I found balding and scabs today on my hamster

[Ava1369]

Today I came home from college like I do every week and I change his bedding… he was balding on his back with scabs, small scabs. They were just red scabs small enough the be like tooth marks( no he was not bitten by anything just a comparison) I am worried abt it him. His owners bought him and don’t take care of him so I took him in and I don’t have money to take him to an exotic vet… what should I do ??

 

[Ava1369]

Today I came home from college like I do every week and I change his bedding… he was balding on his back with scabs, small scabs. They were just red scabs small enough the be like tooth marks( no he was not bitten by anything just a comparison) I am worried abt it him. His owners bought him and don’t take care of him so I took him in and I don’t have money to take him to an exotic vet… what should I do ??

Wow I should’ve proof read that, sorry lol.

 

[Maz]

Hi. Is it your hamster? You mentioned the owners? It will need a vet visit really. They can diagnose whether it's mites or some other skin disease. They can bite and scratch themself if they have mites and there can be other skin conditions. Does he seem healthy otherwise and eating and drinking? Are you in the US or Uk?

 

[Ava1369]

Hi. Is it your hamster? You mentioned the owners? It will need a vet visit really. They can diagnose whether it's mites or some other skin disease. They can bite and scratch themself if they have mites and there can be other skin conditions. Does he seem healthy otherwise and eating and drinking? Are you in the US or Uk?

It is my hamster now, my “future sister in law” got it for her two year old daughter and I immediately said she is too young and will kill it.. of course nobody listened because they don’t care about animals. So I took the hamster and it is mine now. I am in the US… he has been perfectly fine, eats and is very active he even loves it when I clean his cage out because he likes to play in the tub with all of his tubes when I take his cage apart. That’s when I noticed the bumps for the first time. Could the bumps not be from anything other than mites ?

 

[Maz]

I think only a vet could answer that. When you say bumps ......... do you have a photo?

 

[Ava1369]

That’s the best I could get.. he doesn’t like to be held that much and I didn’t want to squeeze him.. in the first one you can see the tiny red scab

 

[Maz]

Hi. Is it just that one location on the back of the head/neck? If so it could be he is rubbing it on something in the cage. They can sometimes get fur rub from trying to squeeze into something. Do you have a photo of his cage set up so we can see if there's anything that could be a cause? Or has that changed since you got him anyway?

 

[Ava1369]

Yes that is the only spot, and I keep him in my room away from any other animals. They had him in this cage, but I ordered him a new more spacious and interactive cage because I believe this one is too small and he is an active hamster. He loves tubes and tunnels, he nest over by his hamster wheel (which doesn’t work very well). His new cage will be here on Monday and all his new toys I ordered him came in today and he loves them all, that’s why it looks full. I also just gave him a sand bath that came in today. I did however buy him new bedding, could it be something wrong w the paper ? It’s called Uber soft paper bedding “pets pick”

 

[Socks Mum]

A regular vet could also treat him as skin complaints are often similar in animals generally. It could be an allergy. Did his previous owners use a cat or dog flea treatment on him at all? Or it could be a parasite. The vet could take a skin sample and test it to see what the problem is. Yes, he will be much better off in his new, bigger cage. It is great that he is outgoing and loves his toys! Paper bedding is usually OK. I'll see if I can find Pet's Pick and what reviewers say, but if sounds like a good bedding.

 

[Maz]

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it's possible he's rubbed it against a tube or other item as he goes in and out. Sometimes they can get patches like that further down the back from "wheel rub" if a wheel is too small and has a spindle.

This is a slightly tricky one. You could get him settled in his new cage and see if it resolves (once he has a suitable environment) in case it's rubbed fur which would re-grow. But then if it didn't and it turned out to be mites and he needed treatment, then the new cage would all need completely cleaning out and disinfecting. Which isn't something you'd want to do once he's just settled in a nice new cage and would mean wasting all the bedding and a lot of cleaning (and stressing him).

I know vets can be expensive in the US and long distances to an exotic vet. But the best thing really would be to take him to a vet for a diagnosis. Then if they think it's mites and give treatment for that, you could wait to move him to the new cage until the treatment is finished.

Which new enclosure have you got him?

Looking at that photo again, the tunnel at the bottom of the cage curves at quite an angle and it's quite possible he is rubbing that part against the joining sections as he tries to turn the corner of the cage. But then if it's only just appeared and he's been in the cage for a long time it's less likely to be that. They can develop mites as a stress reaction. Mites live on a hamster naturally, but only a few. They are not visible to the naked eye as they are so tiny they are microscopically small. When hamsters "get mites" what it means is that their immune system is low which has allowed the mites to proliferate so there are too many and it affects the skin. Stress can cause lowering of the immune system and hamsters are prone to stress, especially if there has been a change of environment recently.

 

[Maz]

But on balance I think I would move him to the new cage with perhaps 6" of bedding to start with as the sooner he is in a bigger cage without those tubes, the better it will be for him generally. Then you can observe him and see if the patch clears up or not. Although he might love using the tubes, they are a bit small for him really, especially the curved ends at the bottom. I did have a hamster get stuck in tubes once! Hamsters can be up to 7cm wide if they have full pouches (and our hamster had grown particularly large). Wouldn't want you to waste money on the new one if it's not quite right either though, hence asking which one it is

If it doesn't clear up after he's been in his new cage for a few weeks, or starts to get worse, then it's probably mites and it would need a vet visit for some medication. And if mites are diagnosed then you would need to clean out the new cage and throw the bedding and replace it all (hence suggesting only 6" at first and waiting a few weeks as he'd be due a bit of a clean by then anyway).

When moving them to a new cage it's best not to clean anything. The opposite of what you'd think really. But it's important to avoid stress for the hamster and the way to do that is keep everything familiar smelling - his current cage contents will have his scent on. So for example you could fill the new cage with new bedding and then keep his old bedding and spread it on top (or at least spread it on top near a house area where he'd sleep). And move across any other items you're going to keep/re-use without cleaning them. Plus adding any new items.

It would be a good idea to have a large house, that's dark inside, in his new enclosure, so he has somewhere he feels secure to make a nesting area as he may be a bit freaked after being in the small cage. That doesn't have to be expensive - a shoebox house is fine (I'll mention that further down this post). It's also a good idea to have a platform in the cage as well - maybe opposite end to the house. So he has plenty of overhead cover and doesn't feel too exposed. They often like to sit under a platform and also to climb on it as somewhere to go. Plus a platform is a good place to put heavier items or ceramic items that might sink in the substrate

Shoebox house: You just cut the base out of a shoebox, keep the lid as a lift-off roof, and cut a hole for a door. The best place for the door is on one of the long sides at one end of it - so the other end is darker inside. If you have a bendy stick bridge, you could put that over the door too - as that makes it even darker inside (light doesn't go round corners) and also provides a ramp onto the roof of the house.

Hamsters like tunnels generally but I wouldn't move the plastic tubes to the new cage as they're a bit small. They do better with larger, rat sized tunnels at floor level really. Pringles tubes make great tunnels to put on the substrate, and if you buy one thing, a large cork log makes a good tunnel and is also something for them to climb over and an interesting texture. He'll also need an 11" or 12" wheel.

My first cage was an awful small thing with tubes leading to different levels. I also thought the hamster loved the tubes at first, but then I realised he had no option but to use them! As it was the only way to reach the levels. There were issues within the first two weeks, which was when I did some research and upgraded him to something suitable.

 

[Ava1369]

A regular vet could also treat him as skin complaints are often similar in animals generally. It could be an allergy. Did his previous owners use a cat or dog flea treatment on him at all? Or it could be a parasite. The vet could take a skin sample and test it to see what the problem is. Yes, he will be much better off in his new, bigger cage. It is great that he is outgoing and loves his toys! Paper bedding is usually OK. I'll see if I can find Pet's Pick and what reviewers say, but if sounds like a good bedding.

Thank you! And yes I actually am in the college for the vet field, and I worked at one for over a year and thought about contacting my old doctor because she helped people with goats and turtles if they ever needed it in an emergency! And no they never treated him with anything thank goodness

 

[Ava1369]

But on balance I think I would move him to the new cage with perhaps 6" of bedding to start with as the sooner he is in a bigger cage without those tubes, the better it will be for him generally. Then you can observe him and see if the patch clears up or not. Although he might love using the tubes, they are a bit small for him really, especially the curved ends at the bottom. I did have a hamster get stuck in tubes once! Hamsters can be up to 7cm wide if they have full pouches (and our hamster had grown particularly large). Wouldn't want you to waste money on the new one if it's not quite right either though, hence asking which one it is

If it doesn't clear up after he's been in his new cage for a few weeks, or starts to get worse, then it's probably mites and it would need a vet visit for some medication. And if mites are diagnosed then you would need to clean out the new cage and throw the bedding and replace it all (hence suggesting only 6" at first and waiting a few weeks as he'd be due a bit of a clean by then anyway).

When moving them to a new cage it's best not to clean anything. The opposite of what you'd think really. But it's important to avoid stress for the hamster and the way to do that is keep everything familiar smelling - his current cage contents will have his scent on. So for example you could fill the new cage with new bedding and then keep his old bedding and spread it on top (or at least spread it on top near a house area where he'd sleep). And move across any other items you're going to keep/re-use without cleaning them. Plus adding any new items.

It would be a good idea to have a large house, that's dark inside, in his new enclosure, so he has somewhere he feels secure to make a nesting area as he may be a bit freaked after being in the small cage. That doesn't have to be expensive - a shoebox house is fine (I'll mention that further down this post). It's also a good idea to have a platform in the cage as well - maybe opposite end to the house. So he has plenty of overhead cover and doesn't feel too exposed. They often like to sit under a platform and also to climb on it as somewhere to go. Plus a platform is a good place to put heavier items or ceramic items that might sink in the substrate

Shoebox house: You just cut the base out of a shoebox, keep the lid as a lift-off roof, and cut a hole for a door. The best place for the door is on one of the long sides at one end of it - so the other end is darker inside. If you have a bendy stick bridge, you could put that over the door too - as that makes it even darker inside (light doesn't go round corners) and also provides a ramp onto the roof of the house.

Hamsters like tunnels generally but I wouldn't move the plastic tubes to the new cage as they're a bit small. They do better with larger, rat sized tunnels at floor level really. Pringles tubes make great tunnels to put on the substrate, and if you buy one thing, a large cork log makes a good tunnel and is also something for them to climb over and an interesting texture. He'll also need an 11" or 12" wheel.

My first cage was an awful small thing with tubes leading to different levels. I also thought the hamster loved the tubes at first, but then I realised he had no option but to use them! As it was the only way to reach the levels. There were issues within the first two weeks, which was when I did some research and upgraded him to something suitable.

This new cage has three stories and it does have tubes, but if he doesn’t want to use them he can use the slants instead that have things in place for easier climb and prevent slipping kinda like a ladder. And under it has a deep bottom so he can burrow and nest. It does include a bigger wheel and a nice sized house at the top. After I finish this semester of college and move to my own place I plan to take him with me and I want to get one of the big dresser sized hamster cages that provide so much space. I will move him to his new cage with his already scented things and see if the patch heals!! And if not I will take him to the office I used to work at because the doctor there is brilliant and very caring of animals so I’m sure she could help, If not I will have to find an exotic vet. I do however have one more question, do hamsters like being in balls they can run around in ? I got him a new one since he doesn’t like the wheel that is in his cage so he could get exercise but I am scared to put him in it if it is going to stress him out. Also originally when they bought him he was in a different cage that had a working wheel and he loved it, ran on it all day long. They just recently got him the princess castle cage so that does lead me to think it is the tubes. And sometimes he crawls up the walls of the cage to go on the top so maybe he doesn’t like the tubes after all!! He does like them when they are in the bathtub but that is probably easier for him since they are laying down and not curved! Thank you so much!!!

 

[Maz]

Unfortunately the new cage doesn't sound suitable for him either. For a larger cage, it needs to be the base that has a larger dimension, but not too much height or levels as that could have fall risks. Something about the size of a 40 gallon breeder tank is about the minimum floor space in the US. That's about 3 feet long x 18" deep. In the Uk the recommended minimum floorspace size is 100cm x 50cm approximately.

It is difficult in the US as there aren't any suitable barred cages, so people tend to use tanks, diy's or tank style commercial cages (the latter are quite expensive though). Or bin cages - if you don't mind a bit of diy to make a lid. There are some quite large storage bins at Homemart. A house at the top isn't good either unfortunately. Hamsters do better with more floor space to run around and digging, and tunnels at floor space, and less height. Only the one platform height really. Something about 20" high is about right, with about 8" of bedding ideally (or 6" minimum). They need a house at floor level, on top of the substrate and open underneath (so they can burrow down and bury their hoards and it keeps it ventilated).

Actually with a larger cage and more bedding, cleaning out is much easier - you don't do full clean outs (which tend to stress the hamster anyway), you just "spot clean" the pee area and replace the odd handful of bedding. You can go months without needing to do a full substrate change doing that. Also hamsters will use a litter tray with sand in - if you put it in the right place, they'll pee in it Often they'll choose a corner of the cage as a toilet so if you put it there, he'd use it. Then you just empty the sand potty every few days and the rest of the cage stays clean and dry Poops don't matter much as they're not that unhygienic - they're like hard dry seeds and sometimes they eat them (which is normal), but if they start taking over you can spot clean those out as well. Something like this corner litter tray works well, and if you have a large house like a shoebox house, you can put it inside the house opposite the door (they always seem to pee at the door end and nest at the darkest end and seem to like an ensuite toilet).

If you can fit a glass tank, then petsmart have dollar per gallon sales so a 40 gallon breeder would only be $40. But then you have to buy a lid.

There is one barred cage that some US members use - it's not quite large enough but it's not a bad size. It has a big front opening door as well.

It's 32" x 20" and about the right height

Zanzibar Cage

Discover comfort and security with Exotic Nutrition's Zanzibar Cage! This sturdy cage boasts a chew-proof metal shelf and ramp, plus a 6.5" deep tubby base for all that bedding that's sure to stay in the cage. And there's lots of room for accessories too! Crafted with a durable plastic base and...

exoticnutrition.com

Hopefully you'll be able to return the other cage for a refund?

We have a cage list here The US ones are further down.

Cages 2024

Here is a list of suitable cages available for hamsters in 2024. Whether you prefer tank style or barred cages, front access or top access, there is, thankfully, plenty of choice in the Uk and Europe. Choice in the US is mainly tanks and tank style or diy. Both tank style and barred cages...

www.thehamsterforum.com

 

[Maz]

Actually I think the new Omlet cage is available in the US, which is a bit bigger - but it's quite expensive. It does come with a silent wheel and two cardboard multiroom houses though.

Hamster Cage & Hamster Playpen | Omlet

Discover Omlet hamster cages with a large, secure space and easy-to-clean design. Add enrichment options to keep your hamster safe, happy, and active.

www.omlet.us

 

[Ava1369]

Yes I can actually cancel the order! Thank you I will look at these other cages and chose one of these!!

 

[Socks Mum]

Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Petspick Soft Paper Pet Bed for Small Animals, 28L, Natural

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Petspick Soft Paper Pet Bed for Small Animals, 28L, Natural at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.

www.amazon.co.uk

One reviewer noted that her hamster apparently was allergic to the bedding. Another reviewer said that the bedding bleeds dye which stains everything. If you can, Kaytee and Carefresh bedding are probably better. It would be worth changing the bedding to see if it helps.

 

[Maz]

I think Kaytee Clean and Cozy is better than Carefresh personally. But if you’re in the US I think Walmart still sell Boxo which is just paper and can work out a lot cheaper as sold in bulk. There’s also Oxbow paper bedding which is ok.

Although the Omlet cage is expensive, it does include a good wheel and the cardboard multiroom houses - so then there’s no need to buy a house and wheel as well. I think they have a 15% discount off at the moment.

 

[Ava1369]

Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: Petspick Soft Paper Pet Bed for Small Animals, 28L, Natural

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Petspick Soft Paper Pet Bed for Small Animals, 28L, Natural at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.

www.amazon.co.uk

One reviewer noted that her hamster apparently was allergic to the bedding. Another reviewer said that the bedding bleeds dye which stains everything. If you can, Kaytee and Carefresh bedding are probably better. It would be worth changing the bedding to see if it helps.

Thank you! I will definitely do that!! I wasn’t sure which bedding to buy for him as it was my first time buying any bedding!!

 

[Ava1369]

I think Kaytee Clean and Cozy is better than Carefresh personally. But if you’re in the US I think Walmart still sell Boxo which is just paper and can work out a lot cheaper as sold in bulk. There’s also Oxbow paper bedding which is ok.

Although the Omlet cage is expensive, it does include a good wheel and the cardboard multiroom houses - so then there’s no need to buy a house and wheel as well. I think they have a 15% discount off at the moment.

Thank you I will look at all of those! And one of the wooden cages you have on your list from Amazon is what I am going to get!! And on Black Friday I will look at the omlet cages again!!