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What causes wettail2007-11-24 22:16:06

I had a hamster who had wettail and died shortly. Is this because I fed her too much fruits and veggies? Thanks for helping!

Answers:

How does a Hamster get Wet-Tail?

Wet-tail, also know as Proliferative Ileitis, is a stress related bacterial disease which is very contagious. It occurs in small animals such as Syrian hamsters. (Dwarf hamsters do not get wet tail but the can suffer from diahrroea.) It is usually contracted when your pet is stressed, usually when you first get the pet. The hamster you get could already have Wet-tail, yet not all the symptoms are noticeable. Once a hamster gets Wet-tail, they should never be bred, as it could cause more stress, and the Wet-tail could be inherited by the offspring.

How does an animal get Wet-Tail?

Many stress related things can cause a hamster to get Wet-tail. They can easily become stressed from being handled too much (after just getting your hamster), being away from mother/siblings, change in diet, improper/inadequate cage cleaning, often, etc. There are many other reasons that hamsters can get Wet-tail.

A new, young hamster is most likely to contract Wet-tail, simply because they are young, and stressed at being put in a new, unfamiliar environment. Along with younger baby hamsters, long haired hamsters are also more likely to get the Wet-tail disease.

Other Bacteria that often play a role in Wet-Tail:

E. Coli

Campylobacter species

Cryptosporidium species