Hamster Health - Sick Hamster
85Hamsters
Although hamsters are pretty hardy pets, they are very small which means that injuries and illness can quickly become a serious matter. Hamsters are actually pretty good at hiding their illnesses until it's nearly too late, which is why it is important to keep a close eye on any changes in your hamster's regular diet or routine.
If you notice any signs of illness in your hamster, you need to see a veterinarian as quickly as you can.
If you think that your hamster is sick or injured, try to keep it warm. If you notice that it is not eating on its own, encourage it to take food or water by a dropper, until you can see a veterinarian.
Hamster Signs of Illness
- Loss of appetite
- Inactivity
- Huddling in a corner
- Ruffled or unkempt coat
- Sneezing
- Discharge from the nose or eyes
- Wheezing
- Wetness around the tail
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss
- Humped Back
Hamster Health Concerns
- Hamster Illnesses
Find an extensive list of common hamster illnesses and the signs and symptoms that you should watch for. - Hamster Illness Guide
Find an extensive list of hamster illnesses which have been reviewed by a veterinarian. - Medical Concerns
Listing of a few less common hamster illnesses. - Hamster Health
General hamster health information. Continue with the links at the bottom of hte page for general hamster diseases, parasitic hamster diseases, and other hamster information. - Hamster Emergencies
Hamster 991 tips and info that you and your hamster may benefit from until you can make it to the vet.
Common Hamster Illnesses
- Abscesses: Pockets of infection that can form from minor breaks in the skin. In many cases abscesses occur in the hamster's cheeks from cuts causes by food. If the hamster looks like it constantly has food in its cheek pouches, it may have an abscess, to which a vet will need to drain.
- Respiratory Infection: Respiratory infections can lead to pneumonia. You should watch for sneezing, discharge from eyes or nose, wheezing and labored breathing. Don't worry about occasional sneezing unless there is loss of appetite, decreased activity, wheezing or difficulties breathing.
- Wet Tail: One of the more common hamster illnesses. It is most commonly caused by stress, crowding, and diet changes. Although, it can be fatal if not noticed soon enough, it is curable. Watch for signs of diarrhea (causing wetness around the tail), lethargy, loss of appetite, humped back, and ruffled coat.
- Diarrhea: Not all hamsters who suffer diarrhea, will have wet tail. The most common cause of diarrhea in hamsters is the overfeeding of fresh vegetables. Unlike Wet Tail, there is not loss of appetite or decreased activity; for the most part the hamster will appear as normal. Do not let diarrhea stay for prolonged periods of time, as dehydration becomes a big concern. You will want to withhold fresh foods for a few days and resume only if the diarrhea is completely resolved; you can start giving fresh produce again but slowly.
- Skin Diseases: Mites, ringworm, allergies, and skin infections, are the most common skin illnesses associated with hamsters. Watch for flakiness or redness of the skin, hair loss, lesions on the skin, or if the hamster appears to be scratching more. In these cases you will want to see a vet to determine the exact cause of the skin concern. Pine and cedar bedding can cause skin irritation, as well as, lung problems, so avoid these beddings.
- Hibernation: Watch the room temperature where the hamster's cage is. If the temperatures fall below normal, the hamster may go into a hibernating state, where they can appear very still and breath slowly. Your hamster is not dead or dying, in this case, but you will want to rewarm the hamster.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the advice in this article should in no way replace that of a licensed veterinarian. The methods outlined above may or may not work for your pet. If you have any concerns, you should consult a specialized reptile veterinarian.
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Comments
my chinese male dwarf just pulled out what looks like a white worm about 0.5mm long (like something you would get from an ear piercing if it hasnt been pierced in a while) from his genital area (not the anus) what could this be? thanks
I answered your question on the other page. It's a good idea to find a sitter as the hamster shouldn't be left alone for 2 weeks. just make sure to do what you need to in order to reduce stress. There shouldn't be a problem if the hamster isn't sick to begin with and the sitter knows how to properly care for the hamster.
heloo i've wrote to you before but i didnt get an answer so im going to try again im going away on holiday with my family for 2 weeks and i have someone to look after my hamster but in a different house how would my hamster react to that , would she by any chance die and how long would it take for her to come and play with me again am i supose to leave her for 2-3dayss so she can adjust to the house again ? please write back on here quickly this is really important :)
Okay.
Yes, I would suggest a vet.
oh, yeah. i forgot to tell you, she's not breathing like, really slowly. she's breathing just fine
hey, whitney! my hamster's body is cold, and whenever she wakes up, she's shaking. i don't know if she's in a hibernation or not. do you think that i should take her to the vet?
Again bc you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Dwarfs are better in pairs, but I've seen and heard of a number of them turning territorial. I'm not sure what to tell you other than separate them and seek assistance of a vet. Continue and antiseptic if you can.
You want ot keep the area clean as possible.
Hey
No, she is not a syrian. Both of them are dwarf hamsters and they've lived together since they were babies. I try to use antiseptic to help with the wounds, but she squeals and struggles and I am afraid it will hurt her and traumatize her. I don't think they its bullying either... I see them cuddling togather when they sleep everyday. My maid observes them as well and she says they don't fight. ): Is it likely to be just an external problem? or could it be the symptom of an underlying internal sickness? ):
Separate them. You should not house syrian hamsters together. Even if you don't seem them fighting, that doesn't mean that they don't fight when you're not around. Could be a case of bullying. Separate the two hamsters, disinfect the current cage and accessories, and change the bedding. Have you changed anything recently- food, treats, bedding? If not, then it's probably not an allergy. Try to use a dab of antiseptic or antibiotic ointment to heal up the wounds.
HeyMy hamster is currently 1 year old, and she has some kind of skin problem. She has lost the fur on her belly and part of her face. the parts where her fur is gone is red and inflamed... I dont know what is wrong with her! She lives with another hamster, but they do not fight. The other girl is completely fine, so I dont think it could be mites/parasites/anyth contagious. I've no idea what else it could be! Its quite bad, she is scratching obsessively, it bleeds sometimes. I am hazarding a guess at an allergy? How do I treat her? Do I separate them? Should I disinfect her and change her bedding? Please help!!
If the hamster is housed individually, it's probably just scraching and causing the wound. Keep the area clean. Make sure that the hamster doesn't have mites, as that could be the cuase of the itching.
My hamster is only a few months old but he has a bald patch between his ears and it appears to have a scab on it, im not sure how it happened. The vets are closed just now as its a bank holiday and im not quite sure what to do.
Is it coming from the butt? It could be a prolapse.
ok my hamster is a teddy bear and he like has a lump by the tail area and he is a male do u know what it is???
There's a big difference between a hamseter and a dog.
my hamster might die so i will get a puppy mabe
That's good to hear the one is doing better. Just remember that 2 years old is really old for a hamster. Don't expect a miracle.
Both of my hamsters are two years old, I got them when they were babies!
And just to update, I've been giving the hamster that was losing his hair some vitamins for small pets and he's looking much better. The hair's almost completely regrown!
Betty, it sounds like potentially a sign of old age then, but in any sense, it's not a god sign. A vet would be able to best diagnose the hamster.
The hamster is about a year and a half old.
I'm sorry to hear that. I don't think it would have been a stroke, but it could have been something underlying. Typically, hamsters don't show signs of illness till the end.
Must have been something else - she died about 2 hrs. after I sent the email to you. The symptoms she had didn't match up with anything I read anywhere on the internet. Not sure what happened. Came on so suddenly and within 12 hours she was gone. Definitely not wet tail. The only thing that was at all similar was a stroke, but she was only 6 months old. Who knows. Guess we never will.
Marg, I would consider a vet. It may be an inner ear concern. I'm not sure though since it's also lethargic.
Danielle, It could be a prolapse if it is coming directly from the hamster's bum. Otherwise, possibly a tumor or infection under the skin.
Amanda, it is good to keep them separate. I thought that you said the hamster was 2 years?
Betty, it could be an infection or potentially something else. I'm really not sure. Is the hamster still eating and drinking fine? Could it be wettail instead of blood? It could be a parasite or fungus. How old is the hamster? How long have you had it?
My daughter's hamster has lost some fur around it's tail and the tail has been bleeding. Is it a skin infection?
My hamster has been forming a pink lump underneath it's tail and has been losing some hair around his ears. What's wrong with him?
I figured it was old age. I have two syrian hamsters in seperate cages and the other one is just fine. I haven't been around any new animals either, so I don't think it's mites. Thank you for your advice!
Our 6 mo. olf hamster has been very lethargic and today started just wandering around the aquarium and stumbling/falling down. She keeps climbing into her food dish, but doesn't eat much or at all, also doing the same with water. She is very wobbly today.
It could be a tumor, as hamsters are prone to developing tumors. It could also be the hamster's age. I would suggest letting a veterinarian check her out just to make sure.
i have a teddy bear hamster aproximately 1 - 1 1/2 y/o. In the past week she quit using her wheel. I have been leaving a piece of bedding on it in certain spot and the wheel hasnt moved over night at all in the past week. All she does is sleep both day and night. She will get up to get food or water but then goes back in her house. She does seem to be eating and drinking and going to the bathroom regularly. But heres the main problem. I swear her back and back end are twice the size they were. She seems to have gotten huge and fat. I dont feel any lumps its just like she got really huge. So she got huge and is not exercising or using the ball and she sleeping all the time but she is eating and drinking. Any ideas? Tumor?
Amanda, I'd say that it could be a sign of old age, as 2 years old is old for a hamster. Otherwise, consider mites as a possibility if he's come in contact with other new hamsters (or animals) or if you have.
Janette, it's possible as long as there is no infection and the hamster doesn't get an infection. You just want to make sure that you heal up the wound. Try to figure out what caused it, so that you can prevent it from happening again.
sorry but will my hamster be able to use that foot again and walk normally??
I have a syrian hamster and he's almost 2 years old. He's been losing fur in some spots, particularly on his back and on his back legs. His legs look a little wrinkly, but hairless animals often look wrinkly themselves, so I haven't been too concerned. He eats and acts just fine. There are no bumps or scabs where there is hair loss. I'm thinking that it might just be from old age, but I'm also concerned that there might be something else.
I would first try to just keep it clean, using saline or something like that. You can use an antibiotic cream like the cream neosporin that rubs in. The actual ointments will typically be oily and he can lick that off. You just don't want it to get infected.
No there is not another hamster but what kind of ointment should I put on him?? Would he lick it off? thank you.
Is there another hamster livig with him? Is there anything sharp in the cage? Could he have gotten it stuck in the bars?
Try cleaning it off and applying an antibiotic ointment or cream.
I dont know wat happened but my hamster is bleeding on his back legs and he is limping and cant put the foot down. Now it cant go on the wheel or run around like usual. Its bleeding alot and i am very scared. HELP ME> *He is a short haired hamster about 6 monthes old*
Sounds like a severe prolapse that a vet needs to look at ASAP. Soak in lukewarm sugar water about 2-3 times a day until you can get in to a vet, but you need a vet.
Hi Whitney.
my hamster is bleeding quite alot from this big red bump in between her hind legs. she doesnt walk regular either. she just drags her self with her front legs. she's only ten months old. i wondered if you could help with some advice?
jordan, you can use an antibiotic cream or ointment.
Rachelle, it could be a respiratory condition. Typically, from what I remember hamsters breath pretty fast. It has been about a year since I've had a hamster though. If I had the time, I would definitely love to have another. But, anyway I would keep a CLOSE eye on it. Consider looking for a vet for antibiotics though.
Hey Whitney!
I've had my syrian hamster for about 2 months. He's been completely normal but I noticed today he was breathing quite heavily. I woke him up and he just sat in my hands instead of trying to run away but then just sat in his cage and just breathed. I gave him a carrot, he ate it then went back in his house and is now in a ball in there still breathing heavily, and sleeping. I think I've seen him breathe like that before, I don't know how fast hamsters breathe on the norm and if its faster when they sleep. He may have been lethargic because i woke him up but I'm just worried. I lost my last hamster to wet tail but i dont think he has that because he doesnt have diarrhea. What could it be?
She's just a little over a year old. What kind of ointment could i put on it?
I'm not sure what you could do. Since hamsters are caged-kept animals it's harder to keep a close eye on them, versus if it were a dog. Just try to keep an ointment on the wound. How old is the hamster?
It will heal and scab and then she'll break it open making it bleed again. The vet was not able to diagnose it at the time. They said that it could have either been an infection or a tumor. They said that if it was an infection it would go away with the medicine, so it's probably not that. But they also said that if it was a tumor it would probably get larger, which it hasn't. I'm must concerned with how much she bothers it.
jordan, is the wound healed other than the growth still being there? Did you vet diagnose the growth?
abcsweet, I'm sorry about your loss. You should thoroughly disenfect the cage with a diluted bleach mix. Throw out any porous chew sticks, hides, etc. And anything after that is your decision, especially in terms of whether or not you will get another hamster.
My hamster died...
What should I do next?
My hamster kind of has the same problem. I noticed this bump on its lower stomach about a month ago and took it to the vet when she started scratching and biting it, making it bleed. The vet gave me medicine so that it wouldn't get infected and she took it until it was gone. The bump hasn't gotten an smaller or larger since then but she still makes it bleed a little. She acts normally and is eating and drinking. i'm not sure what to do
It sounds like you should really take the hamster to the vet. The more he scratches and irritates the growth, the odds are higher for a secondary infection.
My hamster keeps on scratching this rotten, smelly tumor until it bleeds and he also scratches the skin around it so you can see his flesh inside and he can barely walk.
What do I do?
Whitney05 says:
3 days ago
It could be something from the bedding. Do you use a wood shaving bedding?