-- Original Message -----
From: David
To: info@hammysworld.com
Subject: hamster mites

Hello i had 6 dwarf hamsters all now dead. I found red mites on 2 of the remaining 6.
I treated these with a spray but they still died. i do not want to get any more untill i know.

can you please answer this for me.
Thanks David

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Hi David,

Sorry to hear about your hamsters and the problem you're having.
One thing I am pretty sure of is they were not mites. Mites do not kill their host, other wise they would in effect be killing off their own food supply, and mites do not live for long once leaving the host they would perish very quickly in the environment.
I am sure these were ticks, possibly Chiggers. Ticks are not insects; they are closely related to the spider. Ticks are blood-sucking parasites that live by hematophagy; they pierce your pet’s skin with their mouthparts and feed on their blood. Once they have fed and are full up, they leave their host (drop off) unlike mites that have to carry on feeding to survive. A heavy infestation of ticks can cause anaemia and death in young animals and can literally drain them of blood. By the time you noticed them and treated them it was probably too late.

It is possible for you or your pet’s i.e. dogs to bring ticks into your home

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