# Hamster scratching please help!!!



## gem1984

Ok so I have a Syrian hamster called Bella. She scratches a lot and I don't know why. I have taken her to the vet but she threw a hissy fit when the vet held her but the vet said she didn't think she had anything as her coat looks good. But she is still scratching. I have changed her bedding fro
Carefresh to hamster shavings. But there is no change. She doesn't scratch in her ball only in her cage. She rubs herself along her cage a lot and follows with scratching. I looks like she cAnt satisfy a scratch. 
Should I get her to the vet again or is there something else I can try. Like I said she only does it in her cage. :-/ x


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## niki87

Where did you get her from? Do you know if she has had mites before? It could be that she has mites...which are not visible to the naked eye...or she may have had them and got into the habit of scratching. Or she has an allergy...but seems you have addressed that.

Would be worth muying some spot on treatment...make sure it has ivermectin in it...to treat any potential mites. Even if it is not this you can use it as preventitive so will do her no harm. 

If the problem persists you can try to find a specialist rodent/small animal/exotics vet for better advice!


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## Lil Miss

it actually sounds like scenting behaviour to me.

syrian hamsters have scent glads on their hips, they will rub their hips along objects to mark them with their scent and claim them as "theirs"

when you took her to the vets, did they do a skin scraping? that is the only way to confirm if mites are present or not as they are microscopic and not visible to the eye


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## Jazzy

Yes it might be mites so I would try something this Xeno 50 Mini 9 Pipettes Ivermectin Spot On - £17.45.

I did my Syrian hamster with it when she was young as she seemed to be scratching a bit and it solved the problem.


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## gem1984

I had a spot on treatment from the vet which I put on her but no change. I think I will get her down to the vet and get them to double check. At least if I know it's not mites then I can work in finding what it could be. May he the cleaning stuff I use. It is hamster friendly but u never know.


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## Myth

> She rubs herself along her cage a lot and follows with scratching.


Sounds like scenting behaviour to me too.
Of course mites are still a possible I guess.

But if you've changed her bedding 
and cleaned her cage out more than usual 
then she'll obviously be having to go round and re-mark everything !

I've had one girl who was an absolute loon over scenting.
She'd rub her way round the whole of her Cambridge.
Girl would go rather manic until satisfied everyone and everything would know it was hers...hers...all hers.


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## gem1984

I put her in a bigger cage that I had as she was outgrowing the one I had and I did previously, until xmas, have another hamster in it so I thought it may be that but she used to do it in her old cage so that can't be the problem. The previous hamster had no problems, just old age.
Only way to solve this is a trip to the vet I think. I don't like taking her there as the vet is really rough with her and she really doesn't like the vet, mind what animal does.


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