How to Get Rid of Those Little Mites in My Hamster's Cage

By Brent Saltzman

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Shoebox
Anti-flea spray
Cedar chips
Pine shavings

Eliminating Mites in a Hamster Cage

Step 1:
Remove your hamster and put him in the shoebox. This will serve as a temporary enclosure while you modify the cage.
Step 2:
Remove all the bedding from the cage. In most cases, it will be pine shavings, aspen shavings or carefresh.
Step 3:
Replace the removed bedding with about a half-inch of cedar chips.
Step 4:
Thoroughly spray the chips with anti-flea spray.
Step 5:
Wait five minutes, then let your hamster back into its cage.
Step 6:
After three days, check for mites. If none or few can be found, repeat steps 1 and 2.
Step 7:
This time, make the bedding about half pine and half cedar and let your hamster back into its cage.
Step 8:
After three more days, your hamster's cage should be free of mites. If not, repeat steps 1-7 until you've achieved the desired results.

Tips & Warnings

Cedar is a natural insect repellant, and is often used in dog beds. However, it can be toxic to your pet if used too prevelantly, so do not consider it as permanent bedding. Ideally, your pet hamster should not be exposed to cedar for any more than two weeks or so. If possible, you may want to consider purchasing a temporary cage while you eliminate the mites in the primary cage.
Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the cage and replacing the cedar, as oils from the cedar chips could possibly be absorbed by your hand and lead to irritation.

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