Desert Hamster Housecleaning Is Easy!

Cleaning a desert hamster home is easy and fun. (At least it is if you do it the way I do!)

Once or twice a week, just gather the following supplies ...

  • small dustpan
  • damp cloth or paper towel
  • dry cloth towel or paper towel
  • fresh aspen shavings
  • helpful desert hamster(s)


Buffball hops onto the dustpan and waits for it to move along.


Bright Spot wants a ride, too.

So do Fluffball and Puffball.

... and follow these easy steps.
  • remove food and water dishes
  • remove wheels and other toys
  • place wood houses or toys in the window in the sunlight to air out
  • remove shavings
    • hold the dustpan on the floor of the tank until desert hamster(s) climb on
    • scoop up some shavings and slowly lift the scoop until the desert hamster(s) jump off
    • empty shavings into trash
    • repeat first three steps until all shavings are removed
  • wipe tank with water
    • swish damp cloth or paper towel around tank at a speed just fast enough to keep ahead of desert hamster(s)
    • stop short occasionally and let desert hamster(s) sniff your hand
  • repeat previous step with dry cloth towel or paper towel until tank is dry
  • let desert hamster(s) run around until tank has air-dried for a few minutes




Bright Spot helps wipe out the tank.

Three little assistants wait for the tank to dry.



Twice a month give the tank a thorough cleaning.

  • remove food and water dishes
  • remove wheels and other toys
  • place wood houses or toys in the window in the sunlight to air out
  • remove shavings
    • hold the dustpan on the floor of the tank until desert hamster(s) climb on
    • scoop up some shavings and slowly lift the scoop until the desert hamster(s) jump off
    • empty shavings into trash
    • repeat first three steps until all shavings are removed
  • remove desert hamster(s) from tank
    • place a paper shopping bag sideways in the tank until the desert hamster(s) run into it
    • turn the bag upright and lift it out of the tank
    • have someone hold the bag or place it inside a box to keep it upright
  • clean the tank with a non-detergent antibacterial cleaning agent
  • rinse the tank thoroughly
  • dry the tank with a cloth or paper towel
  • let the tank air-dry for a few minutes
  • put desert hamsters back in tank
    • place the shopping bag back inside the tank and turn it sideways until the desert hamster(s) run back out of it
    • lift the shopping bag out of the tank
  • watch the desert hamster(s) run around in their nice clean home


After the tank is clean and dry ...
  • dump fresh aspen shavings into the tank in a mound in the middle of the tank
  • as the desert hamster(s) run around, first chase him (them) with your hand, then let him (them) chase your hand all around the tank until the mound of shavings is spread evenly on the tank floor
  • wash and dry all food and water dishes and all wheels and plastic or glass toys
  • fill food and water dishes and put them back in the tank



Puffball and Dustball try to spread shavings by themselves


Bright Spot helps spread the shavings


And that's all there is to it!


Bright Spot's clean house

Buffball, Fluffball, and Puffball's clean house


Desert Hamster Feeding

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Text, photos, and source code © Merry L. Morris