Cleaning and Grooming
Hamsters spend a good deal of their time cleaning and grooming themselves, especially long-haired Syrians. Therefore, you don't have to worry about bathing your hamster, as it will do that by itself.
You can, though, provide your hamster with a few essentials and carry out a little brushing routine once a week.
Sand baths are an important part of your hamsters life. Syrian hamsters originate from the desert and as such they instinctively relate to sand. To trigger their 'sandy' instinct, put some chinchilla sand (not dust) in a bowl and place it inside your hamster's cage. Within moments the hamster will be digging and rolling and bathing in it! This helps keep them clean and not become greasy.
If your hamster's coat is getting tangled and messy, you can give it a hand with the grooming by simply brushing its hair with a soft toothbrush. Our hamsters love that, they even purr whilst we brush them (we've never seen hamster purr before!). If you want to add extra fluffyness, sprinkle some cornflour over the hamster and work it onto the hair with the brush. Your hamster will feel really soft and smooth.
Syrian hamsters can be litter-trained. There are hamster 'toilets' available, or you can improvise using a small container that is easy-access to your hamster. If you find your hamster uses a certain corner as a potty, simply place the 'toilet' in the spot they are using, and you have a potty-trained hamster!
