I had gone away for the weekend with my mum. It was, nearly Christmas, and we’d decided to go to the Christmas markets in Manchester.
Neither of us were prepared for how many people there were. We were lost in crowd of bodies. I had never been among so many people.
This made me nervous because I am immunosuppresed. The more people I’m around, the more chance I have of getting ill, especially in winter when there is more sickness around in general. The year before I’d caught a cold, and it made me so ill, I couldn’t hold my head up or walk around for a week, and it took a month to recover. Not having a working immune system means if I pick up something mild it can still become serious quite quickly.
So, I was convinced I was going to get ill. If it was just me, I wouldn’t care. Sure it would suck getting ill, but I’d seen online that hamsters could catch human colds, and I’d gotten into my head that Flamey would die if he got one.
Cue me, lying awake at 2am, my heart beating loudly in my ears having an all out panic attack because the back of my nose was a bit scratchy and I didn’t want to get sick, didn’t want Flamey to get sick and die, and I was missing him like mad. I didn’t want to go home and have to stay away from him as much as possible.
It turned out, by some miracle, that I was fine. And so I moved on and gave it no extra thought.
Fast forward two months and the same happens again. I’d been isolating for a month before Christmas because having had the Christmas before totally ruined by a cold or flu or whatever it was, I didn’t want the same thing to happen again. Then my friend came to visit at the end of my holiday and once again I found myself panicking, swallowing every 10 seconds trying to see if my throat hurt, wondering why my nose felt blocked, it was ridiculous.
Conflicting Information on Hamsters Getting Colds
Part of the problem is, that whenever I look it up online, I get conflicting answers as to whether hamsters can get colds and how it impacts them if and when they do.
So to put myself out of my misery, I did some proper research and deep dived into hamster colds. The answer isn’t that straightforward which could be why there is a lot of mis-information around it. So, once and for all, let’s find out for real if hamsters can catch colds or a flu, what the difference is and what happens when they do.
Can Hamsters Catch the Common Cold?
Straight to the million dollar question and it’s immediately obvious why this is so hard to answer. The answer is…. it depends. The human cold isn’t just caused by one virus, it can be caused by many viruses, in fact, over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms, we don’t even know the names of all of them. The most common cold causing viruses are considered to be Rhinoviruses, Coronaviruses (similar to but not identified as COVID19), RSV, and Parainfluenza viruses. Hamsters can catch some of these but not all. So can your hamster catch your cold? It depends which virus you have…
Which Cold Viruses Can Hamsters Catch?
Rhinoviruses
Rhinoviruses are one of the more common viruses associated with the human cold. This type of virus is zoonotic which means it is species specific and can’t travel from humans to hamsters. Hamsters can’t catch rhinoviruses.
Coronaviruses
COVID19 is not the only coronavirus, it is a large family of viruses. Most of them cause mild to moderate cold symptoms, three of them are quite serious and you’ve likely heard of them all: SARS, MERS, COVID19. This is where things get pretty tricky where hamsters are concerned. Especially as, when you try to research coronaviruses outside of COVID19, as you still get bombarded with a lot of COVID19 information. Hamsters are susceptible to COVID19, which we’ll talk about in a bit, because that is also not straightforward. Hamsters are able to catch and transmit SARS, but clinical trials were unable to replicate MERS in hamsters. So this, along with my reading around hamsters and COVID19, suggests that hamsters can get some but not all coronaviruses.
RSV
Respitory Syncytial Virus is another common cause of colds in humans. This virus is not zoonotic which means it can travel between humans and animals. Furthermore, since syrian hamsters are usually used as a model for the study of RSV we know that hamsters are susceptible to this virus. So if your cold is caused by RSV, the chances are you can pass it to your hamster.
Parainfluenza
Another group of viruses, sometimes known as HPIVs are parainfluenza viruses. Influenza is more commonly know as the flu, but parainfluenza viruses are not the flu. They’re a different group of viruses that cause cold like symptoms. The viruses are often numbered and cause slightly different symptoms. HPIV-1 and HPIV-2 are more likely to cause cold symptoms. HPIV-3 is more likely to cause bronchitis or pneumonia. HPIV-4 is thought to be similar to HPIV-3 but not enough research has been done. HPIV-5 is carried by dogs and monkeys and is thought to be zoonotic, but at this point research goes into a total rabbit hole and isn’t really relevant to the question we’re asking here.
While the abbreviation ‘HPIV’ stands for HUMAN parainfluenza viruses, it is possible for hamsters to catch parainfluenza viruses. In hamsters, parainfluenza is called Sendai virus. Some hamsters can carry the virus without symptoms, other hamsters can develop cold like symptoms, but it can also cause bacterial infection leading to a range of symptoms like fever, weight loss and depression as well as cold symptoms. This virus can be particularly dangerous to hamsters and can cause sudden death. While I have linked to a Petmd article with no sources in it, I verified the information in this book extract which is just not light reading at all, so I felt the Petmd article was easier to digest for those wanting to check out the sources. There is evidence to suggest that Sendai virus isn’t just caught by hamsters from other hamsters, but that hamsters can catch parainfluenza virus from humans, though their symptoms and the affects of the virus differ from hamster to hamster.
Can Hamsters Catch the Flu?
Yes, hamsters can catch the flue in a lot of instances. The flu is caused by a different virus than a cold. The flu is more often caused by the influenza virus and by some corona viruses. The influenza virus is infectious to hamsters. Hamsters can also catch some corona viruses as we discussed in the section above.
How do You Know Which Cold Virus You Have?
The sad news is that there’s no really easy way outside of buying tests or getting tests carried out by medical professionals for specific viruses. Given that cold symptoms are usually mild and clear up on their own, it’s just not economical for doctors to test you when you have a cold.
How do You Know if You Have a Cold or the Flu?
Both the cold and the flu are caused by viruses and have similar symptoms so it can be difficult to know which one you have. The best way is to take note of your symptoms. A cold tends to come on slowly over a few days and it lasts longer. The flu comes on quickly and is usually over faster as well. Flu tends to be more severe. With the flu you’re more likely to have a dry and persistent cough, a fever, chills, severe body aching, fatigue, nausea and or diarrhea. Though not everyone with the flu has these symptoms. The CDC has some pretty good information on the difference between cold and flu viruses.
Can Hamsters Catch COVID-19?
I touched on this earlier on, but there was a lot of conflicting information around hamsters and COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic. This is perhaps understandable given that it was a new virus that didn’t have much research around it at the time. However, studies have since confirmed that hamsters can catch covid and some are particularly susceptible to it.
Should I Handle my Hamster When I Have a Cold?
Since it’s hard to know whether you have a cold or the flu and which virus you’re infected with, it’s often better to keep your distance and take precautions to be on the safe side.
If it’s possible, someone else should take care of the hamster while you recover and until you’re symptom free. That’s not always possible though. So where this is the case, make sure to limit your exposore to your hamster.
How to Care For Your Hamster When You Have a Cold or Flu
Cold and flu viruses are spread by water droplets in the air, direct physical contact with an infected person and touching infected objects that another infected person has touched. So minimise the spread by addressing these forms of transmission.
Try not to cough or sneeze in the room your hamster is in. If you have to handle your hamster wear a face mask and this will help to minimise the number of water droplets in the air around your hamster.
Before changing your hamsters water or feeding them, wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap. Remember how we all used to sing happy birthday when washing our hands during the pandemic? Well that’s still great practice to make sure you give your hands a thorough wash.
As hard as it is, you shouldn’t play with your hamster, unless you can transfer them to a playpen for their out of cage time and maintain your distance. You can use a cup or something similar to transfer your hamster to avoid touching them and increasing the chances of them catching something. The less you handle your hamster when you have a cold or the flu the less chance they’ll have of catching something.
Can Hamsters Get Pneumonia?
Yes. Pneumonia can be a complication associated with getting a cold or the flu. It is caused by inflammation in the lungs
Luckily it is not that common in hamsters, and when it does occur it’s usually as a result of viral or bacterial infections. A hamster’s chances of getting pneumonia can be increased if they are under stress or there are sudden changes to their environment especially where changes in temperature occur.
Other Reasons Why it Might Seem Like a Hamster Has a Cold
Sometimes it may seem like your hamster has a cold even if you don’t. There are various things that can upset your hamster’s respiratory system and cause cold like symptoms.
Allergies in Hamsters
Hamsters can get allergies too. Hamsters can be allergic to things like perfume and the soaps we use to wash their cages or our clothes. Hamsters can even be allergic to their owners!
The same things that irritate our respiratory systems can irritate a hamster too. I have, a few times, heard Flamey sneezing after I’ve dusted the room he is in.
Dust in the environment can cause hamsters to sneeze too. Dusty bedding or a dusty room can cause an increase in dust mites which can cause an allergic reaction in both hamsters and humans.
If your hamster has an allergy, it can cause respiratory issues like sneezing, sniffles etc, but you may also notice an increase in scratching and grooming behaviour too.
Reactions to Damp
Hamsters and water don’t mix well. Your hamster shouldn’t be kept in a damp environment. If your hamster gets wet it impacts their ability to regulate their own temperature and this can cause complications including respiratory infections.
It’s not just bathing your hamster you need to avoid. Sometimes water bottles leak and cause damp in the cage, if this is left for any length of time, especially during colder months, this can cause issues for your hamster too.
Hamsters also love to hoard food. If they hoard wet food like fruits and vegetables, these can go mouldy and cause respiratory problems with your hamster. You should always check their stashes for problems when you’re cleaning their cage.
Reactions to Temperature
Hamsters are sensitive to temperature changes and should ideally be kept in the range of 17–24 degrees Celsius. The temperature being too high or too low can cause multiple complications including respiratory problems.
In my purely anecdotal experience and from having read around this subject a bit over the last year, the best thing you can do with regards temperature is to try and keep the room your hamster is in at a stable temperature. I use a small oil filled radiator which I don’t turn off, this keeps Flamey’s room around 18 /19 degrees. In summer, I try to keep his cage in the coldest part of the house.
I also make sure that I provide lots of bedding. Bedding helps to keep them cool in summer and warm in winter, so I never reduce the amount Flamey has. But I do provide above ground hides with differing levels of bedding in them. Some have loads of bedding and so will be quite warm, some have smaller amounts and are made of ceramic so will be quite cool. I keep these year round as it helps him decide on the hide that best suits his temperature needs at any given time. I often see him during the day switching hides.
When to See a Vet About Your Hamster’s Respiratory Problem
Hamsters are quite hardy… until they’re not. And being small and having fast metabolisms means that when things go wrong with hamsters they can escalate quickly. My advice is to always go to the vet if you think something might be wrong.
Signs that you need a vet visit for a respiratory infection include but are not limited to:
- Laboured breathing,
- Bloody discharge from the nose or mouth,
- Not eating or drinking
- Any abnormal behaviour
- Excessive scratching or head shaking
- Crusty eyes or nose
If your hamster seems bunged up but is otherwise active, eating and drinking fine and their ears are perky and they are their normal selves, just keep an eye on them and make sure to see a vet if their situation deteriorates.
If you’re really not sure you need to see a vet and you just want some good advice, there are some great online veterinary services. You can usually book an appointment on these quite quickly and they’re relatively cheap.
How to Care For a Hamster With a Cold
If your hamster has a cold or a respiratory infection there are a few things you can do to help make them more comfortable. This is the part of the article where things get a bit more anecdotal because I didn’t find a lot of information out there that was backed by sound science. However, this page from Hamsters South Africa has loads of tips and what looks like sensible advice for almost every kind of condition!
I did, however, find lots of really bad advice, like mixing Benadryl into your hamster’s water — don’t do this! And changing their bedding (usually quite stressful for hamsters, so probably not good to do when they’re sick unless it’s needed).
Here is some common sense advice on keeping your hamster comfortable when they have a cold:
- Make sure that your hamster has received any necessary medical care. Read the above section and take your hamster to a vet if they need to be seen.
- Administer any medicines your vet has given you. Seems obvious, but it’s worth saying. Make sure that you follow your vet’s instructions.
- Don’t give your hamster human medicines or give them medicine without consultation with a vet, they are small it’s easy to give them overdoses.
- Make sure your hamster has fresh water and that it’s in a place they can get to easily.
- Make sure your hamster has access to their normal food and that they can get to it easily.
- Keep your hamster warm, try to keep their environment at a consistent temperature.
- Make sure they have plenty of bedding and plenty of hides so they can get comfortable. Ideally make sure they’ve got different amounts of bedding in them so the hamster can regulate their temperature a bit easier
- Don’t keep pestering them. If you want to check on them try and do this when they’re already awake and moving around. Just try not to disturb them as much as possible, give them the space they need to recover.
- If your hamster has crusty eyes or a crusty nose you can help them keep clean by spot cleaning their face with a dampened cotton wool pad and warm water. Be extra careful not to get your hamster too wet and to make sure the cotton wool isn’t too wet.
- Try to reduce any stress factors around them since stress has an impact on their ability to recover. Try to keep them in a quiet part of the house. Personally I find that a bit of classical music on a low volume helps Flamey relax but every hamster is different.
TLDR can my Hamster Get my Cold?
Maybe. The world of colds, flus and coronaviruses are very complex and it can be very difficult to know which virus you’ve been affected by. For the safety of your ham, it’s better to keep your distance if you have cold or flu symptoms.
I hope you’ve found this article enlightening. Please share comments, suggestions or corrections via the contact methods on my contact page. I’m here to build a world of accurate, well researched and trustworthy information for hamster owners and I’m open to any contributions that will improve this article.
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