mites and loss of fur

Question
my hamster has been acting strange, it has been scratching alot and has lost some fur, my friends suggested that i bring it to a vet. but before that, i want to make sure that my hamster's problem is not very big. i read the reply that you have made and i suspect that my hamster has mites on it's fur. i saw some white tiny spots on the part where it has lost some fur and those spots look like dandruff.could you give me some tips about taking care of my hamster?

Answer
Hi JiaWei

What type of hamster is this?

If this is a Syrian hamster then it is easy to treat for mites.  There is a drug call Ivermectin which kills mites.  You can buy this in the form of a small animal anti parasite medication made by Beaphar.  Make sure it is the one that is specially designed for hamsters.  It is applied externally to the back of the neck and repeated a few weeks later - check the instructions for full details.

If this is a dwarf hamster, then it is much harder to treat because of the tiny amount of medication needed.  With the anti parasite medication you only need a drop for a Syrian who is a lot bigger than a dwarf hamster, and therefore it is impossible to measure out a safe amount for a dwarf.  It would be an idea to locate any anti parasite medication that contains Ivermectin and check with the manufacturer if you can use it on a dwarf hamster.  Alternatively it would be worth consulting a vet if they specialise in small animals.

All hamsters have mites to a certain extent, but often it becomes a problem when the hamster is elderly or isn't well and their immune system is under pressure.  Hamsters can get other skin conditions too - what type of bedding are you using?  Are you using a woodchip?  If so, it is important it isn't pine, cypress or cedar as these contain a volatile oil called thujone and this can cause skin irritation.  Any woodchip must be sold as safe for small animals. If you can't get any, then it is better to try a different type of bedding - there are several that are sold on-line, or you could just use paper bedding, but you would need to clean the  hamster out daily as it will soil easily.  If this skin problem is more an allergic reaction to something then this might help.

If you have a local vet who you know or who specialises in small animals then it would be a good idea to get your hamster checked out.

I hope this helps you.

Regards
Sheila