My hamster has spots on his back and is acting lethargic. Is he okay?

Thanks for reaching out about Stripe. Can you describe the spot and location? Hamsters possess two dark spots along the lumbar (lower) back area that are just off center. The should be evenly spaced, one on each side. These are scent glands. Other spots should be assessed by a veterinarian. Good luck.

Some hamsters will have a normal change in skin color. However if the spot is raised at all I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian for an aspirate. This is where the vet looks at the cells under the microscope to tell you what exactly the spot is. Some possibilities are cyst, non cancerous growth and infection. Hope that helps.

This is a quite generic but concerning sign. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to respiratory to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A picture of the red dot would be needed to understand its underlying nature. Conjunctival/corneal inflammation may be present. A check up is needed if the signs last for more than further 24hours. 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 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!

Hello there! These do to be unusual spots on Percy's genitalia. There is no hamster-specific condition that would cause this that I can think of, but they do look a bit like folliculitis - an infection of the hair follicle. Hamsters do have tiny little hairs all over their testicles and prepuce (the prepuce is the skin that covers the penis), and sometimes they can get clogged with bacteria and cause a blackhead-like lesion. The only way to know if this is the cause for sure is to visit your vet - preferably, a vet that is comfortable with hamsters, or an exotics specialist. At the vet's office, they will give Percy a full physical exam, and they will likely collect a small scraped skin sample from Percy's skin lesions to look at under the microscope. This will help them determine if Percy needs a topical treatment, like antibiotics or antiseptics. I suggest giving a call to a local vet to see if they will examine a hamster, and if not, they can likely suggest someone who will. For now, you can continue keeping Percy's genitals clean with a mild soap and water solution that is rinsed and dried well. Best of luck to you and Percy!

I am sorry tohear about Daile. I would monitor him closely to be sure he is eating and drinking normally. We would worry about a wound from another hamster, a wound coming from inside his cheek pouch if he had put something sharp into his mouth, a wound from sharp bedding depending on his bedding, or from his cage, or if more spots appear about parasites like skin mites. If you notice he is not eating, is getting lethargic, other spots appear, or if this spot gets larger, I would recommend bringing him in to the vet for an examination.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to a gastrointestinal issue such as gastroenteritis, colitis, parasites, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!