My hamster is bleeding, has scabs, and won't drink. What's wrong?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bleeding can be from trauma or an internal cause such as a ruptured vessel or severe parasitic infection. It is a little difficult to determine the exact cause without a photo, but if there is a small amount of blood, some form but gentle pressure on the area will likely stop the bleeding. You should gently trim Puky’s nails to avoid further trauma. If the bleeding does not stop, I recommend having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. I hope all is well!

Thanks for reaching out about Polly. A first though would be skin mites causing her to itch a lot, creating wounds. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. If it turns out to be mites, all animals need to be treated and the environment cleaned thoroughly. Good luck.

Poor Flash! It is a little difficult to know where the blood came from without a photo. Flash may have scratched himself or caused some trauma to the inner ear. A small scratch should heal easily and you can carefully trim Flash’s nails to ensure he doesn’t cause any further trauma. If he develops a head tilt, or does not act like himself, it can be a sign of inner ear damage and he may require pain medication prescribed by a veterinarian. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!

Thanks for reaching out about Snowball and including photos, although they are out of focus and difficult to view. Hair loss and redness on the skin might be indicative of an allergic dermatitis. Any contact with new bedding, fabrics or detergents? Mites or moist dermatitis are also possible. Try removing wood chips, fabrics and replace with paper products like Carefresh. If the condition worsens, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

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!

I am so sorry that this is happening to you and Hoshi. I didn’t see how long you have had Hoshi, or how old she is, but there are a few things that could be going on. She may be itchy - this can be due to infectious diseases, such as parasites. She may have also traumatized herself and now is not letting it heal and making it worse. She could also have a growth, or mass, in the region that is growing and bothering her, or it could be another cause. I would recommend taking her to see a veterinarian. They can evaluate her for parasites, and can look at a sample of the affected region under the microscope to determine what is going on. They can also prescribe her pain medications, and potentially other medications depending on what is going on. Please don’t give any human medications to Hoshi, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for reaching out about Biddy. Is Biddy new? Could it have been a fight with another animal? Hair loss, swollen and scabbed sounds like a wound. This could be parasitic, bacterial, fungal, endocrine and more. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Do not apply anything topical such as Neosporin as some of these medications can be ingested and cause problems. Good luck.