Why Is My Hamster Scratching A Lot? (Understand Hamster Scratching Habits)

Hamsters’ daily routine includes rubbing or scratching their body. Naturally, they are clean and use most of the daytime scratching and licking themselves to pull out the dirt.

The Hamster’s consistent and intense scratching, with other symptoms like wheezing, runny eyes, hair loss, and dry skin, can indicate serious discomfort due to different diseases. Some of these include skin dryness, allergies, parasite infection, stress, and other phycological issues that can lead to excessive skin irritation. Hamsters try to alleviate itching by scratching themselves.

Identifying the difference between usual and unusual scratches is crucial to saving your hamster. In this article, we will see existing possible reasons behind hamster scratching and how to stop hamster scratching.

Why Is My Hamster Scratching Themselves?

Is it normal for hamsters to scratch themselves? Yes, it is. A hamster uses their front two legs to scratch itself. Their nature is to itch their eyes, ears, and other body parts to remove dirt. With an uncomfortable health or phycological issue, hamsters mark them intensely and constantly.

Then you need to check for signs and symptoms of the disease that can trigger continuous scratching. Sneezing, flaky skin, and hair loss are some of the symptoms that indicate you should look into the matter more closely.

Conditions such as mange, fleas, hypoallergenic bedding, allergy, food, and stress can induce scratching. If you see abnormal scratching, check below for the possible common cause.

1. Mange

Mange in the hamster is common and caused by little mites living in the hair follicles and oil glands of the hamster’s skin. They are microscopic, tiny parasites with eight legs. Parasites are common in mammals, but a low immune system causes them to arise.

Usually, mites don’t represent any underline disease. Reddened, flaky, inflamed, dry skin and bleeding ears are signs of mites. Hamsters scratch around the ear, back, and tail due to mites.

2. Flea

Why do hamsters scratch themselves? Fleas are another parasite to cause scratches relentlessly in hamsters though not usually. Fleas can be passed to hamsters from cats or dogs. Using two fingers, part its skin hair and carefully observe if any fast-moving jumping insects are fleas.

Swollen skin, shredding hair, and persistent scratching are symptoms of fleas in hamsters.

3. Hypersensitivity

Additionally, airborne hypersensitivity is a reason why your little hamster scratches itself continuously and faces difficulty breathing, wheezing, or sneezing with runny eyes. It likely develops allergies contacting perfume, aerosol, cigarettes, and air fresheners.

4. Allergic food

However, food intake can lead to allergies and non-stop itching. For example, insufficient nutrition and improper food can make them hypersensitive too. Foods like peanuts, oats, dark chocolate and sunflower seed are more likely to cause allergies.

Using color in animal food to make it attractive is standard practice. This coloring agent can cause mild to severe allergic reactions.

5. Dry fur

As they age, their ability to hold the moisture in the skin decreases. Skin conditions such as dry fur can be the base of scratching. You can find dandruff on your hand when petting, especially their ears, possibly the driest and flakiest part of their body.

6. Allergy from bedding materials

Is it normal for hamsters to scratch themselves? Scratching problems can also arise from their bedding materials. Dust and fiber are elemental to hamster bedding, and dust is one of the main offenders.

Pinewood fiber and cedar bedding have strong oil that can enter the respiratory system to cause an allergic reaction. Beds with scents or chemicals are also reported to cause allergies. Hamsters are clean, so dirty bed also irritates them a lot.

7. Stress

Alternatively, if your little hamster is scratching uncontrollably, it can appear as a symptom of stress and monotony. “Care rage” is a physiological term used for animals kept in cage, which makes them unhappy. The small size of the case compared to other captive animals may lead to stress and itching for hammys.

8. Excitement

It is common for hamsters to scratch their scent glands to express excitement. When male hamsters play outside their cages, they likely scratch their scent gland. These glands grow and become more odorous when it feels exciting. A male hamster will lick and scratch those glands considering inflammation.

Some other familiar origins of stress can be poor hygiene, imbalanced diet, noise, and lack of space to exercise. Stress can decrease their lifespan with an increased chance of disease.

Video Credit: Facebook.com/Kayla Venzon

How To Stop A Hamster From Scratching

People often ask what to do if your hamster keeps scratching. Let’s see some remedies to terminate scratching.

Category	Remedy
1. Dirtiness and bed materials	Maintain proper hygiene all around hamsters, especially taking care of their Change their bedding if necessary avoid cedar and pine materials
2. Diseases like allergies, mites, and other parasites	Consult your veterinarian to combat this, which is the best step to take them in a clean and dry place Treat your other pet same home and clean the cage with water and soapTreat your home to prevent the continuation of just cleaning chemicals to refresh the cage provide some daylight for them follow the vaccination schedule and prescription
3. Food allergy	Keep them on hamster food and avoid allergy-causing foodIf any new food shows signs remove them from the diet introduce fresh vegetables like apples, and carrots, Add supplements avoid food with coloring agents
4. Stress	Arrange a big cage Keep the hamster’s toys in a fresh place with water for bathing Keep exercise accessories like a wheel keep two males in separate cages
5. Excitement	If it is just excitement waits for its expectations to meet. 2. Hand over a piece of chees or carrot.
6. Dry fur	Add sufficient water to their routine food. Check the room temperature and humidity to ensure proper moisture to its skin. Keep the ambient room temperature 65 to 75 Fahrenheit and humidity 40 to 60-%.

Do Hamsters Like Being Scratched?

Hamsters are tiny animals who seek attention, love, and affection from their owner. They gently scratch themselves as part of a daily cleaning routine, and this is a great way to make a bond scratching them.

If you are curious about where do hamsters like to be scratched? I will say all over the body but lovingly, as they are tiny creatures. Move your finger from head to tail to pet them. Use your index and middle finger to rub but don’t press them.

Why Is My Hamster Scratching The Cage?

When an animal bites its cage, it usually means it is unhappy or over-stressed. The same happens with hamsters. They try to get rid of the cage and bit with the hope of breaking it. They can scratch the cage:

To escape and explore
Play or sleep space is limited
Scared one

If they bite things that are not supposed to bite, you have to give them proper attention. Biting those can lead to tooth damage. Ultimately, damaged tooth hampers proper food grinding and eating.

How Often Do Hamsters Scratch Themselves?

The intensity and frequency of scratching determine if there is anything wrong. Hamster scratch more often under normal circumstances. If scratching comes with a sign and symptoms of skin disease, only then take proper steps.

Wrapping Up

Why is my hamster scratching? It is usual to scratch the hamster itself like a human. But, scratching desperately is not acceptable. If you find these symptoms in your hamster readjust its food and bedding to minimize the problem. Changing will also help you to identify specific issues.

If the situation is constant or worsens, you must consult your veterinarian and follow him accordingly.

Why Is My Hamster Scratching A Lot? (Understand Hamster Scratching Habits)