The colour of your hamster’s pee can be a good indicator of your hamster’s health. Hamster urine, just like human urine, has a certain color which it is meant to be. If your hamster’s pee is a certain color then this could mean that they have certain health problems. So, what color is hamster pee?
Hamster pee is supposed to be white. If your hamster’s urine is any other colour then your hamster may have problems with their diet or their overall health. This article will take you through the different colors that your hamster’s urine can be and what this could mean for your hamster
Table of Contents
Why is hamster pee white?
If you were wondering what color hamster pee is, then you are probably wondering why exactly a hamster’s urine is white? The primary reason is the amount of calcium that your hamster has in their body. This interacts in the hamster’s body which results in your hamster pee being white. This is also why hamster pee often stains plastic as calcium can harden extremely quickly!
Different colors of hamster pee
So, we have established that the correct color for your hamster’s urine is white. However, many people have problems with their hamster as their urine can sometimes become a different colour. We will now look at the different colors that your hamster’s urine can become and if this poses a health risk for your hamster.
Hamster has red pee
So we know the answer to the question “what color is hamster pee”. However, what if your hamster’s pee is colored red? If your hamster’s pee is red then you should seek medical attention for your hamster immediately. Your hamster having red pee can mean that they are having a serious health problem as the red color comes from your hamster’s blood. Your hamster could have a urinary tract infection which can be very dangerous for their health, they will need antibiotics in order to fight off the infection
The best way to check if your hamster is peeing blood is to see how it dries. If your hamster’s pee is dark brown when it dries then this is blood and you need to take your hamster to the vets ASAP. However, if you have been feeding your hamster beetroot then it is possible that the red color is just from the beetroot. Remove the beetroot from your hamster’s diet and see if the red urine issue continues.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be an extremely painful experience for your hamster and this is why we recommend treating them ASAP. Other symptoms of a hamster UTI can be:
- Bleeding around the genitals
- Discharge from your hamster
- Lethargy
- Unwillingness to eat food
- Poorly groomed coat
If your hamster has these symptoms and is peeing red then you need to see a vet about your hamster. Their life could be in serious danger.
Wondering if you should give your hamster a hamster ball? Check out our latest article!
Hamster has brown pee
So we know the answer to the question “What color is hamster pee”, however, what if your hamster’s pee color is brown? If your hamster’s pee color is brown then you should be careful. Brown hamster pee could indicate the presence of blood in your hamster’s urine, in which case you would need to follow the steps above. Make sure that the pee isn’t actually diarrhoea though! Diarrhoea is a killer for hamsters as it can dehydrate them and kill them, if your hamster does have diarrhoea then take them to the vets.
Brown urine could also indicate problems with your hamster’s liver. This is because liver problems could mean that your hamster is not able to remove some of the waste products that cause the pee to turn brown. If your hamster has brown pee, we recommend checking for other symptoms. If other symptoms are present then you may want to take them to a vet.
Hamster has yellow pee
Yellow pee isn’t a sign of any negative health effects in your hamster. Sometimes hamster pee can change due to the diet that you feed them. As far as we know, your hamster’s pee being yellow isn’t the sign of any obvious health problems that you need to treat.
How to clean hamster pee?
You may find, often, that hamster pee can stain your cage and be extremely hard to remove. We recommend using a cage cleaner over water, as this will completely remove any bacteria from the cage. It will also remove any smells from it, which is useful if you are buying a pre-owned cage for your new hamster! We recommend the Kaytee cage cleaner, as I use it whenever I clean my hamster’s cage!
Conclusion
So, what color is hamster pee? The answer is that hamster pee is usually milky white but this can change based on a variety of conditions. If your hamster’s pee is red then you should seek immediate medical attention as your hamster could be in pain. Brown hamster pee means that you should observe your hamster to see if they show additional symptoms. If your hamster has yellow pee, it might be strange but it is not evidence of any medical condition!
Has your hamster’s pee ever been a strange color? What did you do about it? Let us know in the comments!
My daughter has a winter white dwarf hamster. She is about 5 months old. For the past 4 days, her pee is an orange/pink color. She has licked a plum recently and got some juice. She eats a blueberry 2-3 times a week. Otherwise she eats the dry food from the pet store. She is eating, drinking and playing normally. Do we need to worry about the orange-pink pee?
Hi Farah! Did the pee start changing colour when you gave them the treats? It might be that, just like with human pee, food with strong colourings can affect the color of hamster pee. Blackberries are known to turn pee pink (https://health.ucsd.edu/news/features/Pages/2014-04-21-colors-that-suggest-urine-trouble.aspx)
I would suggest removing the plums and blueberries from their diet for a little while, around 4-5 days, and seeing if the pee is still orange/pink. If it is, it could potentially be a sign of blood in the urine. Are they showing any other symptoms or unusual behaviour?
hello my name is ayu i am from Indonesia. I have a hamster that is almost 2 years old and he is sick. My hamster pees brown is there any medicine that can make my hamster recover because there is no veterinary clinic for hamsters here
Hi Ayu.
Does your hamster have any other symptoms? This is key to figuring out the problem. Make sure that he has lots of water, as he could be dehydrated.
HI! I got my Syrian hamster about two weeks ago and she was acting completely normal until two nights ago. I noticed she started acting a little more jumpy. Then last night she was still jumpy so I put her in her hamster ball for a little and she was acting normal. Then today I saw in one of the tubes attached to the cage that there was a brown substance. I thought it was diarrhea but when I wiped it with a paper towel to clean it, it was yellow. So I assumed it was her urine. She is still acting jumpy today but she seems to be eating normally and drinking water. I have not given her any treats like fruit or anything, just her dry food from the pet store. Should I take her to the vet as soon as I can? Thank you!
Hi there!
Observe his behaviour for a few days more and see if there are any medical symptoms. I’d monitor his water, as yellow pee is normally a sign of dehydration. If your hamster is drinking from a bottle, considering drawing a fine line where the water level is and then checking where it is 24 hours later! It will let you know if they are drinking enough water.
If your hamster has any other side effects, especially lethargy, then I would take them to the vet.
I hope your furry friend stays safe!
Hi, I’ve had my hamster for about 6 months she’s still not comfortable being held and very jumpy. Is that normal? I also notice little amount of my Russian dwarf hamster bedding is a brownish red color and it smells really like strong pee. I’m assuming that she is not drinking enough water because I barely see her water amount go down. Her diet is consist of seed mix and little amount of lettuce everyday. I don’t know if she’s not drinking water due to the lettuce that she consumes. I’m really worried and don’t know what to do. Do you have any advice for me?
Hi,
Dwarf hamsters are often quite jumpy, it can take a while to handle them and they might never be fully comfortable with being held.
I would take them to the vet, to be honest. Specific health concerns like this generally need a consultation. I would remove the lettuce from their diet for a while, and see if that changes the amount of water that they drink. Brown pee can be a sign of an infection, which would reduce the amount of water that they drink.
Hi,
My hamster is a Syrian, she’s almost two and sick. We are giving her antibiotics as the vet thought she might have an ear infection or a brain tumor. She has been in antibiotics for four days but she doesn’t seem to be getting much better. I am worried she is dehydrated, her pee is yellow. Is there anyway to tell if she is dehydrated from that. Thankyou
Hi There,
A great way of telling if your hamster is dehydrated is checking how much water they are drinking. When you fill up the water bottle, draw a tiny line with marker that shows the water level at the time. If it doesn’t decrease, you can assume that your hamster isn’t drinking and your vet could advice you on that.
Antibiotics do take a while to work. Yellow pee isn’t necessarily a health concern, but I would monitor their water usage.
Hi!! I have a European hamster I think I’m not quite sure, anyways, I saw some brown pee today and when I wiped it it was yellow, she drinks lots and hasn’t been eating ask much food, but still eats a healthy amount I think, no other symptoms, I was wondering if you would know what’s wrong?
Hi. You probably have a Syrian hamster, if they are quite big. European hamsters are wild and you can’t get them as pets! If there are no other symptoms I would let her be. The main danger sign is red pee, if its any other colour then you should examine for other symptoms and then potentially take action if you see them. Good luck and always make sure to see your vet if you have any serious concerns.
Can hamster poop get soft from eating blueberries?
Hi Kemi. It depends on how many blueberries you feed them. Too many can lead to them having too much water in their system, which can lead to soft poo! We have an article on that here: https://justhamsters.net/can-hamsters-eat-blueberries/