How can I stop a hamster pulling its fur out?

[Char]

Originally Posted by Queen Of The High Teas

Your Daisy is adorable, and such a pretty pattern! Her orange colour is keeping well too, my Syrian was really orange when she was young, but she's getting on now and it's faded to a washed out ginger.

But that's just what my dwarf's coat looks like on her bottom, thin very sparse hair, and little bald patches where she's actually pulled it out. Underneath her is almost bare, I think she pulled all of that because it was within easy reach and now there's nothing left there she's started on other parts of herself she can get to.

Thank you. She's such a mummy's girl. We don't know why her fur is falling out. She's not bothered about still plays, eats and drinks. Sleeps a little more in the day, ( like hamsters meant too) but she is just over a year old, so we know she getting older and will slow down.
Where her fur is coming out, her skin is not red or sore or flaky. It's just normal. I'm not taking her to vets (don't think I'm being horrible) I know this will stress her out, and she's not bothered about it or in pain. I just give her extra bedding to keep her warm. If it looks sore or that she in pain I will then take her to the vets. But at the moment she is fine.

[souffle]

At this age it might well just be hormonal. WW do tend to lose fur from the areas you describe and can end up looking quite bald in those areas.
Increasing her intake of soya and sprouted beansprouts sometimes help as these contain natural precursers to hormones and also dark greens like spinach and a little brocolli. You could also start feeding wheatgerm sprinkled on her food daily or in porridge and debittered brewers yeast a pinch a day all of which contain B vitamins to help the skin and coat.
There is also a chance that she is moulting. They can develop a patchy look and open coat with the winter coat which has a more thick 'wooly ' texture to it.
If you are worried at all about mites it would be best to have them comfirmed with a vet visit and treated as recommended.
Hope it is just her age and she remains bright and happy.

[Minnie]

Hi. My Syrian male (19 months) has been scratching himself for months. It's now so bad that he's been in a course of weekly injections for the last four weeks and there's still no improvement. I've already gone down the bedding and substrate route as well as taking him off hamster food completely and feeding him only a mixture if human grade foods instead. Still no improvement.

I've just had an idea though and was wondering if anyone else has experienced the same. His scratching started to get worse when the female Russian he was in the same room with passed away. Could it be that he is stressed through missing the pheromones given off by female hamsters?