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I often get asked ‘can hamsters get Fleas?’ and the answer is yes, they can. However, as hamsters are indoor pets it’s much less likely that a hamster will get fleas compared to say a pet cat or dog getting fleas. That’s because dogs and cats are often outdoors in long grass and places where fleas can be easily picked up.
Yes Hamsters can get Fleas, but none of my Hamsters ever have!
None of my hamsters have ever had fleas. They were from reputable breeders, kept indoors and had no other owner than myself. If this is the case for your hamster, it is unlikely that you have to worry about your hamster getting fleas, but it’s always a good idea to check and keep an eye on the situation.
So how do Hamsters get Fleas?
You may be unfortunate enough to get a flea ridden Hamster from a breeder or store, especially if they were not bothered about the health and welfare of the hamsters. It is possible that hamsters can catch fleas from other pets in your household. It’s also possible for them to catch fleas from outdoors, but as hamsters usually stay indoors this is not so much of a problem. If you have several hamsters and one has fleas, it is likely that the fleas will pass to the other hamsters (especially if they are in the same cage) and also they can pass to the bedding.
How do I tell if my Hamster has Fleas?
- You might notice a lot of scratching
- You may see them crawling in the hamsters fur
- You may see small black dots on the underside of your hamster (flea dirt)
- You may see them in your hamsters bedding when you clean out the hamster cage.
How do I treat my Hamster for Fleas?
It is always best to go to your vet for advice with your hamster. You might like to book an appointment to double check with your vet that it is fleas that are the problem. Your vet will then recommend something to treat your hamsters fleas and flea treatments can be quite quick and effective. Never use flea treatment meant for any other pet (such as rabbit, cat or dog) on your hamster. This can be too strong and very harmful. You can also buy hamster free treatments online.
Remember that if your hamster has fleas you will need to clean out your hamsters cage thoroughly because they can live on the bedding. For cleaning the cage you might like to get a special antibacterial hutch and cage cleaner which you know will be gentle enough for your hamsters environment. We like to use OUT Hutch and cage cleaner which is a cage cleaner formulated with natural ingredients.
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