If you share your home with one or more hamsters, you probably already know that these little rodents usually have a big appetite, so They can easily gain weight and become obese, especially if they don't eat a balanced diet or don't exercise daily. For this reason, many guardians are concerned when they notice that their hamster is not eating or drinking water or is significantly reducing its daily food intake, seeming not to have the same interest in enjoy your food.
In fact, your concern is not without justification: lack of appetite is one of the most frequent symptoms of various common diseases in hamsters. For this reason, if your hamster eats almost nothing, you are probably wondering how to tell if my hamster is sick.
In this new article on our site, we will mention the possible causes associated with loss of appetite in hamsters. In addition, you can find some tips to provide complete and balanced nutrition to your rodents. Do you wonder why your hamster doesn't eat? Solve all your doubts below!
Your hamster doesn't want to eat because he is sick
As we mentioned, the loss of appetite may indicate that your hamster is sick. These small rodents are quite sensitive and can easily be affected by infections, abscesses, parasites, fungus, colds, respiratory problems, and other common hamster illnesses.
A sick hamster, in addition to reducing her usual appetite, may also show the following symptoms:
- Weightloss
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Excessive scratching
- Cracked Skin
- Red skin
- Inflamed skin
- Injuries
- Blisters
- Loss of hair
- Baldness
- Hyperactivity
- Aggressiveness
- Depression
- Isolation
- Nervousness
- Excessive fear
- Destructiveness
- Others
If you perceive that your hamster does not want to eat and shows one or more of the symptoms mentioned, you should go to a specialized veterinarian as soon as possible to check her he alth status. Only the veterinarian is qualified to offer you an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate treatment according to the pathology that it presents.
Your hamster doesn't want to eat because he doesn't like his food
Although hamsters have a large appetite and are usually quite flexible about what they eat, occasionally you will notice that the hamster will not eat feed when he doesn't like it food that is offered, there has not been an adequate transition from the old to the new and even when their diet is monotonous and not recommended vegetables and fruits are offered.
Hamsters need and enjoy receiving a varied diet that fully meets their nutritional requirements. Although we can choose a commercially available feed for hamsters as the basis of their daily diet, the ideal is to also incorporate natural and fresh foods to complement their diet.
Also discover on our site a complete guide on the care and feeding of the common hamster. In it you will discover the basis of a proper diet, as well as all the basic care it requires.
Your hamster eats less because it's too hot
Almost all animals, especially mammals, often reduce their food intake during the hottest days of summer. If your hamster doesn't want to eat his food because it's too hot, you shouldn't force him but you can offer him fresh foods rich in water to keep him well hydrated, such as watermelon and melon.
With the arrival of summer, we must also be very vigilant to prevent or quickly detect possible heat stroke in hamsters. In addition to controlling the temperature of the rodent's environment, it will be essential to always leave clean and fresh water within its reach so that it can hydrate itself throughout the day and place its cage in a cooler environment.
Your hamster is not eating because he is sad or stressed
As we have mentioned, hamsters are sensitive animals that can be easily affected by changes in their environment and routine. If a rodent does not have an enriched cage where it can exercise and have fun, does not find a positive environment in its home or does not have adequate hygiene in its environment, it is very likely that you will develop symptoms of stress or boredom.
While these signs may vary from rodent to rodent, there are some obvious signs that your hamster is stressed:
- Hyperactivity, nervousness, or anxiety.
- Increase in unusual habits, such as biting the bars of his cage.
- Appetite Changes: Feeling nervous or hyperactive, some hamsters may increase their food intake, while others refuse to eat and lose weight.
- Development of stereotyped behaviors: by failing to release stress in a positive way, many hamsters begin to perform certain actions obsessively and repetitive, what is known as stereotypes.
- Behavior problems: Aggression in hamsters is one of the most common consequences of stress, but it can also be associated with certain diseases. Therefore, if your hamster tries to bite you or shows its teeth very often, we recommend that you take it to a specialized veterinarian.
On the other hand, hamsters can be very sad and even depressed because they do not have a positive environment or do not receive proper attention from their keepers. A sad or depressed hamster may lose his interest in food and also reduce his daily physical activity, keeping himself isolated in some corner of his cage.
To provide an active and happy life, remember that environmental enrichment is key to correctly preparing your hamster's cage. By offering an enriched environment to your rodents, you give them the opportunity to exercise and entertain themselves, preventing numerous diseases associated with obesity and behavioral problems.
Other possible causes of loss of appetite in the hamster
Although the problems mentioned above are usually the most frequent causes of loss of appetite in hamsters, there are other causes that can explain why your hamster does not want to eat. Below, we list them briefly:
- Poisoning: if your hamster has consumed any toxic plant or prohibited food, it may develop some symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, muscle stiffness, among others. In these cases, you should go immediately to a veterinary center with your rodent to establish an appropriate treatment.
- Teething Problems: Rodents, such as hamsters, need to regularly grind down their teeth, as they grow permanently along of all his life. If the hamster does not have branches or snacks to wear down its teeth, it can develop irregular growths or breakage. Consequently, some symptoms will appear, among which we find the reduction of your appetite. To avoid teething problems in your rodent, we advise you to read our article on the essential care of a hamster's teeth.
- Lack of hygiene in its cage: If the hamster's cage accumulates a lot of dirt, impurities or droppings, it is possible that the rodent refuse to eat in this unhe althy environment. In addition, inadequate hygiene can favor the proliferation of pathogens, as well as cause stress in the hamster. For this reason, remember to regularly clean your hamster's cage, removing food residues and droppings, and sanitize it every week using warm water and neutral soap.
- Constipation: A constipated hamster may refuse to eat or significantly reduce its food intake. Constipation in the hamster can be due to a diet low in fiber, insufficient water consumption or the ingestion of hair or substrates from the cage. To help him, you can include fiber-rich fruits and vegetables in his diet, such as plums, pears, lettuce, and spinach.
How do I know if my hamster is dying?
To finish this article we wanted to mention some of the symptoms of a sick hamster that we should never overlook and that are also reason for veterinary consultation:
- If the hamster has not eaten or drunk water for more than 24 hours.
- If he is lethargic, inactive and hidden, especially for a long time.
- If the hamster does not eat food and also has constant diarrhea that does not improve.
In these cases it will be vitally important to go to a veterinarian urgently, as some serious pathologies can cause the death of the hamster in less than 24 or 48 hours.
