From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has been keeping, breeding, and selling hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of daily first-hand experience with these animals and the owners who keep them. Bald patches and fur loss are among the more common concerns owners bring to the counter, and the … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold small animals at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, and the rest of the small animal section. Sneezing in hamsters worries owners more than almost any other small symptom, and rightly so … Read more
Updated 24 September 2026: Reworked fur-loss guidance around useful observations and contacting a vet. New or unexplained patches of fur loss need veterinary assessment. Contact a vet who treats hamsters. Do not wait for a shop assessment or use the shape of a patch to diagnose the cause. Patchy fur loss is a description of … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has been keeping, breeding, and selling hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of daily first-hand experience with these animals and the owners who keep them. A hamster that is suddenly drinking far more water than usual is one of the more consistent warning … Read more
Updated 24 September 2026: clarified when to contact a vet and removed waiting-period advice that could delay care. Practical checks or notes must not delay help for an unwell animal. See the supporting welfare guidance. From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — over 35 years of first-hand experience with Syrian and dwarf hamsters. In that time, he has watched hundreds of worried UK owners walk into the shop carrying a hamster that has stopped eating. This article … Read more
From the counter at Paradise Pets Neil has kept, bred, and sold hamsters at Paradise Pets Swindon since 1988 — nearly 35 years of first-hand experience with these animals. In that time, he has seen hundreds of worried owners walk through the door convinced their hamster is dying. Sometimes it is serious. Sometimes it is … Read more