Why is my hamster's head dry, scabby, and balding at 2 years old?

As hamsters age they can get a disorder known as bald hamster syndrome where they start to lose hair. I would suggest going to your vet though to rule out other reasons for hair loss such as infection or parasites.

The most common causes for this in hamsters is either mites or ringworm, you will need to take him to the vet in order to get it checked and treated, it's more likely to be mites, the treatment is quite simple but ringworm needs to be ruled out first.

This is probably a disease related to old age, it's not uncommon to see loss of hair and inflamed skin in older hamsters, sometimes it's connected to a tumor as well, which is very common at this age.

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!

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

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.

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! :)