How and how to get fleas in hamsters

Many animal lovers start rodents in the house, as the animals are not only attractive, but also very quick-witted. Hamsters or chinchillas are animals that do not require special conditions. For the comfortable maintenance of fluffy pets, it is enough to have a cage, food, water and bedding. But not every owner of a small rodent thought about the presence of flea at the hamster. After all, attacks of parasites, which in addition to inconvenience bring the threat of infection with infectious diseases, can be subjected to any warm-blooded animals.

Symptoms of the occurrence of fleas in hamsters

Despite the fact that most rodents are very clean animals, you can often watch them itch. To make sure that hamsters have fleas, you need to carefully look at the fur of the animal or take it to a specialist.

Sometimes itchy skin is a sign of stress that the animal can get when moving, lack of sufficient space in the cage, or when constantly in the hands of people. In this case, you can change the situation if you place it in a more spacious cage and allow the animal to get comfortable in it. Accordingly, many people have a question, but do hamsters have fleas?

Rodents also suffer from parasites. It is better to verify the cause of the itching of the pet to a specialist who can accurately recognize whether it is an allergy, fleas, or ticks.

It is possible to identify that fleas have appeared in hamsters by the following signs:

• spreading the hair on the abdominal part of the hamster, you can see fast-moving insects;
• the appearance of red itchy spots on the human body obtained as a result of bites of bloodsuckers;
• the presence of parasite excrement in the animal’s hair resembling fine brown sand;
• baldness of some parts of the body of a rodent;
• obvious damage and peeling on the skin, the presence of crusts and dandruff in the animal;
• restless behavior of a hamster.

Why does a hamster get fleas?

Although not so common, hamsters have fleas. They can easily be found with a thorough examination of the animal. The reasons for the appearance of fleas in a hamster can be as follows:

• the animal was still infected by the bloodsuckers while at the pet store;
• the source of the spread of insects may be feline or dog fleasif four-legged friends who periodically visit the street live in the house;
• fleas can enter the apartment on the clothes of people who came from the street;
• Availability bloodsuckers in the basement of a house contributes to their distribution in all apartments of lower floors;
• eggs in summer blood sucking insects can get into the rodent's cage along with grass, which serves the hamster as food and litter.

For prevention purposes, it is necessary to periodically inspect the furry pet for parasites in its coat. This is especially necessary if, in addition to him, cats or dogs live in the house.

Why are fleas dangerous?

Fleas, like many other domestic pests, are carriers of various infections such as plague or typhoid. The ability of insects to multiply rapidly can cause insects to become infected throughout the apartment. And in this case, they are dangerous not only for the animal, but also for man. Therefore, when parasites are detected, it is urgent to start a fight with them.

How to get a flea out of a hamster

The question of what to do if a hamster has fleas is puzzled by many owners of furry creatures. It is possible to rid the animal of pests with the help of insecticidal preparations intended specifically for rodents of this species. The concentration of active components in them is completely harmless to the hamster itself, for parasites it is murderous.

Important!

It is forbidden to use anti-flea medications intended for treating dogs and cats to hamsters! The use of shampoos is also not recommended due to the fact that it is impossible to wet small rodents.

Remedies for bloodsucking insects are in the form of:

• insecticidal powder (powder);
• spray (for processing wool);
• drops (for application to the withers).

Today on sale you can find food for hamsters, which includes anti-flea components. However, not all rodents will enjoy such goodies.

The following products are most popular: Front Line, Stronghold, Ivermectin or BioVax, where the instructions for use describe in detail how to remove fleas from a hamster.

Before hatching a flea in a hamster, it is necessary to determine the source of the parasite and process it. A similar procedure should be carried out in the apartment itself, using special facilities for the premises. Then do wet cleaning and vacuum the carpet products. Bed linen, rugs and bedspreads must be washed and heat treated.

And, only after that, it is possible to start processing the rodent itself. Particular attention should also be paid to its cage in order to prevent the spread of fleas and their larvae remaining in it. The household items of an animal (bedding, pads, rag balls) must also be processed, and if possible it is better to replace them.

After 8-10 days, it is advisable to repeat the treatment of the cell and the pet itself in order to prevent the reappearance and spread of bloodsuckers.

Prevention

The following measures will help prevent the spread of fleas in the house.

1. Due to the fact that other domestic animals, often leaving the apartment, become a frequent source of infection of fluffy rodents, it is necessary to regularly examine them for the presence of parasites in the coat. If necessary, use special means of control.
2. It is not superfluous to use strongly smelling plants as prevention. An example of this is wormwood. Its specific aroma repels insects. It is enough to simply spread the grass near the cage: its smell will not affect the rodent, but parasites cannot exist there.
3. The hamster cage must be regularly cleaned and treated with special tools.
4. Letting a small pet walk around the apartment is very likely that he will catch fleas again. Especially if the housing is located on the ground floor of an apartment building with a groomed basement. Therefore, even in the absence of bloodsuckers in the room, it is necessary to at least occasionally be treated with insecticidal drugs.
5. Before you "hook up" to your pet "new neighbor", it must be treated with an anti-cloud agent.
6. Having decided to take the pet out to nature or the country, you should use anti-drip drops or other means to prevent infection of the animal with parasites.

Such simple recommendations will help prevent the appearance of fleas in the hamster and thereby protect yourself from unpleasant “surprises”.