Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:49 pm
Hamsters sometimes have diarrhea due to bacterial infections, stress, eating too many vegetables and fruits, and foods that are high in fiber.
When hamsters have diarrhea they should be taken to the vet immediately because diarrhea can be dangerous to their health.
Veterinarians usually give antibiotics to hamsters for 7 days, that’s how long it takes to recover from this disease.
When hamsters eat too many fruits and vegetables and have diarrhea, then the diet should be changed, giving them more dry food.
Stress can cause diarrhea and therefore we need to pay attention to the conditions where the hamster lives.
When hamsters have diarrhea they can dehydrate very quickly which is dangerous because they can die in 3-4 days.
Is diarrhea common in hamsters?
Yes, diarrhea is very common in hamsters and the most common reason for its occurrence is problems with the digestive system.
When hamsters have diarrhea they have wet and sticky poop, while when they are healthy they have hard and brown poop.
It is sometimes confusing whether hamsters have diarrhea or cecotropes because they look similar to diarrhea.
Cecotropes contain beneficial bacteria, so hamsters eat them to use the remaining nutrients that they did not digest in their digestive system.
How long does diarrhea last in hamsters?
Diarrhea in hamsters usually goes away in a few days, or at most in 7 days.
WHEN hamsters have diarrhea you should immediately change their diet and give them pellets or dry food to calm diarrhea.
But most of the time, in the end, you will still have to take your little one to the vet, who will give him a 7-day course of antibiotics.
In 7 days your hamster should recover from diarrhea.
Can hamsters die from diarrhea?
Yes, hamsters can die from diarrhea if it is not treated in time.
When hamsters have diarrhea, it wears out their body in a few hours and they get dehydrated and hungry.
The problem with diarrhea is that until it is not treated the hamsters will have more and more problems.
If you notice sticky and wet droppings take your hamster to the vet immediately to see if it is diarrhea or a wet tail.
Difference between diarrhea and wet tail
Although diarrhea and wet tail have similar symptoms, they are different.
Diarrhea is watery feces that can be caused by several reasons such as food, stress, etc., but if it is promptly treated by a veterinarian, there is a good chance that the hamsters will be cured.
A wet tail is an intestinal disease caused by harmful bacteria. When hamsters have a wet tail they die in 90% of all cases.
Why do hamsters have diarrhea?
As we said at the beginning, diarrhea in hamsters can occur for several reasons, such as food, stress, bacterial infections, etc.
So let’s find out in detail about all these reasons and how they cause diarrhea in hamsters.
Nutrition
When hamsters eat too many vegetables and fruits, diarrhea occurs, it is especially risky when they eat a lot of lettuce.
Lettuce, like other vegetables that have a lot of water in their composition, causes watery diarrhea.
Also, when they eat food that has a lot of fiber, they get diarrhea, such food is:
- apples
- kiwi
- bananas
- spinach
- broccoli
To overcome diarrhea, hamsters should eat solid food.
Pinworms
Worms are not often the cause of diarrhea, but sometimes they can be the cause of diarrhea in our furry friends.
The worms feed in the large intestine of hamsters and are transmitted through their eggs.
They go from the anus of an infected animal, to then contaminate bedding, food, and water and enter their body through the hamster.
Wet tail
A wet tail causes diarrhea because it causes inflammation of the small intestine. When hamsters have a wet tail, they die in 90% of all cases.
Wet tail occurs when the intestinal bacteria Lawsonia intracellularis and Campylobacter grow very quickly in the hamster’s body.
A wet tail appears due to the following factors:
- poor diet
- poor cage conditions
- change of environment and home
- inflammation of the GI tract
Antibiotics can cause diarrhea
Antibiotics are used to treat hamsters, but they can also cause intestinal problems in your pet.
Antibiotics such as ampicillin and penicillin kill bacteria in the digestive tract, which causes harmful bacteria to grow.
Then diarrhea appears, which can kill the hamster in 3-10 days, if not treated in time.
Apart from diarrhea, signs of dehydration, a decrease in appetite, and a decrease in body temperature also appear.
If the hamsters have problems when using antibiotics, it is necessary to change them or to treat the hamsters in another way.
Stress
Stress causes diarrhea in hamsters, and they are very timid and get stressed very easily.
Hamsters get stressed in the following situations:
- poor diet
- poor hygiene
- a lot of noise
- too much light
- other pets near them
When hamsters are stressed, harmful bacteria grow too quickly, and eventually, diarrhea occurs.
Tyzzer’s Disease
Tyzzer’s Disease occurs as a result of the bacterium Clostridium piliforme when hamsters eat contaminated feces.
This disease has very similar symptoms to wet tail and mostly affects younger hamsters and those that are under stress.
When hamsters have Tyzzer’s Disease they need to use antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian to recover.
While hamsters have this disease you should pay very close attention to cleaning the cage and hygiene as much as you can.
Protozoal infections
Protozoal infections. are the reason why hamsters can get diarrhea.
Most often Protozoa are found in the digestive tract of hamsters but do not cause symptoms of the disease.
Again, young hamsters and those who are under stress are most exposed to the occurrence of diarrhea due to protozoal infections.
Veterinarians can help as they can determine if this is an infection by testing the hamster’s droppings. Fortunately, protozoal infections are easier to treat, which is most important for our furry friends.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are more common in our furry friends than in other rodents and are usually transmitted through food and water.
Diarrhea is a side effect of tapeworms, although sometimes such problems do not occur due to tapeworms.
When the tapeworm causes diarrhea, it is manifested first by:
- intestinal blockage
- inflammation
- lymph gland infections
How to treat diarrhea in hamsters?
Diarrhea in hamsters is treated with antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian.
But during the treatment, you can help the hamster with several steps that will help in his healing.
Here’s what to do when hamsters are treated for diarrhea.
Antibiotics
The most important step is always to visit the vet and start treatment with antibiotics, as they will help the hamster to recover.
If you don’t go to the vet then you risk your pet dying as a result of diarrhea.
If the hamsters have a problem with antibiotics then the vet can prescribe an alternative treatment.
Less stress
Stress is the cause of diarrhea in hamsters, so when it already occurs, it is necessary to reduce their stress as much as possible.
In order to have as little stress as possible in hamsters, we need to do the following steps:
- less noise
- less light around the cage
- no other pets around the hamsters
- clean environment
All these steps are important so that the hamsters can more easily overcome the disease or diarrhea.
Better conditions
Hamsters need to always have excellent hygienic conditions to reduce the chances of diarrhea.
If his cage is not clean enough, and there are too many bacteria, dirty bedding, and dirty food, then diarrhea can easily occur.
Therefore, we should regularly clean the cage and change the bedding once every two weeks.
Deep cleaning of the cage should be done once a month, especially to clean the places where the hamsters urinate and poop.
The better we take care of the hygiene in his cage, the smaller the chances of the hamsters getting diarrhea.
Water
When hamsters have diarrhea, it is usually associated with dehydration.
Therefore, it will be necessary to help your pet when he needs to drink water, it is best to give him some water with a syringe.
A few drops from the syringe are enough to refresh your pet and help him fight diarrhea.
Read more: Do Hamsters Need Sand Baths? Complete Guide
Fruit and vegetables
While hamsters have diarrhea they should consume fewer vegetables and fruits.
When they recover from diarrhea, the hamsters can eat vegetables and fruits again, but in the future, you should consult a veterinarian to know do you giving them moderate amounts.
Because if you feed them wrong then they will get diarrhea again.
