Hamsters fur loss

Question
My daughter has a hamster who is nearly 2 years old.  The other day we noticed that he had a lot of fur missing. It is missing in patches all over his body. I don't think it is motes as we have another hamster and use the same shavings in his cage and he is fine.   By the next day, he wasn't moving much at all, and his eyes barely opened. He now (4 days later) seems to be moving better but we were wondering what was wrong.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Kristen

When hamsters get old (around 2) they often lose their fur a bit.  This is often down to mange, which is a typical old age complaint and it can be treated.

I have an old hamster who I thought was getting ready to die weeks ago, but suddenly he had a burst of energy and now looks quite bright.  This is quite normal for hamsters of this age - while some live to be closer to 3, the majority live to around 2 - 21/2.  He could just be feeling his age right now, or there could be something going on inside.  Hamsters of this age are very prone to tumors, and it is possible he has something like this that caused his collapse, or his heart is starting to give up on him.

The main thing is to make sure he has access to food and water without having to climb to get it.  If he is in a cage with tubes etc. these should be removed so that in effect he is living in a single storey cage if possible.  If his skin looks dry, itchy, sore etc. then your vet can treat this as it will be uncomfortable for him. If his skin looks Ok, then his hair loss could just be hormonal.

You can give him human baby food - the powdered variety - mix a little with water (don't use milk as this is indigestible and can cause diarrhea).  Mine all love the creamy porridge oat variety.  This will give him extra nutrients, but keep a close watch on his teeth to make sure they are even and not overgrown in which case they would need trimming.  He should still have his usual hamster mix and fresh vegetables.

Regards