Mites

JackieS · 08-12-2020, 07:53 AM

Hi everyone, thanks to advice,on here, my rescue Russian Hybrid from PAH is settling very well. However, I noticed him itching not long after I got him, so phoned the vet. He said it was mites and to buy some Xeno 50 mini. I applied the first dose two weeks ago, and it is time to repeat the process. However, two things worry me. I weighed him as instructed and applied 3 drops....I was too worried to apply 6 drops in case that would overdose him. It seems a big jump to go from 3 to 6 drops. He weighs 60g. What is the best way to ensure he gets the best dose for him? Also after treating him, do I need to scrub out his cage? I am obviously not keen to disturb him as he is still settling in. All advice appreciated.

Ria P · 08-12-2020, 08:37 AM

I can't see how a vet can diagnose mites without seeing the hamster and doing a skin scrape.
All hamsters scratch, its part of grooming and they seem to groom even more for a while when they're settling into a new home.
Does your hamster have any red and sore patches of skin from scratching?

JackieS · 08-12-2020, 08:45 AM

Hi, no red patches that I can see, although his coat is a bit dishevelled. He is scratching quite a lot

Ria P · 08-12-2020, 09:49 AM

I have no experience with mites or the symptoms of having mites so can't really advise on it.

I can only say that i would get a positive diagnosis from a vet first before applying any treatment and seek a second opinion if in doubt about treatment and dosage.

I had a rescue dwarf hamster from a pet shop adoption section who scratched an awful lot but his itchy skin was propably caused by his diabetes. He also drunk a lot of water.

What i'm saying is that there can be different reasons for excessive scratching.

cypher · 08-12-2020, 10:10 AM

I agree with Ria about the diagnosis, some vets can be a bit too ready to say any itching is a mite problem when it’s actually not all that common & the treatment should always be used with caution so I wouldn’t use it again without a confirmed (skin scrape) diagnosis.
There could be a lot of reasons, a few possibilities are the type of substrate in his cage, his diet, a lot of scent marking & grooming while settling in to a new home.
What substrate & food are you using?

JackieS · 08-12-2020, 10:27 AM

Hi, I use carefresh bedding and Natures Touch food. I am also giving small amounts of cucumber, lettuce, etc and the odd tiny piece of fruit like apple

cypher · 08-12-2020, 10:35 AM

Carefresh can be quite dusty & some hams don’t do well with it, you might find that changing to a paper based substrate could help, I use Kaytee clean & cosy after trying many substrates I’ve found that to be about the best.
I don’t really think the food is too good either really, a good dwarf mix with more natural ingredients would be better for him, a lot of people use the rodipet mixes, they hybrid junior would be the most appropriate.
https://www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/...nior-500g.html
If you do make changes I would do it gradually, don’t change all the substrate in one go & slowly introduce new foods over a week or so giving him time to adjust.

MyHamsterAdventures · 08-12-2020, 11:47 AM

I have heard people freezing bedding or food to ensure mites are killed off. It wont help in this situation if your hamster already has mites but its worth considering to stop it recurring in the future.