mum is going BALD...

[baby_hamsters2006]

this morning I went to check on the mum hammy that I have been talking about the last 2 weeks and the babies, she's going bald on the top of her head and all the fur on her nose is gone.. what could it be?

[andysbird]

Could be a hormonal imbalance - one of my syrians has bald patches above her back legs, and other than trying thyroid treatment without a confirmed diagnosis there's not a lot can be done, except extra vitamins etc.



Bald noses tend to be from biting cage bars and rubbing that area.



The neck region is often most affected when a hamster has mites, yours could be showing symptoms of mites on her head instead. Mites become a problem when a hamster's immune system is weakened - maybe from caring for the pups putting stress on her.



A trip to the vets will be able to determine if it's mites or not, probably with a skin scrape to accertain if it's parasitic or fungal.

[baby_hamsters2006]

well I did have a house in there that she keeped biting on so I took it out - it might be stress from looking after the babies - when I take the babies out to hold them she gos to a corner and sleeps and you can't wake her up because she is so sleepy.. so I take the babies and I play with them for a little bit so she can get some rest and it has got worse now it seems as the babies have got a bit older - she just leaves them be most of the time - they haven't been suckling from mum that much and now they are drinking on their own...

[souffle]

What age are the babies now? The mum does sound as if she is very tired and going through a bit of a rough patch coping with them. Make sure there is plenty food for the whole family as the little ones will be eating a lot now. Sometimes infections, mites and things can get a grip when the mother is low after raising a litter. It is probably worth a quick trip to the vets to have her given a full medical check, especially with the fur loss. If the babies are more than about 18 days I would leave them behind in a warm place till you quickly take her. When you bring her back rub her over with bedding before putting her in with the little ones so they recognise her and don't get too much vet smell from her.

[baby_hamsters2006]

well thanks I took her to the vet. I just took the whole cage and the vet said it's just stress of it being her first litter and it might be because two of the babies died. He told me to just give her some high protein foods to help her get her fur back and the babies are healthy too... so I'm happy

[babyboos]

great news

what food have you thought of to give her

[baby_hamsters2006]

apple,strawberrys,kiwi,tofo and bolied eggs and shes doing fine now...

[babyboos]

Oh I bet she will love eggs and tofu.

Maybe try a bit of melon or cucumber instead of kiwi just now, although very high in Vitamin C it is a bit bitter and mum needs to develop healthy gut flora. Apple is good for this, as is a little wheatgerm, or porridge oats.