Will keeping a hamster actually cause you to catch the plague?
Hamsters are also known as cheek mice, hoarding mice, sunflower mice, large-cheeked mice, etc. They are the collective name for animals in the hamster subfamily. Both cheeks have cheek pouches that extend from the side of the molars to the shoulders, which is why they are called hamsters. They are very tiny and cute, are a very dominant solitary animal, and are also a very popular pet. Now let us take a look together at whether keeping a hamster can cause you to catch the plague!
Whether keeping a hamster can cause you to catch the plague
Keeping a hamster will not cause you to catch the plague. Hamsters are not born sick. They must be infected by a pathogen for that to happen. Wild hamsters may carry disease-causing genes, but domestic hamsters, from birth to death, live in cages. Whether it is food, water, or even reproducing offspring, it is all completed under artificial intervention. Such hamsters cannot carry the plague virus.
How to keep hamsters so they do not get sick?
1. Wear gloves when handling them: Ordinary hamsters do not carry the Black Death virus, but most mammals carry bacteria on their bodies. Many people touch a hamster and then touch other things, or even grab food with their hands, and it is very easy to become infected with bacteria and get sick.
2. Bathe hamsters regularly: As for the issue of bathing hamsters, this can be completely solved with bath sand. Absolutely do not wash hamsters with water, and hot water is not allowed either, because hamsters are too small, washing with water makes them very prone to catching a cold, and using too much force can easily pinch and injure a hamster.
3. Disinfect the hamster cage regularly: Bamboo vinegar can be used to disinfect the hamster cage, and it should be cleaned frequently, removing rodent feces, because these can all potentially spread bacteria.
4. Treat bites promptly: If bitten by a hamster, be sure to clean the wound and squeeze out the dirty blood. It has already been said above that hamsters are domestically bred. If they carried the plague virus, the chance would be too small, but this does not mean that a hamster bite can be left untreated. To be safe, remove the dirty blood, then apply alcohol.
5. Pay close attention to the hamster's condition: Hamsters are nocturnal and hide by day, which is normal. Sick hamsters can generally be recognized. If a hamster is sick, treat it quickly to avoid spreading it to other hamsters. Do not worry about spreading it to humans; human beings will not necessarily be infected by rodent diseases.
Methods for checking hamster health
1. Teeth: A hamster's front teeth keep growing continuously. Sometimes the teeth become too long, which can make it unable to eat. At this time you can trim the teeth yourself. Please use small-animal teeth-trimming tools. If you do not dare to trim them, you can take it to a doctor to have the teeth trimmed.
2. Scent gland: Only male hamsters have this. In the middle of the abdomen there is a yellow grain-like thing; that is the scent gland. When a male hamster is in heat, the smell there becomes especially strong. Sometimes the scent gland accumulates too much, so remember to regularly use hydrogen peroxide mixed with salt water at 1:10 to help them wipe it! If too much accumulates, please take them to a veterinary hospital and have a doctor clean it.
3. Eyes: If a hamster is healthy, its eyes should be very moist, bright, and glossy. If they are red, tearing, or have eye discharge, then you need to pay attention and take it to a doctor for a look.
4. Poop: A hamster's poop should be somewhat firm, about the size of a grain of rice, black, and odorless. Sometimes it becomes green, red, etc. At this time do not be too nervous. Please recall whether the hamsters' feed contains green or red feed. If so, green poop is normal. If soft stool occurs, or it has a foul odor, please send it to a doctor as soon as possible.
5. Cheek pouches: Sometimes pay attention to whether the contents of the cheek pouches have been finished. If not, please do not give more food. If food spoils and stinks in the cheek pouches, it can easily cause cheek pouch inflammation. Regularly check whether there is a foul smell of spoiled food in the cheek pouches, and regularly help remove the food from the cheek pouches. Use salt water mixed with water at 1:3, and use a feeding syringe inserted into the cheek pouch to rinse it.
6. Coat color: A hamster's fur is usually soft and glossy. If hair loss occurs, please pay attention to whether it is an allergy, and take it to a doctor for examination as soon as possible.
7. Body temperature: A hamster's body temperature is generally felt by hand and is slightly higher than our body temperature, but the difference is not obvious. If you clearly feel that the hamster's body temperature is too high, please send it to the hospital immediately; it is very likely to be a sign of heatstroke!