Why is my hamster getting bald patches? What's causing fur loss?

Hi there, I'm sorry your little hamster is having trouble. Hair loss can be from a number of things- skin parasites like skin mites are very common in these guys. Also, there can be hair loss from endocrine diseases , overgrooming from stress or other things. Your vet can test your friend for parasites and then prescribe a safe medicine that you can use. Over the counter meds, such as dog and cat flea products, would be too strong and could hurt your pet. if it is not parasites, they can check to see what else might be going on.

Typically hair loss in hamsters comes with age. Older hamsters can lose their hair due to a lack of protein (less than 16%) or iron in their diet. Other hamster illnesses can cause hair loss including sarcoptic mange, demodex mites, ringworm or disease such as kidney or Cushing’s disease. When you can get him to a vet for an exam I suggest you do so. In the meantime I suggest that you make sure he has a high quality diet and cut back on cereals if you are giving him any. You can give him one drop of cod liver oil daily. You can also use this spot-on product in case the problem is mites. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Anti-Parasite-Hamsters-Gerbils-Rabbits/dp/B073H1GXSR/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=hamster+food+oxbow&qid=1587944081&sr=8-8

That could be commonly caused by a mites infestation or a bacterial infection. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is a little difficult to see in the photo, but there is what appears to be a small area of scabbing and hairloss, both of which are patchy on the hip. This can be caused by a skin infection, certain cancers, fungal infections, or skin mites which are very common in hamsters. These mites live within the hair follicles rather than cage surfaces, so cleaning the cage will not get rid of any of the possible causes. Mochi should be seen by a vet who can perform some quick tests on this area of skin to determine the underlying cause and start her on the appropriate treatment. In the meantime, to keep her more comfortable, you can gently trim her nails to keep her from traumatizing herself as she scratches. I hope this helps!

Hair loss and skin infection in hamsters is most commonly caused by either ringworm, a bacterial infection or skin mites. This could also be caused by trauma to the head, especially if there is another hamster in the enclosure. It is also important to note that the life span of a hamster is about 2 years so Flash is considered ‘geriatric’. It would be a good idea if you had him checked out by your veterinarian to ensure nothing else too serious is going on. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello! I'm sorry to hear about Pepper being so itchy! There are two main things I think about when I see itchy hamsters- skin mites and ringworm. It would be helpful to know if this started happening after contact with a new hamster, as it is often a contagious problem. I would recommend taking her in to see a vet that is experienced with hamsters. They can perform a skin scraping to check for mites and take a sample of hair to check for ringworm. Mites are treated with an anti-parasitic medication, while ringworm is treated with an anti-fungal medication. Once the cause is treated, her skin will be much more comfortable and she will stop scratching so much. As a note, ringworm can spread from animals to humans, but is generally easily treated in people. If you have any skin rashes, check with your MD! I hope you find this helpful! Best of luck to you and Pepper! :)

Your hamster may be suffering from ectoparasites such as mites or fleas and/or an allergy to the bites. I suggest you take him to a veterinarian for a hands-on exam and diagnosis. The vet can prescribe or treat your hamster with a proper medicine to kill the parasites. There are mite treatments for hamsters available in the pet shops, but I am not sure whether they are effective. You will definitely need to clean and disinfect your hamster's cage, bedding and toys and food and water containers to hopefully prevent the mites from reinfecting your hamster after treatment.