Q: My hamster seems to have diarrhoea. Can it be because of his diet?
A: Diarrhoea in hamsters can be caused by diet if the pellets are unbalanced, or if they eat a lot of green leaves at a time. If you suddenly change your hamster’s diet to a new pellet or different vegetables, this can also cause him to develop diarrhoea.
The term ‘wet tail’ is often used to describe diarrhoea in hamsters and can be caused by a bacterial infection. Lawsonia intracellularis and Clostridium difficile are two of the more common bacterial causes of diarrhoea in hamsters. Stress from overcrowding or high environmental temperatures can also cause your hamster to develop diarrhoea as the immunity system becomes compromised. A heavy tapeworm infestation can also cause diarrhoea in hamsters. If you haven’t changed his diet, and if the diarrhoea doesn’t go away, take your hamster to the vet as soon as possible.
Small animal veterinarian
