Itchy Dwarf Hamster! Why??

Question
I just recently adopted an 8-month old dwarf hamster from a boy who never cleaned its cage. Now that I have inspected it closely, I observed that it is constantly itching all over, including its ears! I thought it might be an allergy to this hamster spray I had purchased, however, I have used it before and there was no itching. Taking special precautions, I rinsed the hamster with water in case it was allergic to the solution.

What are all of the possible reasons for the itchiness of my hamster?
Should I leave it alone for a couple of days before taking any kind of action?


Answer
Hi Chino,

There could be a few reasons why your hamster is scratching a lot.  First, he might have a skin allergy or infection.  The most common cause of a skin allergy or infection is the wrong bedding - Pine or Cedar.  Pine and Cedar beddings have strong aromatic oils which can irritate the hamster's skin, and can cause respiratory problems later.  If you use Pine or Cedar, switch to Aspen or Carefresh.

Or, your hamster may have flaky skin, which is often the result of a poor diet or exposure to drafts.  Make sure you're using a good-quality hamster mix.  (Hartz Bonanza is good.)  You may even want to use hamster liquid vitamins, sold at pet stores.  Also, make sure that your hamster's cage isn't in a drafty area, such as beside/underneath a window, or underneath an air conditioning vent.

Finally, your hamster may have mites.  Sometimes, if you look closely at the skin, you can see small black specks running on the skin - these are mites.  Buy anti-mite spray for small animals at the pet store.  Spray your hamster's body, taking care to shield the hamster's head from the spray.  Then, clean the cage and spray it with the anti-mite spray, as well.

Have a great day!

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kelly