What to Do if Your Hamster Is Shedding

In the world of small pets, hamsters are friendly and easy to care for. Taking up little space and eating inexpensive diets, the hamster is well-suited to both novice and experienced pet owners. However, like any other pet, hamsters are prone to health problems such as hair loss. If your hamster experiences sudden or dramatic hair loss, certain measures should be taken to ensure the continued health of your pet.

  1. Check the Cage

    • Look around your hamster's cage for signs of problems. If your toys, feeders and waterers are placed in an inconvenient location for your hamster, the hamster may be forced to rub against those items continuously. Doing so often causes hair loss in the area being rubbed too often. Simply rearrange the items in the cage so there is plenty of room for your furry friend to maneuver around them.

    Feed a Nutritious Diet

    • Dietary deficiencies are another cause of shedding or hair loss in hamsters. Protein and vitamin deficiencies are often caused by feeding excessive amounts of some foods and not enough of others. For example, diets excessive in fatty foods such as sugared cereals or sunflower seeds often lead to obesity and nutritional problems. Instead, focus on feeding your pet a well-balanced diet formulated specifically for hamsters and supplement that diet with fresh water and water-soluble vitamin supplements. Offer non-sugared cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits only occasionally as snacks.

    Visit a Veterinarian

    • A check up at the vet may be all your hamster needs to quickly prevent or diagnose shedding problems and their cause. Often, medical problems such as allergies, mites or ringworm are the culprit behind hair loss. The veterinarian performs an examination and provides appropriate treatment according to the problem, such as injections, topical or oral medication. Be prepared for treatments to range in expense, depending on which type of treatment your pet must undergo.

    Observe Circumstances

    • Some hamster shedding is normal and not a serious problem but just a fact of life. Older hamsters often experience hair loss, either temporarily or regularly. Another normal cause of hair loss includes seasonal changes. Just as larger pets shed thick winter coats in the warmer seasons or develop warmer coats in the colder months, so do hamsters. Temperature changes, even non-seasonal ones such as thermostat changes in the home, often trigger hamster shedding as well.