Carrots in the diet of Djungarian and Syrian hamsters

A healthy hamster's coat is thick, shiny and silky. But there are periods when the pet renews its fur and in the process loses part of it - this is a normal phenomenon. However, baldness often occurs due to vitamin deficiency, allergic reactions, parasites, and infectious diseases.

Let's find out what other causes of hamster baldness are and how to prevent the development of such diseases.

Is it possible to give hamsters carrots?

Rodents need to be given carrots regularly. Allowed for daily consumption. In addition, the pet will receive additional moisture from this vegetable.

Small hamsters can be given carrots as soon as they begin to eat dry food on their own. And for a pregnant hamster, this is a must-have product in the diet.

Hamster eats carrots

In what quantity: cut a circle from the carrot, 1-1.5 cm thick, and give it to the animal. Do not try to give more, the hamster will begin to stockpile, and the vegetable may quickly rot or dry out. In any case, such a product is unsuitable for food, and midges may also appear in the house.

How can I help my fluffy?

The main thing is to pay attention to the itching animal in time. Of course, it will not be possible to diagnose the disease on your own. The first thing you need to do is isolate the itching hamster. The veterinary clinic must take skin scrapings from your pet, possibly fragments of fur, and use them to determine the presence of a particular parasite. If there are no parasites, the hamster may be suspected of having an allergy.

A veterinarian must prescribe drug treatment for a hamster, because due to its miniature size, the animal needs minimal doses of medication, which is not always possible to calculate independently. Stronghold drops are excellent for killing ticks. To get rid of fungus, bathing in special shampoos and treatment with antifungal ointments are suitable. It is imperative to disinfect the cage to destroy tick and flea eggs or fungal spores.

Useful properties of carrots for a hamster

Compound	Pros for the rodent
Vitamin A	Supports vision and immune system.
Vitamin C	Increases immunity, prevents colds.
Vitamin K	Has a beneficial effect on the hamster's circulatory system.
Potassium and dietary fiber	Normalization of the gastrointestinal tract.

Treatment

Treatment of a bald animal should begin after consultation with a veterinarian. The specialist will prescribe medications that can be used at home.

If the problem is poor nutrition, then the animal should change its diet. Sometimes a special diet menu is prescribed. With proper treatment, the first symptoms of recovery will be noticeable in the first week.

For fungi and viruses, special ointments are prescribed. The composition is applied to the affected areas until the symptoms of baldness disappear completely.

Determining allergies is quite difficult. Changes in the cage, accessories or filler can provoke a negative reaction. In such a situation, it is recommended to thoroughly wash the cage, change the filler and pay special attention to the animal’s nutrition. Wood filler or sawdust should be replaced with paper napkins.

An allergic reaction can be triggered by oats or corn, as well as a monotonous diet. Allergens may include sawdust, dust or rugs. If you suspect that the disease is caused by litter, you should check the paws. In this case, redness is observed.

To eliminate the effects of food poisoning, you can switch to dry food. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be excluded from the diet. You only need to drink filtered water.

If the reason is a stressful situation, the rodent will need to be provided with peace. The cage should be placed in a quiet place.

If several animals live in a cage, then the bald one must be removed. This will prevent others from becoming infected in the event of a fungal or infectious disease. And it will eliminate the possibility of alopecia due to stress if the hamsters do not get along together.

Rodents age early and begin to lose their fur at the age of two years. In such a situation, you can only surround your pet with care and pamper him with delicious treats.

Raw or boiled: what kind of carrots should you give your hamsters?

Overall there is not much difference. Raw contains more nutrients and vitamins. But it needs to be washed and cleaned well. It is preferable to give vegetables from your own garden. In the warm season, you can try growing some carrots on the balcony.

Store-bought carrots can be treated with pesticides and other harmful substances that will not harm humans, but may harm the health of a tiny animal.

If you have no choice, then store-bought carrots must be soaked in cold water for at least 3 hours to remove most of the harmful substances.

Hamsters can also be given boiled carrots, but do not do it often, because when cooked, there is practically no benefit from the vegetable. Raw carrots are dense and help to wear down the animal’s teeth, which grow throughout its life.

Delicious carrots for a hamster

If you still decide to give a piece of boiled vegetable, then you should not do it from your soup or other dishes. It is necessary to cook without salt and spices.

If you have an electric dryer, you can prepare root vegetables for the winter and add them to your main grain feed throughout the year.

Causes of pathological hair loss

You need to be wary if your hamster's hair falls out, it becomes dull, breaks off, itches, or the pet behaves atypically. In such cases, bald patches manifest as one or another disease.

Veterinarians have identified the following (non-physiological) reasons why a hamster loses hair on its back and other parts of its body:

• allergic reaction;
• avitaminosis;
• hypervitaminosis;
• intoxication;
• intestinal infections;
• parasitic diseases;
• stress;
• fungal diseases;
• tick-borne infections;
• hormonal imbalance in females;
• weakened immune system, etc.

Most often, hamsters go bald due to an unbalanced diet and associated vitamin deficiency, skin damage from mites, fungi, and parasites. Slightly less often, fur loss is caused by digestive disorders.

When an abscess appears, the fur falls out locally at the site of its formation. The skin in this area becomes red and purulent fluid accumulates. The abscess opens spontaneously, otherwise you need to visit a veterinarian.

The hair on the hamster's hind legs and belly falls out due to frequent contact with urine. Irritation occurs if the owner rarely changes the hamster's bedding. This can also happen if your hamster drinks a lot of liquid, causing him to empty his bladder frequently. Other causes: inflammation of the bladder, the presence of stones in the urinary system, functional kidney failure, diabetes mellitus.

Bald patches on your hamster's head, neck, paws, or belly can be caused by abrasion. This is due to the hamster's need to sharpen its incisors. Many of them like to chew on the bars of the cage. During grinding, animals rub their heads or other parts of their bodies against adjacent rods. Then, after some time, bald spots appear in these places.

The hair on the neck falls out if there are problems with the teeth. If a hamster does not wear down its growing teeth, its incisors break, or its cheek pouches become inflamed, it will not be able to eat normally. Due to hypersalivation (increased secretion of the salivary glands), the neck will be constantly wet, which causes local baldness.

A specialist will help you find out exactly why your hamster is losing hair on its back and other areas of its body. A ratologist is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies associated with baldness.

Stress

If your hamster's fur begins to fall out for no apparent reason, then most likely this is due to a stressful situation. A similar reaction can be caused by moving, rearranging the cage or moving the house to another place, new food, meeting new pets, aggressive behavior of neighbors.

In a stressful situation, the activity of the hamster's glands increases, which leads to thinning of the hair. Owners need to know that animals love peace, solitude, and are nocturnal. Therefore, you should not force your attention on them, interrupt their sleep, shout loudly or turn on music. This will have a bad effect on the animal's mental state.

In this case, medications will not help; you need to protect the hamster from irritating factors. It is necessary to provide him with peace, maintain silence, surround him with care or not pick him up if he seeks solitude. The animal needs to adapt to new conditions and understand that nothing threatens it.

Poor nutrition

Often the pet loses hair mainly on the ears, the skin in this area peels off, but there are no signs of an inflammatory process. This is how vitamin deficiency manifests itself in a hamster.

This pathological condition is caused by a chronic or periodic deficiency of one or a group of vitamins. Causes of vitamin deficiency:

• lack of vitamins in food;
• long-term storage of products;
• intestinal dysbiosis.

In most cases, vitamin deficiency is caused by an improper diet of the hamster. If an animal eats only dry food and grains for a long time, this leads to a lack of nutrients.

The best way to combat vitamin deficiency is a varied, balanced diet. Replenish your pet's menu with herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Sometimes give him a boiled egg or boiled meat (a small piece).

Important! Veterinarians prescribe vitamin supplements to hamsters with vitamin deficiency. They should be given along with food or water. An excellent example is “8 in 1” Hamster&GerbilVitaSol.

If vitamin deficiency is diagnosed in time and the hamster’s diet is adjusted, then in about a month his condition will improve. Then his ears will be covered with new fur.

Improper nutrition can lead to intoxication. Then the hamster's fur falls out and becomes duller. This happens because due to disruption of the digestive tract, beneficial substances do not enter the blood. This leads to a weakening of the animal’s body. The cause of poisoning can be poor quality food, nitrates or a large amount of chemical additives in the feed.

In case of poisoning, as with vitamin deficiency, you need to adjust your diet. The ratologist will create a menu for the hamster and recommend brands of quality food.

Parasites and fungi

If your hamster itches and goes bald, this could be a sign of lichen. His skin peels, itches, and fur falls out. Unlike vitamin deficiency, changes are present throughout the body.

Often, pet owners assume that the cause is an allergy. They try to self-medicate, waste time, thereby putting their pet, themselves and others at risk. Often skin lesions are caused by fungi from the genus Microsporum or Trichophyton.

Fungal infection differs from vitamin deficiency by the appearance of rounded lesions. In appearance, these are bald patches with clear boundaries, on which broken hairs are noticeable. These formations cover the muzzle, ears, and sides. At first, the lesions are smooth, but then an inflammatory process develops. If left untreated, pus accumulates in the formations, and on top they become covered with scabs (crusts).

Such signs indicate that the hamster became infected several months ago. Therefore, long-term complex treatment will be required with the mandatory use of local medications (sprays, ointments).

If symptoms of infection appear, you should visit a doctor who will conduct the necessary tests, identify the causative agent of the infection, and draw up a specific treatment plan.

Another reason for hamster baldness is scabies. The infection is caused by microscopic parasites - scabies mites:

1. Itches parasitize inside the skin (top layer).
2. The skinworms pierce the skin and suck blood.
3. Carpet beetles feed on keratinized cells.

Scabies in hamsters is often caused by mites from the genus Demodex.

The animal becomes infected from a sick animal or through objects. The infection is dangerous for himself and his owner.

The disease is manifested by severe itching, due to which the hamster scratches the skin until it bleeds, hair loss, and the appearance of bald patches in certain areas of the body. Round formations covered with a crust and plaque appear on the cheeks, ears, and anus. The pet loses its appetite, periods of apathy are replaced by aggression.

If a hamster with scabies is not treated in time, the scratched wounds become infected. In severe cases, the animal dies after a few weeks or a couple of months.

The veterinarian will conduct laboratory tests to identify the pathogen and prescribe a course of treatment. Antiparasitic drugs are used for this. It is important to follow the dosage of medications, as they are toxic.

The fur on the back and other parts of the body can peel off when infected with fleas, lice, and lice. Often infection occurs from street cats and dogs with which the hamster comes into contact. Fortunately, this rarely happens, because domestic hamsters practically never leave their cage.

To identify parasites, just part the fur and look at the skin. When infected, the hamster is bothered by constant itching, but general behavior does not change and appetite does not decrease.

Antiparasitic drugs prescribed by a veterinarian are used for treatment.

Important! 7 days after the first treatment of the hamster with antiparasitic agents, the procedure must be repeated. This will destroy the larvae. Bromocyclen (solution) is used to treat the pet’s cage and all accessories.

Allergy

Sometimes a hamster goes bald on its back and other parts of its body due to allergies. A pathological reaction can be caused by cage filler, pet toys, or new food. It is difficult to identify an allergen.

In this case, you need to wash the cage and all accessories (wheel, house, feeder, drinking bowl) using disinfectants. Instead of sawdust, it is better to use paper sawdust. But you should not use printed products (newspapers, magazines) for this purpose, as they are coated with paint that can kill your pet.

Important! To disinfect the hamster's cage and accessories, it is forbidden to use bleach, as it is dangerous for him. It is better to buy a special product at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store.

It is also worth adjusting the hamster’s menu, excluding vegetables and fruits from it. It is better to give him only high quality dry food during treatment.

Hormonal changes

Females may go bald during lactation. Then the fur falls out on the stomach and chest area. The hairline is restored after the end of the breastfeeding period. A pregnant female's fur coat also often thins. This, by the way, is also directly related to vitamin deficiency.

Symmetrically located bald patches appear in females with diseases of the reproductive organs, for example endometritis (inflammation of the inner layer of the uterus), pyometra (purulent inflammation of the uterus), neoplasms on the ovaries (cysts, tumors). In this case, the female has no itching.

Weak immunity

The body's defenses are reduced in the following cases:

• lack of vaccinations;
• violation of the vaccination schedule;
• poor nutrition, vitamin deficiency;
• unfavorable conditions of detention;
• sudden change in diet;
• acute and chronic pathologies;
• damage by internal or external parasites;
• frequent stress;
• serious injuries;
• previous operations;
• long-term use of antibiotics.

All this leads to weakened immunity, as well as fur loss in hamsters. Then rodents become vulnerable to infections of various origins (viral, bacterial, fungal).

Weak immunity is manifested by poor appetite, sudden weight loss, depression, drowsiness, apathy, and unstable temperature. If such signs appear, you need to visit a ratologist. To strengthen the immune system, you need to adjust your diet and buy vitamin and mineral complexes.

How to serve it to your pet

Be careful! In supermarkets and markets, vegetables are often saturated with chemicals and harmful nitrates. Carrots absorb them into their juices and then give them to those who consume them. In addition, in stores it is sprayed with a special substance, which gives it a fresh look and prevents rapid spoilage of the product.

Based on this, it is highly not recommended to buy food for your pet in these places. It’s better to buy it second-hand, or grow it yourself (it’s not as difficult as it might seem). But in this case, you will be sure that you will not poison the baby. After all, all these supplements greatly affect his well-being and health in general.

It is better to process raw carrots before serving to the hamster. Soak it in water until the nitrates come out of the vegetable. Then rinse it under running water to completely remove as much dirt and harmful substances as possible. Next, scrape off the top layer and dry. After such simple procedures, it will be safe to give your pet treats.

Some owners are interested in whether it is possible to give boiled carrots to babies. This is not prohibited if “extra” elements are not added to the vegetable. When cooking, do not add salt, pepper or spices. Also, you don’t need to cook it for too long, then the beneficial properties of the vegetable will be completely boiled out. And in general, boiled carrots make much less sense than raw ones. It stops sharpening your teeth, nourishing you with useful elements, and even quenches your thirst much more weakly. So think twice, why do you need it?

Popular breeds

Despite the ease of care, each type of domestic rodent has its own characteristics. Before choosing the breed of your future pet, you should take into account the habits inherent in its representative. This will help you quickly gain confidence in a tiny and naturally shy animal.

It is believed that the life expectancy of a hamster that is friends with its owner is much longer. After all, this way he is less likely to experience stress, which affects the general condition of the body.

Below are the most common domestic hamster breeds with a brief description.

Diagnostics

The most common cause of baldness in domestic hamsters is infection with lichen. Moreover, it is not always possible to determine the presence of lichen in a hamster at the initial stage. Baldness caused by lichen appears first on the back, then on other parts of the body. In areas of baldness, you can notice small scales and wounds from scratching. If an animal constantly scratches due to unbearable itching, it most likely has lichen.

Treatment of a hamster that has become bald from lichen is carried out using special ointments. But you shouldn’t get carried away with self-medication. After all, in nature there are many varieties of lichen. Each case requires individual and well-chosen treatment.

The second reason, which is often accompanied by baldness of a domestic hamster, is an overabundance or lack of vitamins. You shouldn’t stuff your animal with everything in order to get rid of this problem. First you need to establish the cause. For this purpose, the veterinarian conducts an in-depth diagnosis of the pet:

• take a skin scraping;
• will inspect the affected areas under a special lamp.

A comprehensive diagnosis will help determine the cause of baldness, after which a specialist will prescribe the necessary treatment for your animal.

How to feed

In what form and in what quantity can carrots be given to rodents? Carrots can be given to your pets in any form. The main thing is to follow all the rules of primary processing. Before cooking, the vegetable should be thoroughly washed and peeled. Wash and peel thoroughly so that the product is not soiled and preferably does not contain any peel residue. Peeling is not important, but since vegetables can now be grown on nitrates, it is still better to remove the peel.

Poor nutrition

Before you get yourself a furry pet, you should definitely familiarize yourself with its diet. Some products are strictly prohibited for him. For example:

• cabbage - any variety;
• milk - in its raw form causes severe distress;
• garlic;
• onion;
• some fruits, especially those that are too sweet.

Incorrectly selected products can not only cause disruption to the hamster’s gastrointestinal tract, but also injure its delicate body.

Solid foods must be present - for example, carrots. The rodent will sharpen its sharp teeth on it. Otherwise, they can grow greatly and become a real problem for him.

Bald animals (photo)

Many people were shocked to see what an owl looks like without feathers.

And this is a completely bald hedgehog.

This is a rooster without feathers.

The hairless Sphynx cat is one of the most expensive breeds.

This rabbit was born without hair.

The bald bear lost its fur due to a genetic disorder.

Little hairless puppy.

This raccoon lost its fur due to scab, a fairly common disease in animals.

VIDEO: The cutest hamster in the world, chewing carrots in a cozy place!

Many people have pets. Some dogs, some cats, guinea pigs or hamsters. Today we will talk about the latter.

Hamsters are very cute and gentle animals belonging to the subfamily of rodents. That's why they absolutely love to chew carrots and cabbage.

The hero of the next video, Mike the hamster, won the hearts of millions of Internet users. “How is he different from other hamsters?” - you ask.

This Japanese hamster resembles a baby who is sitting down comfortably and enjoying something tasty. Very funny and sentimental video.

Mike's favorite treat is carrots, which he is ready to gnaw for days. Indeed, the hamster settled in well. What else does he need?

Warmth, food, care - he has it all. A real heavenly life that millions of other rodents dream about! But, unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as Mike.

The happy hamster looks at the camera and seems to radiate positive energy. It is very difficult to describe this amazingly cute creature in words; you need to look at it.

We recommend that you look at your pet with your own eyes. Don't forget to take a warm blanket and eat something tasty to keep Mike company while watching the video! Enjoy your viewing!

Keep a male and a female in the same cage if you do not plan to have babies

Some inexperienced owners buy a pair at once - a female and a male, believing that they will have much more fun together.

However, one should not rush to conclusions. If you put a boy and a girl in the same cage, then one day they will make you happy with offspring. And it will not be one or a couple of small animals, but at least a dozen at once.

If you are not ready to breed these rodents, then it is better to purchase one. Hamsters themselves are not social animals; they do well without company, in splendid isolation. And so that they don’t get bored, you can place various wheels, labyrinths and hammocks. Nowadays you can find a wide selection of products in the pet store.

Benefit

So, we have already found out whether hamsters can eat carrots. Now you need to figure out what benefit or harm it will bring to your pet. Of course, eating a vegetable such as carrots will bring great benefits and will have an impact not only on the appearance, but also on the overall development of the pet.

In addition to the main food, each animal requires additional feeding, which consists of vegetables, fruits and some minerals. But, if your pet is hungry and there is nothing at hand, then carrots are the best option. The vegetable contains vitamins B, PPE, C, which are involved in metabolic processes and protein synthesis in the blood. Also, thanks to carotene, which is part of the vegetable, the body can receive vitamin A, which is responsible for vision and proper growth.

Delicious feeding is a must

The benefits that a hamster will get from eating a vegetable are very great:

• improvement in general condition: the animal is constantly energetic and full of strength;
• thanks to the richness of vitamins in carrots, the animal’s spring condition improves: the coat becomes smooth and silky, and the claws are strong;
• Rodents can also wear down their teeth on hard vegetables, which is very useful for such animals.

Ectoparasites

I would like to immediately clarify that fleas and lice eaters are quite rare. Mostly, fleas appear on furry animals when another animal lives nearby. Migrants may initially live on your cat or dog.

A flea bite produces saliva, which causes itching. The only good thing about fleas is that they are impossible to miss. Therefore, it will not be difficult to make a diagnosis. The animal may feel relatively well in terms of appetite and general condition.

You should be wary of Sarcoptes anacanthos mites, as the disease sarcoptic mange is much more complex. The hamster literally combs and leaves many wounds on the skin. It happens that there is no healthy place left on the animal. This form can very quickly end in death.

By the way, do you know how to make a maze for a hamster with your own hands? Look, it's interesting!

Tasty alternative

Don't be upset if for some reason you can't provide your pet with carrots. As for vegetables, there is a complete variety for rodents! They can eat peppers, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, radishes, beans, pumpkin, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, radish, and corn. The list of permitted products can be very long, so it’s easier to concentrate on the dangerous ones.

It is not advisable to feed rodents white or red cabbage, potatoes, sorrel, and garlic. Also dangerous can be pits from food and any plants grown in environmentally polluted conditions, such as cities, near roads.