My hamster has a sore, quickly growing bald spot. What should I do?

It could be some minor irritation or infection Keep the area clean and dry. Keep the bedding clean and dry. Monitor the spot for rapid change or growth. If necessary, see your veterinarian for an exam and treatment.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Bear may have a fungal infection, fur or skin mites, or a skin infection. Most of these conditions are very itchy, and some hamsters may actually scratch so much that they draw blood. This can lead to further infection as the skin barrier is compromised. I recommend having Bear looked at by a vet as soon as possible to determine the cause of his skin condition and begin the appropriate treatment. You can carefully trim Bear's nails in the meantime to prevent him from causing further trauma. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Bobo and including photos, although difficult to determine a lesion by the pictures. Do you have mosquito problems? External parasites such as mites or fleas are possible, as are bacterial skin infections. Try cleaning the area with a mild soap. If the lesion or hair loss progresses, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

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

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!

It could possibly be mange (mites in the hair follicles), ringworm (a fungal infection), or a bacterial skin infection. As ringworm is contagious to people and can spread rapidly, I recommend bringing your hamster to a vet for an examination and diagnostics based on the appearance of the lesions. In the meantime I would recommend handling your hamster with gloves and bathing with an antibacterial/antifungal shampoo such as Malaseb shampoo if you have access to this without a prescription where you live.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Hope this answer was helpful, but 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.