A hamster can suffer from diarrhoea for a number of reasons. Sudden changes in diet and the feeding of too much vegetables and moist food are two common causes.

The droppings of a hamster suffering from diarrhoea are usually light coloured, soft and watery. The hamster may appear wet around the anus and sometimes a little messy. The hamster usually appears healthy otherwise although the body may start to look a little 'sunken' due to dehydration. Many owners confuse diarrhoea with Wet Tail of which one of the symptoms is diarrhoea.

A hamster suffering from diarrhoea should only be fed their normal dry hamster mix and should not be fed any vegetables or moist food until recovered. The only green food which may help a hamster with diarrhoea is raspberry bush leaves as these have astringent properties. Arrowroot can also be given to the hamster to aid recovery from diarrhoea.

The hamster should be kept warm and you should ensure that the hamster is drinking and has plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

In most casing withholding vegetables will cure the diarrhoea in a 1 or 2 days. It is usually best to wait a week or two after the hamster has recovered before re-introducing vegetables back into their diet.

If however, after withholding vegetables and moist food, the hamster does not recover after 2 days, the diarrhoea is accompanied by other symptoms or the hamster's condition deteriorates veterinary advice should be sought.

In such cases a vet may administer anti-diarrhoeal medication and give help with rehydration. If accompanied by other symptoms antibiotics may be required.