Hamster scabs?

Question

My hamster has lots of scabs on his back, there only used to be one or two but now about 1/3 of his back is FILLED with scabs. At the places where he has scabs is totally bald and his pink skin can be seen. He doesnt seem to be in pain or itchy at all, but by looking at the tons of scabs I know that its not natural. This is my 1st hamster so I dont know whats wrong. He is nearing 3 years of age... is he going to die?

He also seems to be sleeping longer and more deeply and he is also weaker than when he was young. He is the only hamster in the cage too

Answer 1

This is a tough one. Scabs are caused when there are breaks in the skin. It is up to you to do a bit more detective work. Sure your hamster is older but you are correct in that the scabs aren't natural. Just because a hamster is older doesn't mean that scabs will just start apppearing.

The first thought is that it may be a parasite though to be honest, all the parasites that I'm aware of that hamsters can be afflicted with wouldn't cause scabs. There are fleas or the Tropical Rat Mite. There are two other kinds of mites that can infest a hamster cause mange. If it is a parasite, you will need to visit a vet to get proper treatment.

It is possible that your hamster has a parasite or an allergy and the itching from that is causing you hamster to scratch and chew itself to this extreme out of frustration. Watch you hamster while he's awake and see if it is aggravating the condition himself. I think that it's pretty safe to say that after an hour of being awake, you don't see him scratching or biting himself, that he's not the cause. If you suspect an allergy, try changing to a different kind of bedding. If you've recently changed the brand of food you usually feed him, then I would change it back to what you fed him before.

The third possibility, though you may think it unlikely, is that he may be having a mouse visitor every night. With it being winter and cold outside, many mice will find their ways into houses. If there's one mouse living in your house, it wouldn't take long to find your hamster's cage. Hamster food and water, a ready made meal for a mouse. The mouse would likely be harming your hamster. Since your hamster is elderly, he wouldn't be able to defend himself and thus is at the mercy of the mouse. To check for a mouse, put a light dusting of flour 12" wide all around your hamsters cage for a day or two and see if any footprints show up.

Are you only finding scabs or have you actually found wounds that are bleeding and not scabbed over yet? I have over 100 hamsters and any one time and over the last few years, that adds up to alot of hamsters. I have never had this happen to a single one of mine. To be honest, I think the mouse may be the most likely option. I also don't know of any disease that has these kind of symptoms.

If you still can't figure out what's causing the scabs, then you will need to take him to a vet. The vet will likely ask you everything that I already have so eliminate these as possible causes first.

-Janice
http://www.holmdenhillhaven.com

Answer 2

Hamster acting strange? Doing anything out of the ordinary? If they are then they could be ill, read on for some common hamster illnesses and symptoms.

Bald Spots/ Losing Fur

If you see bald spots or notice your hamster scratching more often than not, he probably has mites. Take him to the veterinarian for proper treatment.But if the hamster is between the ages of 2-3years old and is old, then this is commom for old hamsters and not to worry.


Impacted Cheek Pouches

The symptom for this would be a swollen cheek pouch. This could be caused by fluffy bedding getting caught in the pouch. If you can, check in the hamsters mouth and pull out anything that looks like it is caught in there. Also you must consult a veterinary surgeon.

Wet Tail

If your hamster has Wet Tail, you would notice wetness around the tail end of the hamster, the hamsters droppings would be soft and wet and your hamster would be lethargic. Wet tail can kill a hamster, so take them to the vets immediately or go to a pet store and buy the special wet tail medicene.

Skin Infection

If your hamster has dry flaky patches on their skin, redness or loss of fur, this could be a skin infection. This could be caused by parasites, an allergy or an improper diet. Contact the veterinarian for medication. If your hamster only has a loss of fur and is not itching or there is no redness or flakiness, this could just be simply from old age. A lot of hamsters just simply start losing fur as they get older.

Dehydration

Your hamster would be very lethargic and if you pulled the skin on the back of their neck it would be slow in returning to position. This could be caused by stress, heat or a faulty water bottle. You will need to try to give your hamster water, remove from the environment if it is hot there and consult a veterinary surgeon.

Bite Wounds

There would be sores which would be draining puss, this is caused by having more than one hamster in a cage that have had a fight. You will need to clean the wound, if you don't know how to, then speak to a vet before trying anything. You should then seperate the hamsters and only have one hamster per cage!

Ear Trouble

If your hamster has an ear problem they would have a loss of balance, scratching aroung the ears and they would be skaking their head. This could be an injury, caused by parasites or an ear infection. You would need to consult a veterinary surgeon.

Eye Trouble

Your hamsters eyes would be running and your hamster would have them closed a lot of the time. The eyes would also look dull and cloudy. This could be from an injury or it could just be an infection. You should really keep the hamster in a dark room and consult a veterinary surgeon.

Lung Infection

Your hamster would be shivering, wheezing, they could be losing weight and being very lethargic. If your hamster has these symptoms then you will need to keep them warm and get them to a vet so that the vet can give your hamster some antibiotics to clear up the infection.

Answer 3

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RE:
Hamster scabs?
My hamster has lots of scabs on his back, there only used to be one or two but now about 1/3 of his back is FILLED with scabs. At the places where he has scabs is totally bald and his pink skin can be seen. He doesnt seem to be in pain or itchy at all, but by looking at the tons of scabs I know...

Answer 4

Well seeing as a hamsters life span is approx. 2-3 years I am guessing that he is nearing death...I am so sorry. Take him to the vet just in case there is hope for the little guy but I really think it is his passing time. Keep him comfortable and show him extra love and care but be prepared...I sincerely hope he is in no pain and his passing is also pain free.

Answer 5

Sorry to tell ya this...but if he is nearing 3 years of age...he's probably dieing, rodents only live about 2 years max. It differs from hamster to hamster, but they usually die with in 2 years. Just take care of him as best as you can, and sorry, but be prepared to find him...umm....in hamster heaven.

Answer 6

You might try using Carefresh bedding in the cage - if he is 3 yrs old it may be his time to pass on but 3 yrs is a very good age for a ham so you must be taking excellent care of him

Answer 7

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Answer 8

take your hamster to the vet.