How to Clean a Metal Hamster Cage
How to Clean a Metal Hamster Cage
Hamsters need large cages to fulfill their wandering, tunneling and exploring behaviors. Metal cages may be the only option for owners of hamsters that are able to chew their way out of all-plastic cages. Many commercially made hamster cages are a combination of a plastic base and metal bars. Cages need to be cleaned once a week or whenever they begin to have an odor. Clean, dry cages are also essential to preventing many hamster ailments, such as Aspergillis fungal infection. According to Hammysworld.com, the fungus grows on dirty hamster bedding.
Instructions
1 Place hamster or hamsters in a small cage or carrier. Even a cat carrier will do, as long as any bars are narrow enough so the hamster cannot slip through. If lacking a carrier, use an empty, dry bathtub, suggests "Training Your Pet Hamster" by Gerry Buscis and Barbara Somerville.
2 Dismantle the cage to get to the dirty bedding. Some cages are far more complex than others, but with some metal cages, just unlock and lift the barred top off the solid bottom.
3 Put on rubber gloves. Remove all toys, water bottles and feeding dishes from the cage. Now is a good time to let plastic or ceramic toys, water bottles and feeding dishes soak in a sink full of hot water to remove to caked-on food and algae growth in bottles.
4 Remove soiled bedding with small dustpan. For really stubborn urine-dried clumps, a metal small paint scraper will do better than a plastic dustpan.
5 Make up a cleaning solution of a drop of bleach or mild unscented dishwashing liquid for each cup of hot water. Use an old cloth to wipe off the cage bottom and wires. Note if there are any rust spots developing. If there are, then its time to replace the cage. Let the cage dry.
6 Place old newspaper under the dry cage bottom. The newspaper will help catch bedding the hamster tosses from the cage. Next cleaning, just pick up the newspaper to help remove scattered bedding around the cage. Fill the cage with at least 1 inch of clean bedding material. Replace toys, water bottle and reassemble the cage.
7 Place the hamster in the cleaned cage.
