Most Common Hamster Illness

Most Common Hamster Illness

Hamsters spend most of the day sleeping. This can make it difficult to tell if your hamster is ill. Knowing what to look for will help you notice any signs of the most common hamster illness.

A hamster illness can range from a multitude of things. To suggest that hamsters are only prone to one specific illness is misleading. However there are a few common illnesses that hamsters are more prone to than others. Look at the two most common illnesses your hamster can be affected by.

Allergies - Hamsters just like many other animals and humans are not immune from allergies. The most common allergy for a hamster is caused from the bedding. In the event your hamster develops signs of an allergy which include; sneezing, runny nose and eyes, itching, white spots around the eyes and ears, wheezing and swollen feet are the most common signs of an allergy. If you have changed your hamsters bedding this is a good indicator that, your hamster is suffering from an allergic reaction. Cedar chips are the worst culprit for allergies in hamsters and they can produce toxic results.

 Hamsters may also develop environmental allergies as well including; perfume, smoke, air freshener and even food allergies. To determine what is causing your hamsters allergies you will need to trace your steps. Did you change the bedding? Even the same type of bedding in a different brand can cause an allergic reaction. Are you feeding your hamster a new brand of food, or a new diet? Did you recently vacuum in the room the hamster is in and use a powdered carpet deodorizer? What about an air freshener spray, slow dispensing type? Did you recently dust and use a scented furniture polish? Did you change the shampoo, soap or perfume? If you pick up your hamster regularly it could be reacting to something you changed for yourself. Don’t rule anything out.

If none of these suggestions apply or you have changed whatever you changed in the first place such as the bedding and your hamster is still suffering from allergies then move the cage to another room and see if there is any improvement in the hamster condition. Often times we overlook the simplest things without realizing it.

Colds and the Flu - Hamsters can easily contract the common cold or flu from a human. It may seem silly to have to take your hamster to the vet for a cold or the flu but… A vet will prescribe antibiotics for the hamster. Even though the cold and flu are viral infections, no bacterial antibiotics will help the hamster in making a complete recovery. The signs of a cold and flu in a hamster are very similar to those humans experience. They will have a runny nose, sneezing, wheezing, a fever and sluggish behavior. If you have more than one hamster in the cage and notice that one is not acting like it feels well then it is advised to remove the healthy hamster from the cage until the ill hamster has recovered completely.

Also if a vet visit is required it is best to inform the vet that you have 2 or 4 hamsters (however many) at home. He/she may prescribe medication for them as well if they start to show signs of the cold or flu.