the unpleasant aroma of a hamster, you need to sniff the animal and the cage separately.

Why does the hamster itself stink:

• The smell came from dirty wool.
• The rodent is stressed.
• The pet is sick.

If nothing has changed after cleaning the cage, the reason is in the animal itself.
Stress in pets occurs due to various reasons - loud noises, moving the house to a new place, or close attention from cats or other animals. Some breeds of rodents can emit a scent due to the fight for territory with other males (this is what “Syrians” do). To return the fluffy to normal, you need to seat the partners in other cages or let him get comfortable in a new place. He will calm down and the inconvenience will disappear by itself.

A common cause of odor is gastrointestinal diseases from the wrong food that it is fed. This entails poisoning or indigestion. However, it happens that a Djungarian hamster or any other one stinks, despite the fact that it is fed exclusively with special food. In this case, the animal should be immediately taken to the veterinarian, because it may develop pneumonia, diabetes, or contract parasites.

Which breed smells less?

Hamsters themselves do not emit any odor, but your efforts to combat unpleasant odors are directly related to the size of the pet. If it is a large animal, then it will produce more excrement than a small one. This explains why the level of dirt in the cage of Syrian hamsters is higher, and they need to be cleaned more often.

It is also important to consider the length of hair in rodents. The longer it is, the more odors accumulate in it from contact with dirty filler. Even despite their cleanliness, hamsters cannot clean their long fur thoroughly enough, and this responsibility falls on the owners. This explains why Syrian hamsters' cages have to be cleaned more often.

The least problematic is keeping small rodents with short hair. These include Djungarian hamsters; such breeds are less difficult to care for.

Do Djungarian and other breeds of rodents really stink?

Despite all the owners' complaints, hamsters do not tend to stink, since by nature these animals are extremely clean and regularly carry out hygienic procedures. Djungarians, like other species of rodents, carefully look after their sanitary area, trying to create maximum cleanliness. They devote a lot of time to washing procedures, which is similar to cats - they are the same lovers of washing their faces and other parts of the body. Nevertheless, unpleasant odors can bother rodent owners, but they are most often caused by external reasons or the usual ill health of the pet.

How to get rid of hamster smell

As mentioned earlier, the filler should be chosen one that eliminates moisture and odor. The best fillers are wood (compressed sawdust), cellulose or corn. Each species has its own characteristics, including the time during which they actually hide a specific odor:

• Sawdust is changed every 2-4 days.
• Wood filler every 5-8 days.
• Corn every 7-10 days.

If the filler is selected correctly and you do not overexpose it in the hamster’s cage, then there will be no unpleasant odor in the house.

When the smell comes from the animal itself due to various circumstances, try to eliminate the source of its nervousness:

• If these are foreign animals, then move the rodent's house to a place where it will not see large animals or smell them.
• If the pet is afraid of the owner or his new home, then you will have to give him time to get used to it. In this case, it is better to offer the animal his favorite treats and soft paper napkins so that he can use them to build a nest. So, over time, the fluffy will get used to the new place and owner.
• In case of illness, it is necessary to take the animal to the veterinarian; after following all the doctor’s instructions, the smell along with the illness will go away.

Besides the hamster, do you have other types of pets at home?

The animal is unwell

A hamster is too small to smell when sick so that it is noticeable to the human sense of smell, and even more so - it hits the nose even when approaching the cage. In addition, the signs of the disease are quite noticeable (here, smell alone is rarely enough), and hamsters get sick at lightning speed due to their high metabolic rate. That is, a hamster cannot get sick - and at the same time have clear eyes, not inflamed or scratched skin and, most importantly, live a long time. For a hamster, we dismiss this reason as fantastic.

Prevention of unpleasant odors

To maintain cleanliness, follow these tips:

• Wash your rodent's cage and toys daily.
• Pre -select the right bedding .
• The filler should be removed at the appointed time.

IMPORTANT: The accumulation of dirt in the cage will not only cause an unpleasant odor, but also make your pet sick.

• Choose a cage according to the size of the rodent.
• Place the cage in an area where there is fresh air flow but no drafts..

Potty training a hamster

Lack of a permanent place for a toilet is another reason for the spread of unpleasant odors. To train your hamster to go to one place:

1. Keep track of which corner your pet goes to most often.
2. Place a box of filling there.
3. You can also add a few dirty granules there along with clean ones. This will help the animal get used to its toilet faster.

After two months of such actions, your pet will begin to go to a strictly designated place.

Hamster cage contents

Since the cage is your hamster’s permanent home, approach this issue with care:

• Don't buy a small cage. For small individuals, its size should be at least 30x30x50 cm. Large breeds are comfortably located on an area of ​​40x40x60 cm.
• An important role is played by the choice of filler. It is not recommended to use compressed wood pellets or cat absorbent. The best bedding is corn or cellulose litter, as well as sawdust.

What other dairy products should you feed?

When choosing food for your pet, you should carefully study the composition: there should be no flavoring additives such as salt, sugar or other preservatives or flavor enhancers. The hamster's body is not designed to process such substances, and any chemical can cause serious harm to its health. There will be problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular, urinary and digestive systems.

The product should be natural, preferably rustic. Store-bought milk is not as good for feeding domesticated rodents, and its use is advisable only in the absence of a worthy alternative. It is more convenient to give it by moistening a piece of stale bread. If the fat content of the product exceeds the permissible level, you can add a small amount of water.

The digestion of rodents is designed in such a way that they are not physically inclined to process thermally processed vegetables and cereals. Don’t forget about this, and then you won’t have to spend money on treating the animal.

Cottage cheese can only be low-fat

Cottage cheese

This product contains a lot of protein, the benefits of which are difficult to overestimate

However, when supplementing a rodent’s diet with cottage cheese, attention should be paid to some details:

the product must be low-fat; pay attention to the expiration date - the animal can easily be poisoned by a stale product; Add cottage cheese to the diet no more than once every 2 weeks.

If the above rules are observed, the animal’s body will receive everything it needs from the protein product without serious consequences for the gastrointestinal tract.

Sour cream

Since the hamster's liver is very sensitive to high-calorie foods, this product should not be offered to him. After all, the fat content in sour cream is at least 10%.

Kefir

This product is considered very useful, but it can only cause harm to rodents. Kefir can cause problems with stool and negatively affect the functionality of the liver.

Yogurt

This product, even in its pure form, is no less harmful to the health of the baby than other milk derivatives. Store-bought yogurt with various flavorings is especially dangerous.

Cottage cheese should be given no more than once every 10-14 days

About the reasons for the development of allergies

Among the common causes of allergic reactions to Djungarian, Syrian and other breeds of hamsters are:

• weakened immune system;
• development of genetic factors;
• individual intolerance;
• presence of chronic diseases;
• contact with saliva, urine or animal skin flakes.

Most often, a child who spends a lot of time with a hamster, unlike an adult, is exposed to allergenic effects. Sometimes hamsters, during active play, or when frightened, bite the owner, opening a free path for the allergen into the circulatory system with the subsequent development of allergy symptoms.

It is important to note that in most cases a child is allergic to dzungarians. The reason lies in the cleanliness of the breed, its beauty and the absence of unpleasant odors, which attracts potential hamster owners

Due to the supposed hypoallergenicity, many buyers do not think about the possible risks that could lead to the development of a reaction in a child and an adult.

Important steps in cleaning a rodent's home

Cleaning a hamster cage begins with the owner removing the animal itself. You need to put him in a safe place so that he doesn’t run away. To do this, use a carrier or a jar. First, we change the bedding, and do it in such a way as not to destroy the animal’s buildings or to do it to the minimum.

The tray is washed under clean running water. If the contamination is severe, you can use baby detergent or hamster shampoo. You need to be careful with detergents so as not to cause an allergic reaction in the animal.

You need to know how to wash a hamster's cage, sleeping house and dishes: feeder, drinking bowl. The main rule is to do it manually using a brush. After everything is washed, wipe dry. Then we change the bedding. To prevent the rodent smell from disappearing completely, leave some of the old shavings.

Caring for the cage does not end there; you need to wipe the rods with a clean, damp cloth. To ensure that the cleaning is carried out correctly, pay attention to each device, we wipe the wheel, labyrinths, and stairs. Wooden accessories are wiped with a brush, a clean cloth or napkin without using detergents, since the baby chews them. If you decide to clean the cage, be sure to wash the water bowl and fill it with clean water.

Diseases

If you have chosen a good litter and change it regularly - at least once a week, but the smell does not go away, then the rodent has health problems. What should you do to prevent your hamster from stinking? It's very simple - cure him.

There are several reasons why hamsters smell bad:

• Diseases. Systematic diseases in hamsters are possible due to improper care and living conditions, including nutrition. Hamsters that have suffered poisoning smell bad and have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Very often, out of ignorance, owners feed their pets everything they can and cannot. But all foods from the human table are strictly contraindicated for the little hamster. For him they are real poison. It’s another matter when an animal eats fully, but still stinks. In this case, the rodent may have more serious problems - diabetes, worms, inflammation due to a fungal or bacterial infection. It is difficult to get rid of such serious diseases, but with the help of a specialist it is quite possible. Keeping your pet in a room where there are drafts and sudden temperature changes can also negatively affect the health of your hamster. He may get very sick and start to stink.
• Stress. Any newly acquired animal experiences stress when it enters a new environment. Often the reaction to unfamiliar smells is stench. How exactly? In order to maintain its territory, the animal begins to often mark the corners of its cage, thus showing that this is its personal territory. There is only one way out of this situation - the animal needs to be given time to adapt and get used to the new room and its owner. If space allows, place a decorative house in your pet’s cage, in which he can hide for a while and thus calm down.

Perishable food is the main reason why hamsters smell bad

And it doesn’t matter whether they are Dzungarians or Syrians. Old food always gives off an unpleasant odor, and you shouldn’t blame the animal for that.

Try to give your furry only fresh food. Do not forget that this rodent of the Khomyakov family will hide it for the future, and in secluded places. Give fresh perishable foods in small portions so that they do not remain. This way you can get rid of the unpleasant odor.

Moreover, this is important for the health of the rodent itself. The rodent will transfer the remaining food to storage, where it will safely rot and decompose

Imagine - this is a real breeding ground for harmful bacteria and unpleasant odors. If a rodent eats such food, it may become poisoned, which will result in an unpleasant odor coming from the cage.

Common Causes

Since under natural conditions hamsters do not emit fetid odors, in a home environment, a stinky odor most often appears as a result of poorly organized care for the ward. Owners often think little about the cleanliness of their rodent's home, mistakenly believing that periodic care will be sufficient. Practice shows the opposite: it is necessary to take care of the animal’s cage every day.

Just a general cleaning once a week is not enough here, since the hamster’s toilet needs daily cleaning. The sanitary area produces unpleasant odors, which are a consequence of poor-quality bedding material. For example, pieces of newspaper or scraps of plain paper, which are instantly saturated with waste, but do not have the properties of retaining the “fragrance”. Similar materials include various rags or scraps of hay. These materials are not able to retain odors and absorb moisture while remaining dry.

If paper and rags are used as bedding, they must be replaced with clean analogues every day to completely eliminate the stench. And the most ideal option is special toilet fillers, which do an excellent job of removing odors and moisture.

In addition to external reasons, you should pay attention to the health of the hamster. An animal can emit an unpleasant aroma if it has to be nervous and restless

As a rule, stressful situations can be triggered by moving a rodent to a new cage or moving to a new place of residence. In this case, the hamster must be reassured by creating conditions of comfort and calm for him. Do not disturb him with loud noises and periodically pick him up to communicate with the animal.

The appearance of an odor is also possible due to the presence of previously unfamiliar aromas for the rodent. It is quite possible that hamsters, including Syrian ones, react in this way to the presence of other animals in the apartment, and sometimes to the owner himself. This reaction is explained by the animal’s low level of trust in relation to the owner or by the perception of extraneous aromas that are alien to the rodent. In this case, the animal tries to drown out everything foreign with its odors, provoking the corresponding reactions of the body, in the hope of creating comfortable living conditions for itself.

Try to place the cage with the animal in a room where you can always provide a flow of fresh air, but without drafts. In the case of foreign odors, it is necessary to protect the hamster from them and ensure that the animals are kept away from the cage with the rodent. If the hamster's reaction is due to the owner's new smells, you need to give him time to get comfortable and get used to it. Gradually, the hamsters stop defending themselves and the air becomes fresh again, without any foreign impurities.

A common cause of a bad-smelling hamster can be food that is not collected on time. Since rodents tend to stock up on provisions, sometimes the owner may not take care of the supplies, which over time begin to deteriorate, creating a stench. Carefully inspect the cage for food storage, especially if the hamster has a special house with drawers, where it is very convenient not only to hide, but also to hide various foods from prying eyes. Regularly remove uneaten food scraps from the cage, as they will suffer the same fate. In addition, if an animal accidentally eats a piece of old, expired food, the risk of poisoning increases.

Djungarian hamsters, including fellow species, can emit unpleasant odors in case of problems with the gastrointestinal tract and indigestion, which are accompanied by diarrhea, rumbling in the rodent’s tummy and extremely unpleasant “fragrances”. You can try to put your hamster on a therapeutic diet, carefully preparing the diet and completely eliminating food that easily provokes light stools and has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the stomach and intestines of rodents.

Disturbed metabolic processes in the body, enteritis, diabetes or possible inflammatory reactions play a major role

Pay attention to the condition of your rodent's fur and, if it is not in the best shape, and the hamster shows lethargy and apathy, this may be a signal of serious problems. If odors occur, do not delay going to the veterinarian, since small animals thus signal to the owner about problems in the body

Contacting the clinic will help quickly establish the causes or diagnosis, which will allow the hamster to improve its health and stop emitting disturbing aromas to others.

What should you pay attention to?

You already know how to clean a hamster cage, but there are a number of things you need to pay attention to:

• Dirty litter and accumulation of excrement. These areas need to be cleaned more thoroughly.
• Remove leftover food scattered around the cage.
• If the walls are dirty, wipe them thoroughly.
• The unpleasant smell of your home cannot be filled with air fresheners; you just need to wash the pan more thoroughly, dry it and ventilate it.
  Even before cleaning, you need to prepare the necessary equipment:
• clean rags;

a gentle disinfectant that can be used to treat the cage, for example, laundry soap (bleach cannot be used, otherwise the hamster may be poisoned and die);

• clean bedding (shavings/special filler/clean napkins).

It is very important to wash everything in your home, even if the accessories are externally clean. They can be sprayed with a cleaning agent diluted in water or a soda solution, then rinsed in running water and dried.

The cage will dry out faster in direct sunlight and is also a good disinfectant. You can assemble it and install accessories only after everything is clean and dry.

Now you know how to clean a hamster's cage so that the stress from the procedure is minimal. The cleaning procedure is almost the same for different breeds: Dzungarian and Syrian babies equally do not like having their supplies touched. The only difference is that the dwarf is more aggressive, so be careful - the pet may be offended and, if possible, bite your finger.

Many of us do not want to buy rodents because we believe stereotypes about the uncleanliness of these animals and refuse cute animals, without even thinking about whether hamsters actually stink.

Hamsters are the type of animal that washes itself for days; they are cleaner than cats. An unpleasant odor can indeed appear, and not only due to the fault of owners who do not pay due attention to caring for their pets. There may be several reasons. How to get rid of the hamster smell and why it appears will be discussed in this material.

Select the filler and clean it in the cage

We described the main types of fillers in the corresponding article. For example, corn filler retains odors for 10-14 days, while wood filler has a shorter shelf life - up to a week.

Depending on the size of your pet, you will need to clean the cage at different intervals. Syrian, larger hamsters need to be cleaned after more often, Djungarian rodents are smaller, and their bedding can be changed less often. However, in any case, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the cage and regularly change the bedding, water, and food.

Don't forget about food. A rodent can scatter food around the feeder and any remaining food must also be removed in a timely manner. If there is an unpleasant odor from the pet itself, it means that it is saturated with the aromas of its cage. Hamsters are clean by nature, cleaning their fur and taking care of their appearance. Hamsters have a natural odor, but it is barely noticeable and cannot be felt indoors.

Popular as pets, hamsters sometimes confuse those who want to acquire furry rodents due to the odors that the animals can create during their life processes. Some owners complain about the unpleasant odor emanating from hamsters, but is this really so and for what reasons can an animal emit a stench? Let's try to figure it out in detail.