Care - A Healthy Hamster
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Types Of Health Problems
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Diarrhea Symptoms Soft, mucous, or liquid feces; bad odor; wetness around anus, tail, and belly Causes Disease; dehydration; stress; change in diet; too many fruits and vegetables |
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Constipation Symptoms Straining to pass hard, dry feces or inability to pass feces; depression, lethargy; hunched-up position; dry, ruffled fur Causes Insufficient water intake; dehydration; hot and dry environment; obstruction of intestinal tract; internal parasites; disease |
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Dehydration Symptoms Skin is stiff and lacks elasticity; skin pulled from the nape of the neck or back stands up stiffly or is slow to return to normal position; hamster sits in a hunched-up position; lethargic and weak Causes Bacterial or viral infections and diseases; stress; change in diet; too many fruits and vegetables in diet; heatstroke |
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Heatstroke Symptoms Hot; weak; unresponsive; may appear to be dead Causes Exposure to high temperatures, heat sources, or sunlight; enclosure in hot environment; inadequate ventilation |
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Bite Wounds Symptoms Sores; redness; swelling; infection; pain or tenderness; draining pus Causes Fighting among themselves; overcrowding; not enough hiding places in the cage |
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Broken Teeth Symptoms Tooth breaks and tooth opposite broken tooth grows too long, invades mouth tissue; inability to eat; pain Causes Trauma; old age; insufficient calcium in diet; chewing hard objects |
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Cheek Pouch Injury Symptoms Cheek pouches are swollen, impacted, or infected, and painful when touched; hamster seems unable to empty cheek pouches Causes Access to sharp objects that can injure mouth, or fluffy bedding or pasty foods that can stick in cheek pouches; broken teeth |
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Eye Problems Symptoms Clear or viscous discharge from eyes; closed eyes; eyes dull or cloudy Causes Infection; injury; irritating substances; disease |
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Skin and Fur Problems Symptoms Loss of fur; sores; flaky or moist skin; redness; oozing; itching; scratching; infection Causes Bacterial or fungal infections; parasitism; improper diet; allergies; disease; hormonal imbalance |
Contact the veterinarian for advice immediately if there is any sign of unhealthy hamster.
This page was last updated on 31 October 2000.