My hamster has a dirty bum. Is it wet tail? How do I safely clean him?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Small Animal | Hamster | Male | unneutered
My hamster is a little dirty around his bum. He is still eating and drinking but is sleeping right now, whenever he sleeps I get paranoid. Is this wet tail or just bath room residue? Thank you.
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on July 30th, 2019
As long as he is eating and behaving, it is probably not wet tail. Typically, they are lethargic and not eating. You can clean him up gently with a plain, unscented baby wipe or pet wipe. Make sure he is dry, warm and stress free afterwards. Monitor for the above symptoms as wet tail can be serious if not addressed promptly by your veterinarian.
13Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on February 14th, 2020
Thanks for reaching out about Peanut and including photos. You can try wiping with baby wipes to clean but if the stool is soft or watery, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Intestinal infections and parasites are common and are treated differently. Good luck.
8Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on August 26th, 2017
Hello, and thanks for using PetCoach. I'm having a difficult time understanding the second half of your question. Hamsters are physically unable to vomit so that is unlikely to be the issue, although the *can* empty their cheek pouch which can sometimes look like vomiting. If the substance you are seeing could possibly be diarrhea, it is possible your hamster has "wet tail", a bacterial infection of the GI tract that can be very serious and life-threatening. Here's a website with good information on wet tail: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=2282 Please monitor your hamster and make sure she is eating. If she has diarrhea, her appetite is down, or she seems lethargic, I recommend taking her in to the nearest vet who treats "pocket pets." Hope this helps.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on March 3rd, 2020
Thanks for reaching out about Butters and including photos. This appears to be diarrhea and pretty severe. This can be very serious in young animals as can lead to dehydration. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Bacterial and/or parasitic enteritis are very common. Hamsters have very sensitive intestinal tracts so a veterinarian with companion exotic mammal experience is important in order to provide the correct antibiotic. Do not offer any treats and try to offer water via a syringe. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
My pet hamster has a poo around their bottom and tail. I'm worried that this is wet-tail. However, he did have half a slice of cucumber and I may have given him too much as it was quite a thick slice. Is it safe to wipe his bottom and tail with cotto
My hamsters boy pee part looks enflamed and his butt looks clogged up and I am currently treating him for wet tail. I have given him water, wet tail drops, and some cucumber. He seems to be acting normal though because he runs on his wheel and runs a
Her bottom looks wet and dirty along with her tail.
My dwarf Russian hamster has a wet belly. I don’t think it is wet tail because his tail and butt are completely dry. It is just his neck and belly that are wet. He is walking around hunched over and squeaking and fall on his back ever time you touch
I believe my hamster has wet tail disease. She is new to the home, only adopted her about 12 days ago. She was doing good but last night I noticed diarrhea and her bum was wet. She’s now making loud chirps/noises in her cage and it nipping at my hand
Hello, my hamster is 2.5 years old now so he’s getting on a bit. I’ve just gone to check on him and he is really smelly, his bum seems swollen and red, he also had a gunky eye... not sure what to do
My pet hamster has diarrhea. She sleeps and when we check up on her she has poop stuck to her tail area. Does she have wet tail? I'm quite worried. Lately she's been acting lazy and slower than usual.
i think my hamster has wet tail what should i do?
What food should given to wet tail hamster? Please help. My 8 months hamster having wet tail.
I have a 7 month old female Syrian hamster called Nellie. The past three days she has not been coming out at night and instead sleeping 24/7. This morning I saw green wee in her cage, so I googled it and it says it’s diarrhoea. When I looked up why s
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
