Itchy baby

[starrylight99]

So I just adopted two Campbells dwarf boys, Professor Chaos and Admiral Applesauce. They're almost 8 weeks old. I've had them for about four days now, and Professor is just the itchiest thing I've ever seen! Every time I look at him while he's awake, he seems to be scratching at himself. He even rolls around on the hard plastic in his cage! Poor baby. He loves his sand baths, but I'm wondering if he could be allergic to the sand? He has plain toilet tissue for nesting, Eco-Bedding (which claims to be hypoallergenic), and Chinchilla Bath Sand. He also sleeps much more than my other hammies ever did. He just seems to wake up and itch himself, grab some food and water, and go back to sleep.

I have him housed with his brother, who is showing no signs of itching. So what do you guys think would be the most common cause of the itching?

[mangoandmimi]

Love the names XD
that is what Pip my robo does she is so nervous the whole time its slightly worrying! but she doesn't scratch - i mean she runs out of her hut stuffs her pouch full drinks for about 5 seconds runs back in and eats. then sleeps. then has a 2 minute stroll. sleep. lol.
sorry i have absolutely no ideeaa about the itching, sorry!

[fluffymunchkins]

Have you checked them over for mites?
I thinks its unlikely, but always worth a check.
I don't think they'd be allergic to sand but anythings possible, it could even be the food or bedding!

My russian dwarf itches more than my other hamsters, but its unusual if he itches more than his cage mate.

[mangoandmimi]

^^ yeah mites ^^
was looking tem up on the internet just now and nearly fainted :L really disgusting :L

[mangoandmimi]

But its Unliekly XD

[starrylight99]

I haven't checked them for mites, they're not really comfortable enough with me to let me hold them for more than 15-30 seconds. Well, actually I haven't tried holding them for longer than that, I've been going really slowly with them. Mites would be a possible concern right now since I did get them from a shelter, and I don't know their previous history.

Professor has been nesting in his wheel, and I notice a lot of his itching goes on in there. I removed the nesting material and washed it out a bit, and then his brother went up there to join him and started itching at himself too! I would think that it would be more likely to be the sand or the food than the bedding or toilet paper though, right?

[mangoandmimi]

lol they're both scratching now!! try taking away the sand and changing food, i dont think its the bedding :L

[starrylight99]

Well I don't leave the sand in there, they just have some in their playpen so they get baths when they come out for playtime. I would rather not change the food until I have exhausted all other options, though, because in the US our options for quality hamster food are extremely limited. Like, Hazel Hamster food is pretty much it. I don't think its the bedding either. Considering they really only scratch like crazy when they're in the wheel that Professor nests in, I'm guessing its more behavioral. Neither of them seem to scratch while they're out playing or being handled.

[mangoandmimi]

hmm dunno. really thouroughly disinfect and clean the wheel lol XD or maybe the one who scraches less sees prof scratching like mad and copies him...? haha dont know. Try taking the wheel out - he will move his nest dw. just like maybe add a little bed and put the same bedding in and he will move to sleep there. see if he keeps scratching in his bed lol. just take the wheel out one day and see what happens. :) goodluck x

[souffle]

Maybe that they are just scent marking. If you clean them out too much they do go into hyperscenting mode to try and put it back and they roll and rub and scratch themselves to spread their scent around. Awful though it may sound to us, I would not clean them at all for two weeks, apart from scooping out the pee corner and see if they settle. Don't keep washing the wheel either. The scent is essential to keeping the pair bond in place.

[starrylight99]

Ooh thats interesting Souffle I hadn't thought about the fact that maybe they were scent marking. They have two of everything, so one nests in one wheel, and they both run in the other wheel. We actually just got a nicer cage for them and were hoping to swap them over to it tonight. We've had them almost a week. Do you think we should hold off on moving them to their larger cage?

The reason I ask is because right now they are in two connected Crittertrails, which I know aren't the best for two hams living together, because of all the compartments. Their new cage would be a big open space, less chances for fighting for territory.