Cleaning Up 🧹 After the Death of a Hamster 🐹
This is a hard one to write ✍️, bc honestly, I don’t ever want to have to do this!
As you may know, I lost my little robo, Thor, last weekend. I was thankful I was able to be with him as he passed on, and OH will he be missed!
It just so happened that I had recently taken in a dwarf hamster the week prior, when the owner had to move and wasn’t able to bring him with her. I had this new, little guy in a simple bin cage while I sorted out a more permanent enclosure solution.
I hated saying goodbye to Thor, and I definitely didn’t enjoy working all day next to his empty cage. So, I got to work, cleaning all of Thor’s things so that my new little friend could move in. It makes me happy, knowing Thor’s things will serve another hamster in need.
I often find getting another hamster is the way that helps me heal the most. I always find a hamster in need of home (via various Facebook rehoming groups, Petfinder, local rescues or the like), and then it helps me find the motivation to clean up, knowing that another hamster will benefit and have a good life, honoring each hamster who came before it. But this might not feel right to you.
Take your time. Take photos of their cute little piles of neatly sorted seeds. Smell their tiny smells. Cry as much as you need.
When you’re ready, you can start by removing the big items.
Wooden things can be washed with soap and water, fhen baked at 200 degrees F for 20 ish minutes. I keep the heat lower for this one so I don’t burn or warp the wood. For items that have flat surfaces (like the top of a multi chamber), make sure you place it flat on a cookie sheet so it doesn’t become disfigured.
Some of Thor’s wooden items ready to go into the oven
Sand can be sifted, then washed, then baked at 350 for an hour or two or until it’s fully dry. For more on washing sand- see my washing sand video below!
Here is my sifted and washed sand, baking at 350 degrees F
Ceramic and plastic can be washed by hand with hot, soapy water. I use rubber gloves so I can use hot water without burning my hands.
Compost or throw away all other substrates, wipe the enclosure with water, then with an alcohol/ water solution to disinfect. Let the enclosure fully dry and air out before placing anything back in.
Now you can begin the fun part- setting up the enclosure for it’s next, happy resident! I was able to do all my cleaning in a week and had little Dexter in Thor’s Niteangel Vista by the following weekend. It made me so happy to see another ham enjoying all the nooks and crannies little Thor enjoyed too :)
Dexter first explores his home
