russian dwarf hamster keeps scratching, dry spot behind ears

Question
QUESTION: I have had my dwarf hamster for about 3 1/2 months. Earlier today i was changing her food and water and noticed a hairless spot behind her left ear. she is eating and acting as she usually does. i was told since she is a dwarf  hamster that too much corn and sunflower seeds can cause diabetes in the species so I remove them from her diet. She have a chew stick that is mostly peanuts and other nuts on it. I use Kaytee granule bedding along with Carefresh confetti bedding.  I have a bag called Extreme trail mix that has bananas, strawberries, apples, coconut, papayas,carrots and peanuts in it. I had also cleaned the entire the cage 5/10/11 with fresh bedding. I did not see anything crawling on her. what can I do for this?

ANSWER: Hello Perri,
Thank you for this interesting question. Since hamsters constantly groom and scratch themselves, I normally wouldn't suspect anything, but since she's missing fur, there is probably something wrong. I would rule out disease or illness since her other behavior is normal. It's still good to inspect her fur on a daily basis just in case and clean her entire cage on a weekly basis. It could be just a minor rash which will clean up on it's own. Also, check to see if her water bottle is leaking, as this can cause hair loss. If you find that it is leaking, you should get a bottle that has a tight seal where the spout screws onto the bottle, and the ball in the spout should not be loose. You made the right choice in removing corn and sunflower seeds, since too many of these can also cause hair loss. Hair loss can also be caused by rough bedding. I always like to use pine/aspen litter (as dust-free as possible) with fluff bedding (looks like colored cotton). As for diet, she is certainly getting enough protein with all those nuts (although I would consider changing the chew stick to wood for her teeth); I would suggest changing her food to something with pellets, seeds, and nuts. Kaytee sells a good mix; it does have some sunflower seeds, but not nearly enough to cause illness or fur loss. Finally, some fresh vegetables (carrots and broccoli are a favorite with hamsters) about three to five days a week can help prevent hair loss. Just put the veggies in with her food and remove anything she didn't eat by the end of the day. Peanut butter is another favorite treat of dwarfs; just put a little on your finger and let her lick it off (but remember to wash your hands first). This is a good trick to help a new hamster get to know you and recognize your scent.

Good luck with your hamster! Hope she feels better!
-Devin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: for the bedding i use kaytee granule non-scented and carefresh confetti. i also have grassy goodnight by supper pet. would i need to change any of these things?

Answer
Hello again,
I find the best bedding is not the confetti kind, but the Kaytee Soft Granule Blend. They come in several different scents including lavender and orange, but (personally) I like the regular, unscented kind (it really doesn't matter whether it's scented or unscented). This is great litter; it's earth-friendly and made from wood fibers that are not suitable for paper production; it has very little dust, is sanitized to help control bacteria, it's safe to flush, also helps for nesting, and yet it is still very absorbent. Just fill the bottom of the cage with 1-2 inches of the litter after cleaning the cage. Grassy Goodnight is perfect bedding for a nest. The Carefresh bedding isn't necessarily bad for hamsters; it's just not the best, especially for sensitive hamsters. It's like using 100 thread-count sheets instead of 600 thread-count.

Hope that helps!
-Devin