Sighs of a cold?

[HamstersOfHell]

Well I've got a cold now, having just got over a flu, after catching it from my mother. The hamsters (and gerbil) are kept in my room as it's the safest place for them with my dog around and me not wanting to have all the doors closed in the house.

What are the signs of a hamster getting a cold?

I'm quite worried that Judas or Ruby might have it...Judas sneezed earlier, which I guess is normal but I'm a worrier, and Ruby has been making weird sounds while in her nest...

[Hamtastic]

I'm interested in this as well. I have some sort of a flu and have been avoiding my hams as much as possible, but they do all live with me in my bedroom

[p_anda]

Signs of a hamster are cold are almost identical of that of a human cold:
- sneezing/coughing - sometimes they make this weird high-pitched wheezing sound when they breath, that's usually and indication of an upper respiratory illness
- crusty, snotty nose
- sleeping lots
- lethargic behavior, i.e not their normal personality
- grumpiness
- they will normally eat and drink normal, as rodents are prey animals, they will try and hide that they're unwell

I had haemophilus type b over the winter that manifested itself as a really bad flu, my hamster lives with me and my boyfriend [who I got it from originally] in a teeny-tiny room, and we made certain pre cautions, such as sneezing in a tissue or in our hands, then immediately washing them, using anti-bacterial soap, I washed my hands every time before I touched anything in the cage and avoided holding Princess altogether for 2 weeks just in case. She didn't get sick, and I've done this every time I had a cold, so it seems to be working.

A lot of illnesses can be passed between humans and rodents, not just respiratory ailments, so be careful, if you have any parasitical infestations such as mites, etc. I'm struggling to find a good, comprehensive list, but there are quite a lot of things. Since our immune systems are very similar [another reason for rats+mice being lab animals apart from their small size is that they're pretty much our closest non-primate relative.]

[Pompompoms]

My hands look about 90 at the moment as I've had two nasty viruses one after another this year, and have been determined not to pass them on to the pompoms.

I have scrubbed with as hot water as I can handle and anti bac soap, as well as then putting on anti bac gel and wearing a mask. That was only to do their water and daily spot cleaning. I might have granny hands, but thankfully didn't pass anything on.