The Unsafe List for hamsters

A lot of times, pet shop assistant will recommend a lot of unnecessarily items for hamster owner to buy in order to earn more profit. It is also not surprise that a lot of them do not have basic knowledge about hamsters. Not everything selling in the pet shop are safe to use on hamsters, and all these "unsafe" items are actually feedback from hamsters owner who share their experiences in the forums.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure. Do not risk the life of your hamsters.

Some common list of Unsafe Items sold in pet shop are:



Shampoo for small animals

• Hamsters are very susceptible to chills, not recommended to bath them with water.

Wood Shavings

• Can cause allergy to hamsters, fur loss as well as respiratory problems.

Scented Sand

• Can cause allergy to hamsters, fungi infection, that might result in fur loss. Can cause respiratory problems too.

Cotton Wool

• This can cause impaction in the hamster's cheek pouches, and, if it is swallowed, can cause blockages in the hamster's intestines.
  
• It is soft and looks very comfy, but it can cause respiratory problems, and can get stuck inside hamsters' cheek pouch. Try to put tissue paper into your mouth and spit it out, you can spit out everything easily. Then try to put a cotton wool ball into your mouth and spit it out, you will realise some will still get "stuck" inside your mouth. Same thing apply to your hamsters.

Reference Link - Nesting Material: Dangerous Bedding

Metal Bar Wheel

• Legs can get caught in between bars when they run and result in injury or broken legs.