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View Full Version : Syrian going bald! Help! Help! Help!


AsylumWitch
08-02-05, 02:53 AM 08-02-05
Hi to all.

I bought my daughter a Syrian for her B-Day 2-1/2yrs ago. He is a cutie that we all love and take GOOD care of.

He was up making his usual racket in the wheel - where he secretly hides seeds ;-) so I moved him to the kitchen. I went to give him a piece of carrot 'cause he's just too darn cute and I see that he's gone bald on his tummy and underside of his arms!!!!

What the heck could cause that?!?!? He acts fine, plays fine, eats just fine but he looks terrible on his tummy. I only noticed because he was standing up, hanging on the bars, doing his begging for a treat. In all honesty, I don't know how long he's been losing his hair? (Oh, the rest of his hair is fine. It's clean and fluffy with no hair loss anywhere on the top half. His eye's are bright and shiney and he's as mischievious as ever.)

He plays in a clear roller ball and occasionally runs around on the bed but we never see his tummy. He bites and draws blood (always has) so we have just accepted that and don't handle him too much. We use a pot holder to get him out of his cage and when he's running about, we can pet him on his back but he will viciously bite if handled.

He gets new food every 2 days, fresh veggies, and we clean his cage once a week like clock work. He has bedding fluff and shavings and seems fine but what could cause our little man to go bald like that?

Any help or ideas would be very much appreciated. There are no vets in my town that treat hammies. Livestock and dogs/cats is the best we have so I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Thank you so much!!

f1uffster
08-02-05, 04:01 AM 08-02-05
Hi there,

I am not a hamster 'expert' but have shared my home with plenty of hamsters, rats and gerbils over the past 16 years....

I think what you are dealing with is purely age related.
If its not bothering him, and there is no soreness, I wouldnt really worry.

2 1/2 is a good innings for a hamster... he is quite an old man now...
Sounds like hes enjoyed a happy life too..

Sadly...sometimes with age... comes baldness :rolleyes:

Unless anything changes (itching, soreness, or his behaviour changes ) I personally wouldnt worry.

Fluff N Roll
08-02-05, 11:16 AM 08-02-05
i'm sure you already know this, Hamsters only or usually live around 2- 2 1/2 years.
Do you know if he is pulling it out or what not? SOmetimes hamsters do that for bedding. But like f1uffester said just watch for any other changes. :)

AsylumWitch
08-02-05, 11:31 AM 08-02-05
....Sadly...sometimes with age... comes baldness :rolleyes:



Thank you! It is a patchy/thinning kind of bald. Maybe he is just balding in old age??? Poor little guy.


And thank you Fluff N Roll - I don't know if he's pulling it? He usually always has bed fluff for his nest so we can't see him in there.

Anyway, I was just scared he had some horrible rabid - hairless - hamster disease!! Oops :o

You both have been very kind.

Sincerely,

Dash
08-02-05, 02:41 PM 08-02-05
it could be from old age but pine and cedar bedding also causes hair loss.What tyupe of shavings do you use?

It is probaly from oldage.