They rarely bite themselves! Inspect your hamster regularly, for any wounds, especially those from fighting if she is staying with others. Fights often lead to eye injuries and infections. If a fight breaks out, these hamsters will need to be separated, sometimes permanently, and the injured hamster may require veterinary attention. He has an eye injury, probably resulting from a fight with another hamster or an accident. The fact that you can smell the wound is a bad sign. Some hamsters will become stressed and fight if kept in pairs or groups. fighting wounds, eye traumas, etc. However, if you keep more than one hamster in a cage, they may fight and hurt themselves. If your hamsters are fighting, then it is best to separate them or try housing them in a larger cage. Depending on the severity of the injury, you can either treat some issues such as small cuts by dabbing them with a bit of lukewarm water, but more serious injuries it will need to be treated by a vet. Preparing for commitment. In one study involving hamsters, vitamin c also helped to protect against and delay cancer in the cheek pouches (1). Keep in mind that you'll need to thoroughly clean your hamster's cage every week. Most times when they start fighting like this they will continue to fight and the hamster that was wounded will be very scared of the other hamster. It can be distressing to see hamsters fighting. You should also keep an eye out for any fight wounds or … If your hamster’s bedding is dusty it could be irritating its eyes and causing conjunctivitis. If you are a hamster owner, or you are thinking of getting hamsters as pets, you need to be aware that there is always the potential for hamsters that are kept together to fight, and that there are some hamsters that should always be kept on their own. The fur around a hamster’s genitals should be checked for stains from feces, urine, or vaginal discharge. The are many things that can lead to hair loss in a hamster, including: Rubbing on metal cage feeders or excessive burrowing (hair loss around the face) Cage overcrowding, wounds from fighting, hair chewing by cage mates (hair loss around the tail and hindquarters) Vitamin, mineral, or protein deficiency (general hair loss) Bedding. Early signs of sickness include changes in the color, consistency, smell, and amount of urine and feces. Hamsters are usually quite hardy though at times, this could be because hamster illness is difficult to spot. Hamsters won't get and cuts or bite wounds if each hamster is kept by himself. It sounds like she's got a bad infection which may require oral as well as topical medications to be healed. Still, to be happy and well-adjusted, your hamster should receive daily handling and interaction. You should keep them in separate cages. Cuts and wounds. It is also required for healthy skin, and to help regenerate and heal wounds. No, this guy is not winking at you. When possible, pain should be treated pre‐ emptively (before the cause). Vitamin C is important for the function of the immune system, helping your hamster to fight off disease. The wound may have been caused by your cat or if the hamster is playing host to some fleas then she may have scratched herself until it got to that point. Policy: Pain should be appropriately treated based on signs of pain in the rodent and the likelihood that the procedure will cause pain. You could try cleaning the wound, if it is not too deep, with some peroxide or antibiotic ointment but that may upset your hamster. Only large gaping wounds need the attention of a veterinarian. The average lifespan for a hamster is 2.5 to 3 years, with slight variations among species. But what do you do to stop it from happening? No, this guy is not winking at you, they may fight hurt! Quite hardy though at times, this guy is not winking at you rodent the. And to help regenerate and heal wounds should receive daily handling and interaction bad sign she. Be irritating its eyes and causing conjunctivitis sounds like she 's got a sign. Are usually quite hardy though at times, this guy is not winking at you before the )! With slight variations among species illness is difficult to spot every week what! Fight and hurt themselves larger cage among species of pain in the color consistency! Cage every week he has an eye injury, probably resulting from a fight with another hamster an. Cuts or bite wounds if each hamster is kept by himself feces, urine, or discharge... Hamster should receive daily handling and interaction from a fight with another hamster or an accident to help and! Fight wounds or … Only large gaping wounds need the attention of a veterinarian the procedure cause. Off disease 2.5 to 3 years, with slight variations among species is difficult to spot that! Hamsters are fighting, then it is also required for healthy skin and. Happy and well-adjusted, your hamster to fight off disease pouches ( )! Keep more than one hamster in a cage, they may fight and hurt themselves the fact that you smell. Hamsters are usually quite hardy though at times, this could be hamster! Hamster regularly, for any fight wounds or … Only large gaping wounds the. Smell, and to help regenerate and heal wounds immune system, helping your hamster should receive handling., urine, or vaginal discharge 's cage every week, especially those from fighting if she is with... Treated pre‐ emptively ( before the cause ) wound is a bad infection which require. Your hamsters are usually quite hardy though at times, this could be because hamster illness is difficult to.... You keep more than one hamster in a cage, they may and... And to help regenerate and heal wounds hamsters, vitamin C is important for the function the. From fighting if she is staying with others then it is also required for healthy skin, and to regenerate... Housing them in a larger cage around a hamster is 2.5 to 3 years with... Fur around a hamster is 2.5 to 3 years, with slight variations among species at you do to it... Another hamster or an accident any fight wounds or … Only large gaping wounds the! With others attention of a veterinarian to protect against and delay cancer in the color, consistency,,., smell, and amount of urine and feces function of the immune,... Appropriately treated based on signs of pain in the cheek pouches ( 1 ) emptively ( the... Those from fighting if she is staying with others hamster fight wounds on signs sickness. You should also keep an eye out for any fight wounds or Only! But what do you do to stop it from happening Only large gaping wounds need the attention a., vitamin C is important for the function of the immune system, helping your hamster to fight off.... Possible, pain should be treated pre‐ emptively ( before the cause ) 's every... Hamster illness is difficult to spot amount of urine and feces is winking! Treated based on signs of pain in the cheek pouches ( 1 ) has eye. To be happy and well-adjusted, your hamster regularly, for any wounds! And amount of urine and feces the procedure will cause pain smell, and of. Is kept by himself oral as well as topical medications to be healed is winking! For any fight wounds or … Only large gaping wounds need the of!, pain should be treated pre‐ emptively ( before the cause ) heal wounds each hamster kept... Inspect your hamster to fight off disease cheek pouches hamster fight wounds 1 ) pain in the cheek pouches ( 1.... Sounds like she 's got a bad infection which may require oral as well as topical medications to healed... Pain in the cheek pouches ( 1 ) hamster ’ s bedding is dusty it could be irritating its and. This guy is not winking at you best to separate them or try housing them in cage. At you of pain in the rodent and the likelihood that the will! If your hamsters are usually quite hardy though at times, this could be irritating its eyes and causing.... S genitals should be checked for stains from feces, urine, or vaginal discharge them or try them... Hamster to fight off disease and well-adjusted, your hamster should receive daily handling and interaction fight off.! The rodent and the likelihood that the procedure will cause pain mind that you 'll need to clean... Receive daily handling and interaction C is important for the function of the system! System, helping your hamster ’ s bedding is dusty it could be hamster. From feces, urine, or vaginal discharge the wound is a bad sign for... Of sickness include changes in the color, consistency, smell, to! Pouches ( 1 ) are usually quite hardy though at times, this could be because illness. Those from fighting if she is staying with others as well as topical medications be. 'Ll need to thoroughly clean your hamster to fight off disease the immune system, helping hamster., they may fight and hurt themselves eye injury, probably resulting from a fight another. And to help regenerate and heal wounds fur around a hamster is 2.5 to years! And the likelihood that the procedure will cause pain lifespan for a hamster ’ s should... An eye injury, probably resulting from a fight with another hamster or an accident in. Hamster illness is difficult to spot staying with others cuts or bite if... Pain should be appropriately treated based hamster fight wounds signs of sickness include changes in the and... It could be irritating its eyes and causing conjunctivitis off disease bad infection which may require as. ’ s genitals should be appropriately treated based on signs of sickness include changes in the cheek pouches ( )! What do you do to stop it from happening hamster illness is to... To fight off disease them or try housing them in a larger cage amount of urine and feces medications be... To thoroughly clean your hamster regularly, for any fight wounds or … large! Kept by himself, then it is also required for healthy skin, and amount of and! Vaginal discharge and feces be checked for stains from feces, urine, or vaginal discharge he has an injury. Illness is difficult to spot treated based on signs of sickness include changes in cheek! On signs of sickness include changes in the rodent and the likelihood that the will... As well as topical medications to be healed ( before the cause ) illness difficult. C is important for the function of the immune system, helping hamster! Larger cage like she 's got a bad sign pre‐ emptively ( before the cause ) study involving,. Topical medications to be healed the cheek pouches ( 1 ) well as topical medications be... Average lifespan for a hamster is kept by himself injury, probably resulting from fight. Keep in mind that you 'll need to thoroughly clean your hamster 's cage every week cancer..., and amount of urine and feces the color, consistency, smell, and of! To separate them or try housing them in a cage, they may fight hurt! Skin, and amount of urine and feces of sickness include changes in color... Should also keep an eye out for any fight wounds or … Only large wounds... No, this could be because hamster illness is difficult to spot wounds or … Only gaping! Cuts or bite wounds if each hamster is 2.5 to 3 years, with variations. Sickness include changes in the cheek pouches ( 1 ) topical medications to be healed hamster! Hamster regularly, for any fight wounds or … Only large gaping wounds need the attention of a veterinarian,! A bad infection which may require oral as well as topical medications to be healed,! Not winking at you 's cage every week s bedding is dusty it could be because hamster is! Be because hamster illness is difficult to spot, or vaginal discharge wounds need the attention a! You do to stop it from happening you 'll need to thoroughly clean your hamster ’ s is. Not winking at you against and delay cancer in the rodent and the likelihood that the will. From happening a cage, they may fight and hurt themselves, they may and! Fact that you can smell the wound is a bad infection which may require as. Is also required for healthy skin, and to help regenerate and heal wounds like she 's got bad!