Is Your Black Bear Hamster Healthy?
Black bear hamsters are extremely delicate animals that need proper care and good hygiene. As a pet owner, you need to know everything about this type of hamsters before you can even get successful with taking care of your own black bear hamster. One of the most important information you need to know about them is their health.
There are a lot of signs that will tell you that black bear hamsters are healthy. Normal and healthy black bear hamsters have clean fur and clear eyes, with clear breathing. They also eat and drink regularly, and walk normally. Healthy hamsters are also active, alert and very responsive. And don’t be alarmed if you see their teeth are yellow. Yellow teeth are normal for hamsters, and cleaning them isn’t really necessary.
Along with the signs of healthy black bear hamsters, you also need to be aware of the common health issues that hit them. Weight loss, abnormal hair loss, eye and nasal discharge, and skin lesions are just some of the warning signs that you need to be aware of. Below are the common health problems that strike black bear hamsters.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is the most common health problem that hits not just the black bear hamsters but all types of hamsters. Its symptoms include loose and watery stools. It is often caused by poor diet, internal parasites and even stress. The best thing that you should do once you notice such symptoms is to visit an exotic animal veterinarian so you can determine what caused the diarrhea and what kind of treatment to give them.
Malocclusion
Also known as overgrown teeth, malocclusion is caused by poor diet. Although this health problem is common to old hamsters, the young ones also suffer from overgrown teeth if they are not given materials that they can chew and gnaw on. To treat malocclusion, a visit to the pet clinic is required so their teeth can be properly trimmed. You need to address this issue immediately as sharp teeth can hurt them, making it harder for them to eat and chew on their food. To avoid malocclusion, always provide them with chew materials. There are even chew toys that you can buy for them to play with.
Mites
If you notice your pets scratching constantly, they may have gotten mites into their fur. They will start to lose patches of hair and develop scaly patches of skin if these mites continue to thrive in their fur. If taken to a clinic, the vet will use a magnifying glass to determine any minute movement and if positive, proper treatment will be given.
Heat Stroke
Black bear hamsters also suffer from heat stroke if they are directly exposed to the sun or heat. You know your hamsters are suffering from heat stroke if they always look damp and sweaty, and they’re finding it hard to move. As soon as you notice these symptoms, you don’t need to immediately go to the vet. You can do a home remedy by spraying them with cold water using a mist gun. But spray them slowly and in minimal amount as too much of it will saturate their fur.
To keep black bear hamsters from getting sick, you should keep them clean and properly-groomed. It’s not really hard to keep them clean as they don’t really need regular baths as with other animals. A damp washcloth is all you need to clean them up. Also, don’t forget to clean their houses and change their beddings weekly or as often as you need to.
It may seem that taking care of these types of hamsters may come expensive. But preventing the occurrence of illnesses will save you from the expenses of constantly bringing them to their vets. Remember that a well cared for black bear hamster will seldom get sick.
