Hampster sickness

Question
I have two dwarf hampsters, one of which I believe is pregnant.  They are about 2 1/2 months old.  Last night I noticed that one of them was losing hair on one side of her mouth.  Latter on that evening, the other side had lost it's hair also, and the second hampster looked like he was starting to lose his hair.  These two hampster never fight.  I was wondering what could be causing this and what could be done about it.  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Dianne!Two things come to mind:
Mites...which are quite common with hamsters, and allergies.
Mites cause hair loss and yours seem to be displaying this symptom. At your local pet store, they will usually carry a spray to rid mites. How are they acting otherwise? Are they playful, eating, drinkng ect? If so, mites would definately be the #1 possibility. If they are not eating/drinking and are behaving very lethargically, I would definately be thinking this could be some sort of infection. Unfortunately, they would then need veterinary care to obtain the needed antibiotics.
As for an allergy. Pine and cedar bedding are very fragrant and have strong oils in them that can not only cause respiratory problems, but can also cause allergies. I would definately suggest, if you are using a pne or cedar bedding to change it to Care Fresh, or Yesterday's News. These are very absorbant beddings that do not contain anything harmful as they are made of recycled newspaper. Alot of the time, within a week of changing the bedding, major improvement is seen.
If you have any other symptoms or information on their condition, please feel free to contact me and maybe that will give us another idea of what may be going on.
Give them some kisses for me!
Please let me know how they are doing!
Nicole.D.