My hamster has fleas...

Question

I was told to get cedar bedding to get rid of the fleas but I've also heard that cedar bedding is harmful to hamsters. His mate just died of flea attacks (unfortunately the person I had watching them while I was on vacation didn't know what they were doing).

I'm really concerned but the pet stores in my town don't sell hamster flea powder. What should I do?

Answer 1

yea cedar can carry fleas.  flea powder works the best, and if the store doesn't have any then i guess your out of luck, try to find aonther pet store by you can go there

idk i don't know what to tell you, just pray and hope he/she survives

Answer 2

get him a sand bath use chinchillas sand u can buy it from pet shops its not pricey  

Answer 3

DO NOT get cedar bedding, who ever told you that is wrong.

Try calling you vet and see if you can get in. He may be able to do something if you can not find flea stuff for you hamster.

Answer 4

You need to suds up your hammie with some soap, but stay away from flea medicated anything-too toxic for the little guy. You cannot just treat the fleas on him, you need to treat your entire home for them to keep them from re-infesting him.

Effective flea control programs employ a multifaceted approach that treats the environment as well as the animal:

A fine-toothed flea comb is essential and should be used daily to catch fleas. Keep a bowl of warm soapy water on hand and dip the comb into it after each sweep, or catch the fleas, put them in a container and freeze them. Or put them in a soapy tissue and flush them down the toilet!

Vacuum rugs and furniture frequently and launder animals’ bedding/covers weekly, if necessary, during the flea season. Flea eggs can be collected by vacuuming but can still hatch in the bag, which should be sealed and thrown away or put in the freezer in a plastic bag after each vacuuming.

Diatomaceous earth, a powder composed of the fossilized remains of single-celled algae, can be sprinkled on lawns and carpets to eliminate fleas safely. Diatomaceous earth is harmless if ingested but should not be inhaled. When applying, remove animals from the area and wear a protective mask. Let the powder sit at least several hours before vacuuming. Look for diatomaceous earth at garden, animal supply, home improvement, and health food stores, but never use diatomaceous earth that has been chemically treated for use in swimming pools. Ordinary table salt or borax can also be used on carpets and should be vacuumed up the day after use.

A company called Rx for Fleas (1-800-666-3532) uses a patented nontoxic sodium borate compound that it guarantees for up to one year. Products containing beneficial nematodes (microorganisms that eat flea larvae) can be sprayed on lawns and, unlike many toxic treatments, are perfectly safe for animals, birds, and humans, as well as “friendly” garden dwellers, such as earthworms and ladybugs. Brand names such as Bio Flea Halt! and Interrupt can be found in pet stores and in the lawn and garden sections of hardware stores and supermarkets.

Gentle herbal shampoos are effective and can be used as often as once a week, although too-frequent bathing can dry out animals’ skin. When shampooing, use warm water and begin with a ring of lather around the animal’s neck so that fleas cannot climb onto the animal’s face. Flea-pesticide shampoos and dips are dangerous and are not necessary because soap and water kills fleas.

Animals can be given extra flea-repelling muscle with herbal dips. Avon’s Skin-So-Soft lotion is helpful when diluted with water (in a 1.5-to-1 ratio) and used as a rinse. It also helps to soothe inflamed hot spots. Veterinarian’s Best hotspot spray, containing tea tree oil, aloe vera, and chamomile, is also soothing and healing on hotspots.

To make an effective natural insect repellent that can be applied to dogs daily, add five drops each of tea tree oil, citronella oil, rosemary oil, peppermint oil, and eucalyptus oil to one cup of water, shake it, and put it in a spray bottle. (This smells great too.)

For the rest of this article, go to:

http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHom...

Best of Luck!

Answer 5

give your hamster a bath using a damp cloth and extra gentle kitten or puppy flea shampoo

Answer 6

definately dont use cedar...altho it would work it can cause other skin issues and respitory failure. id call a vet and ask them what they can recommend. maybe kitten flea powder? i wouldnt try it unless you ask first

Answer 7

WHOA!!! BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ELSE LISTEN TO THIS!!!

DO NOT BUY CEDAR OR PINE BEDDING I HAD A HAMSTER AND HIS CEDAR BEDDING MADE HIM SICK and he DIED!!! THATS WHY MOST PACKAGES OF BEDDING SAY "PINE AND CEDAR FREE"!

cedar or pine bedding has something in  it that makes hamsters have strokes. but what i would do about the fleas is get flea control for small dogs ( the weight on it should say for dogs 4-8 pounds or something like that) and apply a very small amount of that to your hamster's back, but remember, only about a drop

    -katie :)