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My hamster is 1 year old and losing fur. Is this normal for its age?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Hamster | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 4 months old | 132 lbs

If my hamsters 1 year old would they start losing fur round the back it’s on one side I don’t see flaks on him though

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on February 11, 2019

As hamsters age they can get a disorder known as bald hamster syndrome where they start to lose hair. I would suggest going to your vet though to rule out other reasons for hair loss such as infection or parasites.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 13, 2018

    Yes , just like in older men, the hair starts to thin out, It is indeed a sign of old age. As long as he is bright, eats, drinks, cleans himself and is not itching, he is fine. Make sure you give him good quality food and also some greens once in a while.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 8, 2018

    At over two years old your hamster is an old man now and just like in humans, old hamsters tend to lose a lot of their hair and start slowing down. You should however check his fur thoroughly and look for mites, as that could also be a reason for losing hair. If you do find mites, then a mite spray for hamsters from the pet shop will take care of them.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
My senior hamster has hair loss & inflamed skin. Is it old age?
This is probably a disease related to old age, it's not uncommon to see loss of hair and inflamed skin in older hamsters, sometimes it's connected to a tumor as well, which is very common at this age.
Updated on September 23, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my hamster's head dry, scabby, and balding at 2 years old?
Hair loss and skin infection in hamsters is most commonly caused by either ringworm, a bacterial infection or skin mites. This could also be caused by trauma to the head, especially if there is another hamster in the enclosure. It is also important to note that the life span of a hamster is about 2 years so Flash is considered ‘geriatric’. It would be a good idea if you had him checked out by your veterinarian to ensure nothing else too serious is going on. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.
Updated on September 23, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Why is my hamster balding near bum with a dark scent gland spot?
Typically hair loss in hamsters comes with age. Older hamsters can lose their hair due to a lack of protein (less than 16%) or iron in their diet. Other hamster illnesses can cause hair loss including sarcoptic mange, demodex mites, ringworm or disease such as kidney or Cushing’s disease. When you can get him to a vet for an exam I suggest you do so. In the meantime I suggest that you make sure he has a high quality diet and cut back on cereals if you are giving him any. You can give him one drop of cod liver oil daily. You can also use this spot-on product in case the problem is mites. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Anti-Parasite-Hamsters-Gerbils-Rabbits/dp/B073H1GXSR/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=hamster+food+oxbow&qid=1587944081&sr=8-8
Updated on September 23, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my hamster getting bald patches? What's causing fur loss?
The most common causes for this in hamsters is either mites or ringworm, you will need to take him to the vet in order to get it checked and treated, it's more likely to be mites, the treatment is quite simple but ringworm needs to be ruled out first.
Updated on September 23, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my winter white hamster losing fur, walking oddly, and weight?
I am sorry to hear about Marshmallow. With these symptoms I would recommend a veterinary exam for him. There can be many causes of hair loss in hamsters, including vitamin deficiencies, rubbing against cage or chewing by other hamsters, parasites like mites, bacterial infections, and unfortunately more serious conditions like some cancers/tumors.
Updated on September 23, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my hamster losing fur near her tail and sleeping a lot?
It sounds like your hamster could have a potentially life threatening condition called wet tail. This condition can be brought on by stress (which it sounds like yours may have had some of recently) and it can be quite dangerous. If not treated by a veterinarian asap, it can be fatal. Please seek treatment as soon as you can. In the meantime, clean the cage very well and minimize stress as much as possible; do not hold the hamster or have any new or abnormal conditions to his environment.
Updated on September 23, 2025
Vet Q & A
My hamster has hair loss, drinks more, and was inactive. What's wrong?
Hair loss in hamsters can be due to many things including: * Rubbing on metal cage feeders or excessive burrowing; usually the hair loss is around the face * Cage overcrowding, wounds from fighting, hair chewing by cage mates * Vitamin, mineral, or protein deficiency (general hair loss and not usually just a patch here and there) * Ticks, mites, and other ectoparasites * T-cell lymphoma * Thyroid gland hormone imbalance and inflammation of kidneys (rare) I would be a bit worried about her having T-cell lymphoma or a thyroid issue due to her age and the fact that she is not itching, sleeping more and drinking more. I suggest you talk to your vet about these possibilities. If your vet is not used to treating hamsters you may want to find one that is.
Updated on September 23, 2025

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