Can too much fruit & veggies cause wet tail in hamsters?

Answer 1

Yes. Wet tail is a bacterial infection in the intestines and the most common symptom of it is diarrhea accompanied by an area around the anus (under the tail) being damp and dirty (wet). Fruits and veggies are high in water content, which is not bad for hamsters, but fresh fruits and veg can contribute to wet tail in two ways. First is that fruits and veg can carry bacteria or organisms that may cause or exacerbate wet tail or diarrhea. Second is that by continuing to give your hamster foods with a high water content, it can worsen the diarrhea and actually help progress the infection that causes wet tail.

It is important for hamsters to intake aqdequate water. However, a regular house hamster will get plenty of water from his water bottle. It does not need to be supplemented with watery fruits and veg. Hamsters are desert creatures; they not only get water from ingesting it, but their kidneys are super efficient and suck all usable water out of the urine, which is why their urine is so highly concentrated.

High water content foods that are commonly fed to hamsters that SHOULD NOT be are lettuce and watermelon.

Answer 2

Wet Tail is a stress-related illness and the disease is triggered by stress. Often the cause of stress may not be easily identified, if at all and so an outbreak can often occur for no obvious reason. The most stressful time in any hamster's life is when it first leaves its mother then moves to a pet shop and then moves onto a new home. In the space of 2 or 3 weeks a hamster has been subjected to removal from its mother and change of owner and home twice. The stress that this subjects the hamster to can then produce Wet Tail which is why it occurs commonly in young hamsters. A minor illness can also trigger stress which can then lead to Wet Tail.

Answer 3

You should give your hamster a good, yummy, balanced diet. Many of the pet store foods are high in calories and contain too many fattening things. You'll notice your hamster will pick and choose, going after and hoarding all the things he likes, which may not be the best things for his tiny body. Get a good hamster mix that has pellets (those green tube like things) and not those special "treat" foods which are all sunflower seeds and corn and honey nuggets. Some foods are also vitamin enriched, and that can be very helpful for your hamster.

You should also supplement your hamster's dry food with fresh fruit and vegetables. Do not feed them too much, or they might get an upset stomach or diarrhea. For a detailed list of the types of fresh fruit and veggies your hamster may enjoy, check out some of the other sites on the links page. Just make sure you wash them well, and after a few hours, remove any uneaten fruit or veggies from the cage so it won't get moldy. Dwarf hamsters are tiny creatures, so a little goes a long way.

I've heard that a mineral block can be beneficial for hamsters, as well as vitamin drops, but I've never used those before. I've also heard that you can feed your hammies crickets and mealworms supplied from pet stores. A good source of protein! Avoid using backyard crickets as you can't be certain about exposure to pesticides.

Answer 4

No, wet tail is caused by a bacterial infection.

Answer 5

no but if u think this i would not give ur hamy as many veggies but if u have toooo much corn they will get BAD dihera