Dry Skin?

[SnuggleHam]

I had Gerald out this morning, he’s till active healthy and bright eyed! But I noticed that just on his back near his head the fur looks a bit thin and his skin is dry. Upon checking him over it seems his skin is rather dry everywhere, and on his neck area there are tiny little scabs.. Maybe two or three that I could see, and I assume it’s from dry skin.



It is the winter where I am.. even I find my skin to be dry. We have a propane heater so I don’t think that helps much with the dryness. It there anything I can do to prevent Gerald from having dry skin?



Thanks for the help in advance!

[souffle]

We find the skin often gets dry as the hams get older but one or two drops of cod-liver oil and a crumbled yeast tablet for vits A & D can help. It's not a bedding or sawdust allergy is it? Any changes?

[SnuggleHam]

Nope.. no change in bedding at all.. its been the same as always. Ive not changed the location of the cage or anything. Gerald is an older ham. I never thought about that being the cause.



Now what do I do with that cod-liver oil? feed it to him? and what is vits A & D a brand name?

[babyboos]

Vitamin A and D are major components of Fish Oils (such as Cod Liver Oil) as well as EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids)

You should be able to ask in your local pharmacy for Cod Liver Oil capsules... crack one open and sprinkle the oil inside on his food, or buy a small bottle and drip a couple of drops onto his dry hamster mix. Add half a teaspoon of nutritional yeast available from good health food stores - remember nutritonal NOT Brewer's yeast.

[SnuggleHam]

Thank you Babyboos, ill look into it!