Can hamsters get wet?

[Obie's Mum]

Hi,

Newbie here with my first Roborovski. Obie likes to bathe in sand, but does this mean he can't get wet? Every night, when out in his playpen, he'll at some time fall into his water dish with a little plop, then quickly run out and find somewhere to groom/dry himself. Will this do him any harm? He's 3 months old and I think he's a dish drinker, as he has both a dish and a bottle but we've never seen nor heard him use his bottle. So I don't want to take his water dish away. My chinchilla sand bathed and couldn't get wet, so I was wondering if the same is true for Roborovskis?

 

[Maz]

Hi. Yes hamsters shouldn't get wet. They can catch a chill and die, it's not good for them. It might be better not to have a water dish in his playpen - he only really needs one in his enclosure. It is one reason I always used to use a bottle. I did eventually start using a water bowl but am very careful to have it in a back corner of a platform so it isn't easily fallen in. And also it needs to be small and heavy and not hold too much. The Ikea Glasig tea lights are ideal as a water bowl. So maybe just keep the bowl (and a bottle) in his enclosure, and place it in a back corner of a shelf, somewhere he actually has to go to to get a drink and can't just fall in while running about.

 

[Socks' Mum]

A very quick dunk probably won't harm him, but a soaking wouldn't be good, I would say. Some mammals do have greasy tight woven fur that can handle rain and snow, but burrowing creatures tend to opt for warmth over water proofing ❤

 

[Obie's Mum]

Hi. Yes hamsters shouldn't get wet. They can catch a chill and die, it's not good for them. It might be better not to have a water dish in his playpen - he only really needs one in his enclosure. It is one reason I always used to use a bottle. I did eventually start using a water bowl but am very careful to have it in a back corner of a platform so it isn't easily fallen in. And also it needs to be small and heavy and not hold too much. The Ikea Glasig tea lights are ideal as a water bowl. So maybe just keep the bowl (and a bottle) in his enclosure, and place it in a back corner of a shelf, somewhere he actually has to go to to get a drink and can't just fall in while running about.

I'm so pleased my husband questioned this and prompted me to ask! Thank-you for your reply, Maz. We're going to take the water bowl out of his playpen. I've never seen him fall into the bowl in his cage/tank, but it is alongside the back wall, so maybe that's why. Obie has shallow Mason Cash water and food dishes from Pets at Home.

 

[Obie's Mum]

A very quick dunk probably won't harm him, but a soaking wouldn't be good, I would say. Some mammals do have greasy tight woven fur that can handle rain and snow, but burrowing creatures tend to opt for warmth over water proofing ❤

Thank you, Socks' Mum. He's only ever experienced a quick dunk, so hopefully no damage done. I'm going to follow Maz's advice and take the water bowl out of his playpen though.