hamster skin disorder

Question
We have a male Teddy Bear hamster that is approximately
2 1/2 years old. He started losing his hair probably 6 to 9 months ago. Recently he developed a patch of white scaly skin by one of his ears. It went away and left a smooth red spot. Now he has one on his back. Other than that he seems fine. He has an appetite and still runs on his wheel at night. Could he be sick, have a skin condition, or is he just old?

Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Julie

Answer
Hello Julie, what type of bedding are you using and was it a lot of fur? When hamsters get old they will start losing fur, but bedding like Pine and ceder bedding can cause fur loss as well. I really think you should look around the cage and see if you notice anything that could cause an allergic reaction as well. Perfumes and oils can cause fur loss as well. I hope I have helped you, if you have anymore questions just ask.