What do mites look like ?

Question

i think my Campbell dwarf hamster has mites she is loosing hair behind her shoulder blades how can i tell if this is mites? i really want to know . because if it is i will go buy medication for her. please help . are mites harmful. i know they make them itch but are they fatal i don't think they are but i'm not to sure.

Answer 1

little small black dots.

Answer 2

Usually you cannot see mites without a microscope of some sort.

They won't kill your hamster unless you leave him untreated for a long time, so just make sure to get him to a small animal vet and he'll be OK with treatement. Usually the vet will give a dose of Revolution or several visits with Ivermectin.

Make sure after he gets treatment that you completely clean his environment. Dump the bedding, clean the cage and all his toys & things with a bleach/water solution, then vinegar to lessen the bleach scent. Wash any cloth items and throw out or bake any wood items. Vacuum the entire area surrounding the cage.

Answer 3

Red skin and loss of fur with excessive itching is definitely a sign of mites / mange in your hamster fur.

The mites will irritate the hamster's skin and so the hamster will scratch excessively. The skin hence appears sore and red and there is fur loss. On close inspection the mites may be seen as small black specks moving through the coat of the hamster.

Mild cases of mite infestations can be treated with an anti-mite spray designed for caged birds or small animals available from pet shops. The head of the hamster should be shielded to avoid spraying into the eyes and the body sprayed. The cage should be cleaned, sprayed with the anti-mite spray and clean bedding should be provided. This treatment should be repeated as directed on the anti-mite spray.

Hamsters suffering from mites should be isolated from any other hamsters or animals and be placed in a room of their own to avoid spreading mites to other animals.

If you do not treat mites, it can develop into a condition called Mange where the hamsters loses all its fur due to severe infestation by mites and will start becoming lethargic and weak.

Answer 4

I'm not sure if mites look the same as lice, but lice are white and look like tiny tiny specs of dust, and if you look very closely, they are slightly moving on the hamsters fur, or you may see them moving on your hand after you hold the hammie.  if the hamster is white or a very light color, they may be hard to see.  i don't think they are fatal, but they are very irritating at least and he will scratch a lot and could do damage to his skin with all the scratching.  My mouse would crash around the cage because he was getting bitten so much...  The vet can give some quick injections of medication to wipe them right out.  Then you just have to clean the cage really well.