My hamster keeps washing.

Question
My hamster is a Syrian hamster and is approximately 8 weeks old and is obsessed with washing himself. It is making him very red and sore.We use wooden cat litter could he be allergic to this?

Answer
Hi Katie,

    Hamsters will clean themselves constantly. Him doing this isn't what is making him red and sore, but yes, it is more than likely the wooden cat litter, especially if it has cedar or pine in it, as these types of wood are toxic to hamsters and may cause many different health problems. I would suggest changing this as soon as possible to a bedding like Aspen or Critter Care. You should see a big difference within a few days.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thank you for writing!