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Old 08-05-2015, 04:25 AM   #1
essexgirl240
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Exclamation ?mites

Hi everyone

Been a while since I posted but could really use some advice.

I took Biscuit to the vet today (VERY proud hamster mummy moment as she was so well behaved despite appearing stressed on the way down there). I had to take her in cause we noticed her fur thinning at her hips on both sides. It's gotten quite bad that she almost has a bald patch on each side. I feel bad for not noticing sooner but she's always been such a happy little hammy that I didn't realise anything was wrong. My first thought was that it could be mites as she has been treated for that before and my OH has noticed her scratching quite a lot. The vet was really good and checked her for poly cystic ovaries because the fur thinning is so symetrical (which I hadn't even thought of) but said he couldn't feel like they were enlarged or anything and since she has been scratching he decided to treat her for mites and said to take her back if it doesn't improve.

What I want advice on is what to do with her cage to get rid of/prevent any further infestations? We generally give her cage a full clean out every 2 weeks with regular spot cleans in between. The vet advised to make sure we spot clean every couple of days but wanted to see if there was anything else that anyone could advise?

Also she has a little wooden lodge in her cage which she sleeps in and a wooden bendy bridge, do we need to get rid of these, would the mites be living on them?

Any advice would be appreciated.
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Old 08-05-2015, 04:46 AM   #2
WinnieTheHam
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Default Re: ?mites

You can bake the Wooden things in the oven (Can't remember what temperature it was though) or you can put them in the freezer for a couple days to freeze the mites if there is any in the wooden objects that you have.

Keep the room she is in fully clean and try get behind the little places and things too. I'd buy fresh bedding and don't use hay for now (if you use it) because mites can live in it pretty well.
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Old 08-05-2015, 05:25 AM   #3
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Hi essexgirl, it`s always a good idea to have a vet check if you are worried about any symptoms. The hair loss around the hip glands can be due to various things like hormones, over scenting (the gland can darken in colour and seem `wet`) sometimes and as your vet checked for, any internal signs of a cause, although it`s nearly impossible to tell whether bodily changes are the cause or not. Mites can cause a small animal to start scratching more but seem more agitated than normal grooming, which starts and stops. Small cuts or scabs can appear usually around the nose, face, neck or shoulders. If your hamster doesn`t have any cuts or scabbing or signs of irritation apart from the hair loss around the scent glands, I wouldn`t think it`s mites. But using a spot on treatment won`t go wrong.

What you could do is look at what you use in her cage.

Wood shavings: If she`s always used these and the brand hasn`t changed, then I doubt this would be the trigger.

Hay/straw: These CAN be a cause, so stop their use if you do add these. Use plain cheap white toilet paper from the supermarket as nesting and/or any paper based stuff sold in good pet shops only.

Carefresh: This can give off a fine dust that could cause irritation, so avoid it if it`s something you have recently started to use.

Nibblets of sweet corn can be good nutrition for the skin so offer her a few of these every few days as a treat. They can be frozen or fresh but not from a tin. I take broken off nibblets that fall to the bottom of a bag of frozen corns and run them under water to thaw them. Hamsters enjoy these.

Now, the wooden items. Freezing won`t kill parasites. Heat does. But in all honesty, I wouldn`t bother unless you knew there was some kind of parasitic infection and right now, you can`t be 100% sure.

If you do want to chuck the wooden sleeping house, the best alternative would be to get a free shoe box from a shop or any same size cardboard box and remove the floor (or the lid of the shoe box) turn it upside down so the floor is exposed beneath and just cut a few entry/exit doors in it. They are a good size, chewable and cosy. I use nothing else and my hamsters have all loved their boxes!

What age is Biscuit? What is her diet and does she get raw veggies as part of her diet? x
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Old 08-05-2015, 05:31 AM   #4
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Default Re: ?mites

Taken from Hammy World website:
Attached Images
File Type: jpg hip spots.JPG (74.8 KB, 7 views)
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Old 08-05-2015, 05:44 AM   #5
essexgirl240
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Default Re: ?mites

Hi racinghamster
Thanks for your reply
We use woodshavings in her cage and shredded recycled paper for her sleeping house, we've always used the same brand except about a month ago my partner accidentally picked up one with an antibacterial element in it but that was a one off day was from the same brand we already use.

I think I will consider your shoebox idea for her sleeping house though!

We got biscuit last November and she was predicted to be around 10 weeks old at the time so is probably about a year old now. We've always kept her on the same diet of hamster muesli. We've tried giving her some carrot and broccoli before that had been frozen and thawed out before a we gave it to her but she didn't seem particularly interested in it. She did like the brussel sprout leaves we gave her at Xmas and we often give her a bit of Apple as a treat, that's her favourite.
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Old 08-05-2015, 05:51 AM   #6
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Default Re: ?mites

I forgot to mention she does not have any scabs or cuts anywhere, however she did have a scab on her back between her shoulders the first time we took her to the vet and she was treated for mites, this was a few months ago now.
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Old 08-05-2015, 06:00 AM   #7
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Yes, even a small change can sometimes trigger reactions but if she`s fine in herself, eating well, active and doesn`t seem too irritated by whatever is causing her to scratch a lot or over groom, monitor her for a few days and see if she seems better or much the same after having the mite treatment applied. Most vets will do the basic checks, treat for mites and not want to be too invasive with small rodents due to their stress levels and try to determine what the cause might be with little intervention, but I know mouse keepers who see their vets more than I`ve had cups of tea! and they never really get to the bottom of the issues apart from throwing drugs at it or persuing what they feel can be helped, when the reality is the opposite.

Hair loss in general can be a gradual thing with hamsters as they age, their nutritional intake and stress levels. Nothing can really prevent it. Mite treatment isn`t something any of the hamsters I`ve had required, but if they did, I would use Xeno50 mini, which is available in pipettes either through a vet (non prescription) or websites like Amazon. It contains Ivermectin, the same agent a vet uses. Other over the counter spot on`s are useless so I wouldn`t advise wasting money on them.

Syrians can be more picky with fresh veg, but try these in small amounts:

Garden pea
Broccoli
Green bean
A small two inch piece of lettuce
Corn on the cob nibblet
Apple
cabbage

These can all be frozen and then thawed (apart from the apple & lettuce!) or fresh. Just start with one or two and if she eats them up, you will know what she likes and doesn`t like. x
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