Small children should be supervised at all times with the hamster. A more important threat to the hamster is an infection called wet-tail. Wet-tail is a common infection that small rodents can contract very easily. It is the equivalent of something like dysentery. The animal will get a severe case of diarrhea and become dehydrated.
Dehydration is very serious in hamsters because they are so tiny.
A day without drinking can be lethal to a hamster. This disease is very contagious, so if you house more than one hamster, and if one hamster has wet-tail, it is very likely that they will all contract it. The first symptom that you may notice is diarrhea. The hamster s fur will also be caked with its own feces. The hamster may not be as active as usual.