I have a hamster who is almost 4 years old. Since October, he’s gone through phases of hair loss and growth. Right now, he is almost completely hairless, and his skin feels like dried parchment.
I give him fresh food and water every day, and change his bedding at least once a week.
What could be causing this, and what can I do to get his fur growing again?
Have you taken him to a vet? It might be time. I don’t think hamsters molt.
Wikipedia says that a hamster’s typical lifespan is only 2 - 3 years (2 - 4 years for one species of hamster).
At 4 years, you’re looking at a very old hamster. I’m not sure there’s anything you can do.
J.
Sadly, that is indeed a very old age for a hamster. If he’s getting to that stage of life, you should also watch out for eye problems. It’s very common for their eyelids to become stuck and you’ll need to take a warm, wet tissue and gently stroke the eyelid to help him open it.
I concur with the other posters - assuming he’s a golden hamster (don’t really know about the other types) he’s seriously old. I had hamsters when I was a kid, I looked after them very well, and I think one made 2 years, the other 18 months. Poor thing probably needs putting down. I don’t know much about home euthansia techniques but maybe you could try giving him vodka in his drinking water - or alternatively, feeding him over the counter co-codamol tablets - but PLEASE check with a vet before trying either of those. It’s just something I thought of and may be a bad idea.
You poor thing. The hamster love of my life, Pete, lived about that long and at the end had the same symptoms. I made a vet appointment, but unfortunately, he died the day before he was to have gone. I talked to the vet anyway, and he said he was just very old and there was nothing that could have been done. Which isn’t to say you shouldn’t make a vet appointment; they may have different news for you. But at four years, I doubt there will be much they can do.
If he is still getting around ok and everything, I wouldn’t euthanize. For Pete, we got a cage that was a bit easier to maneuver in, since he got a little wobbly, but he was fine and happy up until the hour he passed. Then he started to have trouble breathing, and I held him and talked to him* and he died.
I’m sorry your hamster is sick, but kudos to you for caring for him so well. he lived a very long life.
*I was also getting thing together to take him to the emergency vet, but unfortunately he died before we even got out the door
Moved MPSIMS --> IMHO, home of threads seeking veterinary advice.
Thanks twickster, I thought I was in IMHO when I posted.
Unfortunately a vet visit is out of the question. Money is very tight at the moment, and there is simply no luxury I can cut out to take him.
He opens his eyes fine, and still gets around with ease. Aside from dry skin and loss of fur, he’s his usual self. For the record, he’s a teddy bear hamster. I didn’t know if this was an old age thing or what, as hamsters during my child hood had the tendency of escaping, dying from carbon monoxide poisoning, or being eaten by cats.
Don’t mean to hijack but I have a hamster question as well. Last weekend, out of the corner of my eye, I saw what I thought was a dog toy. I ignored it until I heard the dogs barking and carrying on around it. I went to look and it was my daughter’s hamster that had escaped from his cage. I called my daughter (because I don’t touch rodents) and she checked him over, saw he was fine and put him back in the cage. The next day he was dead.
I was wondering if it is possible it died of a heart attack from fright. He was around 1.
Kudos to you for caring for your little buddy that long! What a lucky little fellow! If he’s getting around ok, eating and drinking, etc., I would say just keep him fed, watered, clean and comfortable like you’ve been doing. Make sure the room he’s in is warm, his bedding is soft and comfy. Shredded toilet paper might feel really good on his skin—no dyes or scents on it. Just put pieces of it in his cage and he can make a nest with it.
I had three ferrets in college and one lived waaaay longer than the other two. The last year or so of her life she was completely and utterly bald - she looked like a pencil eraser crossed with a Sphinx cat. The vet said she was otherwise OK and to be sure she was kept warm. It never seemed to bother her in the least - she was the same [del]bitchy[/del] spunky little thing right up until the end.
Foxy40, I’d guess internal injuries were to blame. But a heart attack is certainly possible. And, now that I think about it, technically counts as an “internal injury” as well…
Mine was also a teddy bear hamster. Hmmm. I would guess hair loss is simply a sign of age, in that case.
I seriously doubt there is anything they can do for you at the vet’s. It’s the equivalent of a 120 year old man going to the doctor saying, “I don’t feel like I did at 30! Can you help?” So don’t feel too bad about not being able to go. You’ve given him a great, long life.
Thanks for the info guys and gals, it’s appreciated.
Saying he is 4 may or may not be correct. I got him from my sister 3 years ago. She got him from her sister in law a year before, that, and she had him at least 6 months, maybe longer. I go with 4 since that’s what I know he’s lived. If I can find my camera I’ll put up a pic of him later.