# Itchy Hamster!



## binxycat (Mar 15, 2008)

Hi all
Long story but we have two new hamsters to add to the zoo in our house!
Youngest daughter went to town and instead of buying school shoes came back with a darling little girl hamster, cage, food etc etc! Well elder daughter then took it upon herself to go to PAH with her BF and came back with the biggest "baby" hamster I have ever seen and a rotastack pink palace thingy for it's home. (Must add that we have had hamsters before, the last one lived 4 years and was fab!)
I felt really sorry for the big baby because he was just squealing all the time, probably with stress? so we didn't try handling him for a few days after which he was particuarly savage with my husband!! I bought a "normal" type cage and we transferred him to this hoping that he would be able to interract a little bit more with us and get used to us moving around etc.
Well "Jim Bob" is getting really interested in what's going on, we are letting him have a sniff of us, giving him food through the bars etc but haven't tried picking him up yet (he's been in the new home 4 days). What I have noticed is that he seems to be scratching himself A LOT and rolling around in the sawdust - Could he have some sort of mites or something that is upsetting him and not adding to his general demeanor?? i can't pick him up to have a look at him!!
Sorry this is a long story but wanted to give a bit of background info - Oh yes he's a tri colour syrian - any help appreciated
Thanks


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## Guest (Oct 9, 2008)

binxycat said:


> Hi all
> Long story but we have two new hamsters to add to the zoo in our house!
> Youngest daughter went to town and instead of buying school shoes came back with a darling little girl hamster, cage, food etc etc! Well elder daughter then took it upon herself to go to PAH with her BF and came back with the biggest "baby" hamster I have ever seen and a rotastack pink palace thingy for it's home. (Must add that we have had hamsters before, the last one lived 4 years and was fab!)
> I felt really sorry for the big baby because he was just squealing all the time, probably with stress? so we didn't try handling him for a few days after which he was particuarly savage with my husband!! I bought a "normal" type cage and we transferred him to this hoping that he would be able to interract a little bit more with us and get used to us moving around etc.
> ...


Sounds like mites, the poor thing is probably doubly grumpy from the stress of a new house and the mites irritating him all the time. Take him to the vets to have a look, he'll prob give him some drops to put in his water x


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## binxycat (Mar 15, 2008)

louise5031 said:


> Sounds like mites, the poor thing is probably doubly grumpy from the stress of a new house and the mites irritating him all the time. Take him to the vets to have a look, he'll prob give him some drops to put in his water x


Thanks! Yes I will take him to the vets, poor little thing! Where did the mites come from??!


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## Guest (Oct 9, 2008)

binxycat said:


> Thanks! Yes I will take him to the vets, poor little thing! Where did the mites come from??!


not too sure - havent had hamsters for years but once mine did have mites and it sounds a lot like what you're saying! best to get it sorted soon though because the scratches from the itching can get really sore and infected, not nice especially for a shy little baby!


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

It does sound like he could have mites, poor little guy! He could have had mites when he came from the pet shop, some can be quite careless. A note though, are they dwarfs living together? If so, it will be likely they will both get them, so best get them both checked out if you can!

Good luck!


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## u-look-like-a-hamster (Aug 17, 2008)

the princess palace is awfull

throw it in the bin ^_^

xx


nd yh i think she has mites [email protected] are pretty poor

the mum proberly had them and past them on


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## StolenkissGerbils (Aug 8, 2008)

A lot of pet shops, the big chains especially, source their pets from huge scale small animal breeding "factories" where welfare is nil and disease is rife. [email protected] are notorious for this, and also for importing diseased stock en masse from the continent.

I'll wager dollars to donuts that that's how your poor little hammie ended up with mites!  Makes you quite angry and sad doesn't it?

However he got the mites, I hope he gets rid of them soon


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## binxycat (Mar 15, 2008)

Hi all thanks for your replies - 
Yes the pink palace has gone out in the bin!! Hammy is off to the vets so hopefully he will be fine after - He let us stroke him yesterday (was probably hoping for a scratch, bless) so things are looking up. As he is quite a big lad what sort of house would be best? I'm thinking a multi-story type? He'll have to wait for pay day until he can move to a new abode but I will start looking around (not in PAH!)
Thanks again..


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## binxycat (Mar 15, 2008)

StolenkissGerbils said:


> A lot of pet shops, the big chains especially, source their pets from huge scale small animal breeding "factories" where welfare is nil and disease is rife. [email protected] are notorious for this, and also for importing diseased stock en masse from the continent.
> 
> I'll wager dollars to donuts that that's how your poor little hammie ended up with mites!  Makes you quite angry and sad doesn't it?
> 
> However he got the mites, I hope he gets rid of them soon


Oh yes it makes me mad - a few years ago we had two "female" gerbils from them - well they had a litter which was a complete surprise (yes, I know we were probably stupid) and then of course another litter followed shortly afterwards as we did'nt realise that they would mate again straight after!!!
PAH were really rude to me when I told them about it
I'm not going to go there anymore..


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