Identifying a Healthy Hamster

"On behalf of Expert Village, my name is Laura and I am going to show you how to pick a healthy hamster. When picking a hamster make sure you check to make sure that they are healthy. A healthy hamster should show no signs of sneezing or runny nose. They should have no worn patches or torn patches on their body. You should check their tails to make sure there is no black or scabby parts on it because that could be a sign of wet tail. You should also make sure that your hamster's teeth or not over grown. This can be a sign of malocclusions. If they are, the hamster can have a very hard time eating and could some times die. Hamsters are very susceptible to upper respiratory infection. Upper respiratory infections are usually caused by not using the right type of bedding. You need to make sure that your bedding is free from dust because if a hamster gets an upper respiratory infection, it can lead to pneumonia and death. If you feel your hamster has an upper respiratory infection, you need to take him to a vet immediately."