Hamster stink is making me vom

[Janel85]

I clean the hamster out once a week as recommended but it smells absolutely terrible even by the next day. It’s not just me either, my dh will heave when he walks past it. I don’t have time to clean it out more than once a week. Lavender scented bedding was recommended to me but someone else said this is cruel to the hamsters as they have such sensitive noses. I’ve tried a hamster loo in there but the hamster just ignores it and continues to pop and wee everywhere else. The worst thing is the hamster is in the hallway so she’s the first thing you smell when you walk in really driving me mad, what can I do?

Clean out her wee corner every day. Once a week isn't enough. We use a mix of sawdust and plain carefresh.

When you say a hamster loo do you mean a jar on its side?

It’s called a hamster potty, they do them on amazon and they have litter in them. I thought sawdust was bad for their respiratory system?

Sorry - Wood shavings rather than sawdust

Does she wee and poo all over the place, or does she do it in one corner? Mine just uses one particular corner or her little house where she sleeps, so I just spot clean that area and remove and replace the soiled bedding (ripped up kitchen roll and toilet paper) every night when she comes out for cuddles and a run around in her ball. I only do a full cage clean out and change all the substrate(I use Carefresh) every few weeks and it doesn't really seem to smell at all to be honest.

Could the hamster have some sort of an infection that makes it smell
bad do you think? Does she have any wooden toys or bridges that may have got wee on them that are causing the smell perhaps?

Have you tried just putting an empty jar on it’s side in the cage with nothing in it? When I had hamsters that is what they used... it might not work but it’s surely worth a try.

Is the cage big enough?