Okay, my hamster scratches alot and cleans a lot.l He also bites his fur or licks it but I think he is biting his fur, not licking it. I am worried. I can't tell if he is losing hair but I don't think he is. But I do think his skin may be a bit red. I am not quite sure if he has mites or not. He scraches on his cheeks. Sometimes, but rarely he scratches in his ear. He doesn't have any wound though. I have had him for 2 and a half months and I love him sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... much!! If I buy mite spray, and he doesn't actually have mites, would that harm him?? What I mean is that if I use the mite spray on him and he doesn't have mites would it do anything?? Would mite spray work good? What would I have to do? Clean all the items of the cage very good and put the mite spray on them and after that I put the mite spray on him?? Is that what I am supposed to do? WHat do I do when I buy the mite spray?? Plz answer all my questions. I am not quite sure if he has mites, but if he does I want to gert rid of them. Thanks for all your help. Created by Martin. pets-en - rodents-en

I think my hamster has mites?

May 2021 7 132 Report

I think my hamster has mites?

Okay, my hamster scratches alot and cleans a lot.l He also bites his fur or licks it but I think he is biting his fur, not licking it. I am worried. I can't tell if he is losing hair but I don't think he is. But I do think his skin may be a bit red. I am not quite sure if he has mites or not. He scraches on his cheeks. Sometimes, but rarely he scratches in his ear. He doesn't have any wound though. I have had him for 2 and a half months and I love him sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... much!! If I buy mite spray, and he doesn't actually have mites, would that harm him?? What I mean is that if I use the mite spray on him and he doesn't have mites would it do anything?? Would mite spray work good? What would I have to do? Clean all the items of the cage very good and put the mite spray on them and after that I put the mite spray on him?? Is that what I am supposed to do? WHat do I do when I buy the mite spray?? Plz answer all my questions. I am not quite sure if he has mites, but if he does I want to gert rid of them. Thanks for all your help

Pets / Rodents

Anonymous

You can bathe him, with a bit of liquid baby soap, just make sure not to get soap in his eyes or ears. Set a blow dryer on low speed, put him on a towel, and keep the dryer at least 12 inches away from him. Move the dryer back and forth from above him, until he is dry. You can blow dry his sides, but avoid his eyes and ears.

Keep him away from drafts for a couple hours, and cover his cage. It helps to cover his cage for a couple hours, it will calm him and keep him warm after his bath.

Also, use aspen bedding or another hypoallergenic bedding. Because many of the other wood shavings can cause allergy reactions such as itching. It's because they have oils in them, and the hamster is trying to clean them off.

If bathing him and changing to a new bedding doesn't help.. Then, you'd need to use a mite spray for hamsters or bird mite spray works also. Follow the directions carefully. Best of luck to you and your hamster.

Morning Star

DON'T SPRAY YOUR HAMSTER!!!! Hamsters LOVE to clean themselves...they love to scratch. They are worse than cats when it comes to cleaning. He is just doing what hamsters do. And when you hold them they have to clean themselves thoroughly.

If you are keeping his cage clean he should be healthy. DON'T SPRAY HIM. You may make him sick. DON'T buy mite spray for him. You might kill him. Those aren't meant for hamsters. It will poison him. I have had dozens of hamsters. I have been a hamster owner for 30 years. I have NEVER heard of one having mites. When they get very old they do start to loose some hair...I have had some OLD hamsters.

Anonymous

ok, so just to be safe, throw out all bedding and litter, and if you use carefresh, stop, it is notorious for carrying fleas and mites....deep clean the rest of the cage and make sure anything fabric or beddingy is sealed in a bag and thrown out, the best way to get the mites of your hamster is with olive oil, coat his fur with it, he may not like it but hold him for 5 minutes with the oil on and dont let him clean himself.....after 5 minutes all mites should be suffocated..now let him wash himself, the olive oil is healthy for him too.....once he is done washing, comb him with a fine toothed comb, then rinse him in warm water...this should remove any mites...good luck 8-]