Things You'll Need
- Magnifying glass
- White tissue
- Small pet carrier
Instructions
Observe your hamster's behavior. Incessant scratching, rubbing against the cage sides or bald patches are signs of irritated skin, which is more likely to be caused by mites than fleas.
Pick up your hamster.
Look at the hamster's ears, eyes, nose, feet and tail for signs of redness or inflammation, which could indicate irritation.
Examine the fur closely. Some mites are just visible as tiny, animated black specks. A magnifying glass may help.
Stroke the hamster with a piece of slightly dampened white tissue or paper towel. Examine the tissue. Mites may show up as black flecks against the white.
Take your hamster to the vet for confirmation of a mite infestation, identification of the species of mite and a suitable treatment.