No one likes it when their furry friend gets sick, especially if you can see it causing irritation and pain. Unfortunately hamsters are often susceptible to all types of sickness and irritations because of their small body and delicate immune systems. Sticky eye is one of these irritations that is fairly common and should be addressed quickly to prevent further pain and irritation.
In the following article, we’re going to cover the topic of sticky eye in hamsters, why hamsters may get it regularly, and how to prevent it occurring in the future.
As with all of our articles, you can see a table of contents below. Feel free to click any of the links to be taken directly to that section in the article. Otherwise you can keep reading into the first section.
What is Sticky Eye?
Sticky eye in hamsters is an irritation that often results in swelling, redness, and a sticky excretion or ooze that makes it difficult to open their eyes. Medically it’s known as conjunctivitis, but you may have heard it referred to as pink eye in humans.
The condition often occurs due to an infection, either viral or bacterial in nature, however it may also come from allergies that cause the sticky discharge. The most noticeable effects are redness and an inability for your hamster to easily open their eyes.
If you start to notice discharge around their eyes, you should take them to a veterinarian who can provide a professional diagnosis and medicine to reduce the irritation. The most common treatments are eye drops that can help fight the bacterial or viral infection and prevent additional discharge. A full recovery normally takes around a few days. And trips to the vet are normally pretty affordable.
As always, consult with a veterinarian to get a professional opinion and instructions to reduce the irritation and prevent it from coming back. After taking your hamster to the vet, continue to monitor their eyes and behavior to ensure there are no further complications and your furry friend can completely recover.
Why Does My Hamster Keep Getting Sticky Eye?
Sticky eye is fairly common in hamsters, but if you notice your hamster getting it regularly, it could be a result of the following:
- Allergies: Just like humans, hamsters have allergies and can have allergic reactions to different items in their environment. And because hamsters are so small, even the tiniest items in their environment can have significant effects. Ensure that their enclosure is clean and free of dust and mold. If you have added or changed anything in their cage recently, such as a new bedding, that could be causing the sticky eye and should be removed to prevent further reactions.
- Infections: Hamsters are susceptible to infections, just like people, and the sticky eye may be a result of a viral or bacterial infection that they’ve come in contact with. If anyone in your household is sick, they can pass on that infection to your furry friend. So if you notice sticky eye continually coming back and your household is sick, that may be the cause.
- Dirty environment: Similar to allergies, a dirty cage that is full of dust or hasn’t been cleaned in a while could be the result of sticky eye. To resolve this issue, ensure that you are regularly cleaning their cage, at least once a week, and make sure no dust is regularly building up. If their cage is on the floor or underneath an air vent, it could be causing dust build up quicker than normal resulting in sticky eye.
- Physical Injuries: Last but not least, a physical injury can result in sticky eye if the injury causes an infection. If your hamster has run into something or fell on something recently, it could be causing the redness, swelling, and discharge that often accompanies sticky eye.
As you can see there are many reasons why your hamster may be getting sticky eye over and over. One month it can can come from allergies and the next from a physical injury, so it’s important to monitor your hamster’s behavior.
If they keep getting sticky eye, it may be worth noting that to your veterinarian to see if it’s from a more severe underlying cause. They can provide the most in-depth and knowledgeable opinion for your specific scenario. However, there are specific steps you can take to prevent sticky eye, which will be covered in the next section.
How to Prevent Sticky Eye in a Hamster
To prevent sticky eye in your hamster, there are steps you can take to maintain a clean environment and prevent infection and injury. Let’s cover what you can do in the list below:
- Avoid known allergens: Since allergies can be a main cause of sticky eye, preventing any items or causes of allergies, can go a long way in preventing the condition. If you know your hamster is allergic to something, keep it away and out of their cage.
- Regularly clean their cage: As we mentioned earlier, a dirty environment can harbor bacteria and lead to infection. Cleaning their cage regularly is important to a hamster’s mental and physical health.
- Switch up their bedding: If you notice your hamster regularly getting sticky eye or other types of irritations, try a new type of bedding. Some hamsters are more susceptible to bedding than others and so trying a new bedding is an important step of sticky eye is a regular occurrence.
- Provide a healthy diet: A hamster’s diet is important to ensuring a strong immune system and preventing sickness. If their diet is subpar or full of unhealthy foods, it can ultimately lead to sickness and irritations. Only give your hamster approved pellets and occasional treats to help them maintain healthy digestive and immune systems.
- Stay away when you’re sick: As much as you may like to hang around your hamster when you’re sick with a cold or flu, it’s important to remember that they can catch your sickness just like any other person. So if you are sick, it’s important to maintain a safe distance and try to have someone else feed and take care of your hamster until you are better.
- Practice clean hygiene: Similar to being sick, if you aren’t practicing safe hygiene when handling your hamster, you can pass along infections that that result in sticky eye and other irritations. Always make sure to wash your hands before and after playing with your furry friend.
- Regularly monitor their physical being: Sometimes you can’t prevent infections from spreading, but monitoring their physical health and catching symptoms earlier can go a long way in making sure the irritation doesn’t become more severe or cause other types of sickness.
To prevent sticky eye, the most effective actions are to maintain a clean and healthy environment for your furry friend. Keeping their cage clean, washing your hands, and staying away when sick can help prevent sticky eye and other illnesses in the future. Just treat them as you would any other person or child and they’ll lead a healthy and happy life.
Additional Reading
If you’re interested in reading more about sticky eye or other sicknesses in hamsters, check out the articles below for more information:
- Disorders and Diseases of Hamsters – Merck Manual
- How Much Does a Hamster Abscess Treatment Cost – The Pet Property
- “Discover the causes and treatments for hamster sticky eye in our comprehensive guide. Learn how to recognize the symptoms and take care of your furry friend’s eye health. Read now to ensure your hamster’s wellbeing and happiness.”Eye Problems in Hamsters – Spruce Pets
Conclusion
And there you have it! Hopefully this article was useful in helping you learn more about sticky eye, what it is, where it comes from, and how to prevent it from regularly occuring. It’s important for your furry friend to maintain a clean environment so they can avoid infection and other sicknesses that lead to irritation.
As always, make sure to consult your veterinarian for a professional opinion to your specific situation. No website can diagnose your hamster via an article, but they can provide helpful information to point you in the right direction. And we hope this article has done that for you.