Caring for a hamster with mites?

[Nibbles✞Steph]

Hey guys, yet again I'm here about Nibbles. He's two years old now and as every hamster owner knows, when they get old they start losing their fur, eating less, sleeping more, exercising less etc. However, Nibbles is exercising as usual, sleeping as usual, eating as usual, but, a couple of weeks ago I came home after a weekend at my friends and found a small red round scratch on his arm I was a bit concerned at first but then thought he must of caught himself on something because there isn't many things in his cage to actually hurt himself on.

Well this week, I noticed his skin is rather saggy and wrinkly and his fur is becoming less and sparse. At first I thought, oh no he's getting to that point where he's eventually not going to be around any more until my friend mentioned mites and that her hamster was losing his fur until he had an injection for mites. I've done my research and all the symptoms I found matched his except for the scaly skin (not really sure if he does have scaly skin) and the itching. Last night I was watching him and noticed he kept stopping to wash himself and then I noticed he was biting himself and then he scratched with his hind leg like a dog. So I thought he's got to have mites.

So this weekend I'm taking him down my friends with me (her hamster, Snuffles is only a couple of months younger and has had mites) so she can check him over and then we are off to pets at home to buy some Baephar Anti-Parasite Spot On Anti-Parasite Spot On for Hamsters and Gerbils by Beaphar | Pets at Home .
If this doesn't prove successful then I shall take him to the vets.

So I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on any extra care I can give to him to help him get better, I know I need to deep clean everything in his cage such as his wheel, platform, bowls, bottle and house as well as his ball. I read about giving them cod liver oil in old age if that would be any good for him? And also if anyone has used Baephar Anti-Parasite before that could give me some advice on how reliable it is I would be extremely greatful. I have been stressing out so much about the vet bill for him because I took him at the start of the year and at the moment we are in the process of moving house (he wont be near any of the fuss of moving as he will be staying with my friend before we start moving).

Thanks<3
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[Kirsty1987]

Umm if your hamster does have mites i wouldn't recommend you take your hamster to your friends house if she has a hamster as it highly contagious and you risk passing the mites back on to her hamster. There are many things that can cause fur loss and flaky skin on hamsters not just mites. I would suggest you take nibbles straight to the vets to be diagnosed first.