hamster colds

Question
Hi Miss Sheila! I was just going to ask if my hamsters, which are 11 months old, can catch my cold. I have been looking on Yahoo answers and they go back and forth. Besides I love to hold my baby hamsters!!! Also if they can catch one can you tell me how to prevent it. If they have it already how can I take care of it.  Thanks alot! -AlyssaS.

Answer
Hi Alyssa

Hamsters can get colds and their symptoms are quite similar to humans.  It can be very serious if a hamster gets a cold.  If they get a cold they shiver and can be very snuffly.  I always avoid getting too close to my hamsters if I have a cold or 'flu as it is possible to pass this onto them. Whilst you have your cold, it is OK to handle them, but try not to sneeze/cough over them.

Hamsters can contract various cold viruses due to extremes or temperature, poor quality bedding or nutrition which lower their immune systems and can make them more susceptible.  Therefore it is important whereabouts you locate their cage and the type of food you feed them.  It is possible to add special 'hamster vitamins' to their water to make sure they have the correct nutrients, but a well balanced diet of dry hamster mix and fresh vegetables daily should provide this.

Sick hamsters must be kept in a quiet room and kept warm.  They need quite intensive nursing.  It is important for them to continue eating and drinking and therefore this needs to be monitored, and they should be offered foods that they like.  Because of the large number of hamsters I have at any one time I always keep a packet of human powdered baby food in case of emergency.  This can be mixed with water and given in times of illness, such as a cold - but it shouldn't be given long term as the hamster can get lazy with their eating and their teeth can overgrow.  To get them to drink you can give them lukewarm water with a little honey added or I have found that they like blackcurrant juice as it is sweet.  If they develop a secondary infection then they would need antibiotics.  

Hamsters can get sneeze or get a bit snuffly and this can sometimes be caused by a change in their bedding or something near the cage that they are allergic to.  Therefore it is important to determine whether their condition is due to an allergy or a virus.  

Due to the small size of these creatures and how quickly they can deteriorate when they are ill, if at any time you think your hamsters are ill, then I strongly advise that you get a vet to have a look at them so that they can give a quick diagnosis and administer the correct treatment.  If you have more than one hamster, it is important that one illness doesn't spread to the other, therefore you often find you have to treat them all.

Hopefully your hamsters will remain healthy.

Hope this helps you.
Regards