Urine and Wood Dust

Question
Got two questions!

1. I've noticed that the urine of my hamster changes its color.. sometimes it is a little maroon, others brown, and others.. (this is gonna sound kinda disgusting, but its christmas eve!) like egg nog.

What meaning has the color of the urine concerning to the hamster's health and nutrition?

2. When I finish a bag of wood shavings, all the dust that stores in the bottom of the bag goes along with the wood shaves into my hamster's cage.

Could that wood dust be of any respiratory harm to my hamster?

Answer
Hi Sophie

Hamster urine is very odd - it can vary a lot, as you describe.  Some hamsters do have incredibly concentrated urine that can be anything from dark orange to cloudy yellow.  I've had several hamsters with diabetes and due to the high water intake their urine has been a lot thinner and has a sweet smell.  The main thing to watch for with their urine is if there is blood in it.  In this case it is important to get it checked out.  I honestly don't know what makes their urine change, other than what they have been eating and how much fluid they have taken in.

With regard to the wood shavings - the fine wood shavings at the bottom of a packet shouldn't be a problem.  Does your hamster sneeze at all when you have put this in his cage?  Hamsters can suffer from allergic reactions and respiratory problems and these can be serious if left untreated.  Therefore if you notice him sneezing when you put him back in his cage after you have cleaned it out, then it would be worth avoiding putting in the really fine shavings.  The bigger worry with wood shavings is the scent - some manufacturers put in oils to make the shavings smell nice although some of these can be deadly to a hamster.  Also, avoid using shavings from Cedar, pine and cypress as these contain the volatile oil, thujone, which can cause allergic reactions and respiratory or skin problems in hamsters.  Pinewood has aromatic oils that give it a pleasant smell but this scent can mask any dangerous toxic gases, such as ammonia from urine, that can build up if the cage is not cleaned regularly.  The important thing is to ensure that whatever woodshavings you use, they are safe for small animals.

Hope this helps you.

Regards