Hair Loss

[PetLuver21257]

Opie has had some hair loss on his chest area. It doesn't go all the way down to his scent gland. I don't see any mites, but I do see him bite/scratch it. I don't know what it could be. He's going to be around 2 in February, but he doesn't look old because his fur is still the same color it was when I first got him (not grayish around the face).

What is there that I can do that can get rid of mites (just in case there are any)? The skin doesn't really look red, but it is pinkish. He is acting normally and is running around and eating.

I just recently changed his chinchilla sand to corn meal. I hope that's okay. He's not eating it, just rolling around in it sometimes. Other than that, he has carefresh bedding, and I haven't changed anything other than the chinchilla sand.

[PetLuver21257]

*EDIT* He's also lost some hair by his leg joints too. It's all on his underside though.

Is it just old age? I have also heard that it may be vitamin deficiency. What foods are high in vitamins that I can feed Opie?

[janie36]

well, it could be down to his age as they can start showing their age with skin conditions, one of our old boys had a skin condition for a long time before he passed on. It never bothered him and the vet said there wasn't really anything that would fix it because it was due to old age!
It could also be mites, you can't actually see Hamster mites, but if he's biting and scratching this does seem the more likely option! I would take him to a vet, just to get it checked, because they can tell if it's mites by a skin scrape(won't hurt ham bam) and it can easily be treated! :)

[PetLuver21257]

Thanks for your reply! Do you think that I could try a mite spray first to see if that fixes the problem? Or will the spray it hurt him if he doesn't have mites?

[janie36]

I don't think it would hurt your Hamster, but I am a great advocate, of if in doubt get them checked out!:)
I still think a trip to the vet wouldn't hurt, just to be on the safe side:)

[PetLuver21257]

I think I will try a few things out first, like getting some vitamin drops for his water, spraying his cage with some mite spray, and switching back to chinchilla sand. If his hair continues to fall out, I'll call a vet and see what's up! Thanks! :)