I've received some emails concerning the question of whether or not you should bathe your hamster. The answer to this question is no. Hamsters supposedly do not have any offensive body smells because they clean themselves. If anything will start to smell it'll be its cage. So just make sure you clean out the cage at least once a week. If, for some reason, you really feel that your hamster needs some help cleaning, you can use a soft toothbrush and some lukewarm water to do this. But make sure you don't drench the hamster because then it could become sick.
| Symptoms | Possible Cause and What to Do |
|---|---|
| Sneezing, sore eyes, and runny nose | This may be an allergy, maybe to some nesting material, air freshener, or spray polish. But it also could be a cold, so keep your hamster warm, and if it's no better the next day, take it to the vet. |
| Fur around tail is dirty, and possibly wet | Your hamster has diarrhea, which could have been caused by eating something that did not agree with it. But this could also be the first sign of a serious illness called wet tail, so take your hamster to the vet at once. |
| Bare patches in the fur | This may just be old age, or the hamster may have rubbed against something and worn the fur away. But if it is scratching the bare batches, they could be caused by mites. The vet will give you something to clear them up. |
| Refusal to eat, a swollen cheek, and runny eyes | Your hamster has something stuck in its cheek pouch. Take it to the vet. |
| After a fall, or being handled too much, the hamster lies quite still, as if dead | It is in a state of shock, though it may not be seriously hurt. If you leave it in a quiet, warm place, it should recover in an hour or two. If not, take it to the vet. |
| Cuts - the hamster has cut itself on something sharp | Add a drop of antiseptic to warm water (boiled and allowed to cool), and bathe the cut gently. If it gets red and inflamed, take your hamster to the vet. |
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