Fleas are insects, and they are relatively large, external parasites that can be seen with the naked eye. To check your hamster for fleas, use two fingers to gently part the fur and examine the base of the hair shafts across its body. Do you see any fast-moving specks that jump around? If you do, there's little doubt that your furry friend has unwelcome stowaways - fleas!
Fleas feed on blood, and so their droppings will give them away. They leave black specks on your pet's fur - remove some of these and put them on a kitchen towel. Add water. Does the black speck turn red? That's because it's made from digested blood.
![checking for fleas](https://www.omlet.com/images/originals/hamster_gnaws_cage.jpg)
Fleas suck blood and can cause a lot of discomfort for pets
Unfortunately, hamster fleas can be passed from pets to owners. To eradicate the pests, treat all your pets at the same time, each with a flea treatment formulated for that particular animal. (Note: Some flea treatments work, say, for a dog, but are toxic for a rodent). Thoroughly check the product label - if it doesn’t mention that it’s safe for other pets, then don’t use it to treat the household.
To prevent further flea infestation, clean out your hamster’s cage to, using a hamster cage disinfectant. Repeat two weeks later, to wipe out any new parasites that might have hatched from surviving flea eggs.
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