Health
On the whole, a hamster that is fed a well balanced diet is a healthy hamster. Some minor hamster health problems can be treated at home but if in any doubt seek veterinary advice quickly.
Tummy upsets / loose droppings
Remove all treats, greens, extras etc leaving only the dry hamster mix before seeking advice if no improvement occurs.
Overgrown teeth and toe nails
As with many rodents, the teeth and claws of a Hamster grow continuously throughout their lives. If you're concerned that either of them have become overgrown, you should always seek veterinary advice.
Colds and coughs
If your hamster is visibly hunched up and is finding breathing difficult - keep it warm and seek veterinary advice. Please note that hamsters can catch cold or ‘flu’ from you, so if you have a heavy cold it would be wise to keep your distance and get someone else to feed the hamster until you recover.
Lumps and bumps
These should be monitored and if no improvement seek veterinary advice.
N.B. The 'lumps' at the rear end of a male hamster become more prominent once the hamster is mature, especially in hot weather. These can usually be borrowed from a local library. Female Chinese have a rounded rear end.
Dark spots on the hips of Syrian hamsters are scent glands and again once the hamster is mature males spend a great deal of time grooming them so that they are visibly obvious especially on short haired hamsters. Male Dwarfs have a scent gland on the tummy and with age it can become a little 'crusty' looking.
More information on general health problems and illnesses can be found in books on hamsters. Male Chinese are very obvious as males at a very early age as they have a very definite protuberance at the rear end!
How long will a hamster live?
The average life span is around 2 years with on the whole Dwarfs living slightly longer. As with all animals some will live longer than the average and some a little less.
Monitoring Health
Monitoring your hamster’s wellbeing is a good habit to get into.
Although it’s not necessary to give your hamster a thorough, daily health exam, it’s a good idea to judge how well your pet looks each day as you feed and play with it - is there anything out of the ordinary? Overseeing your hamster’s health includes both keeping an eye on your hamster (and its enclosure) on a day-to-day basis, as well as taking them out of their cage for a thorough examination in the form of a regular health check. As you get to know your dog, you’ll be able to recognise when they are their usual selves, and when they are not. For example, if your hamster seems much more lethargic than usual, is limping or is breathing more heavily, then it’s likely your pet has a health problem and you may have to take them to a vet. Once you notice things that are out of the ordinary, this is your cue to investigate further.
Hamster Health Symptoms
As you grow more used to your pet, you’ll be able to recognise when it’s in good health and when it’s not. The longer you’ve had your hamster, the better you’ll know how active it usually is, what its fur generally looks like, how much it eats, how it walks, and so on.
A healthy hamster will have a normal, smooth gait, bright, clear eyes, healthy skin (on their ears, too), and a good coat that is free of dry patches, parasites, cuts and swellings. Their teeth will be of a relatively even length to the one next to it, and not overgrown. Their mouths will not have any cuts, or scabs. Their nails will be a good length, and their feet and legs will become free of scabs and swellings. Their rear will be clear of any discharge, blood or wetness. If there are any lumps on your hamster’s skin, these will have either end up beingen checked by a vet or attributed to another condition.
There are dozens and dozens of conditions that hamsters can suffer from, many of which an owner will struggle to diagnose themselves. In general, you should be on the lookout for is anything that will be out of the ordinary, as well as any signs that your hamster is unwell or in pain.
Hamster Hibernation
Hamsters in the wild sometimes need to sleep deeply, for example, when the temperature falls very low or when food reserves are running out. However, whether or not captive hamsters should be allowed to hibernate is a topic that is under some debate amongst experts. For the most part, owners do not allow their hamsters to hibernate, partly because there is no need for them to, and partly because there are some concerns about the effect of hibernation on a captive individual, an animal whose body isn’t used to the processes involved with this transition.
If your hamster goes into ‘hibernation’, it can be quite alarming. Your pet will go cold, and be a little limp. If you look at your hamster very closely, you will see it taking very small breaths - so it’s not dead! Put it back in its enclosure and move the whole unit to a warmer spot in your house - this will wake your hamster up, and it should be back to normal within a few hours.
Frequently pay attention to how your dog acts and looks like, and also how it interacts with you or any cage mates. Spending time with your hamster every day is a good way you should do. Thwill be allows you to develop a warm relationship with your pet and gives you a chance to check for signs of illness on a regular basis. Early detection of risks makes them simpler to solve. Wanna learn how to check on hamster health, the following article about Hamster Health Check will help you out.
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