# Dwarf hamsters fight. Don't ignore it. they kill each other!!



## Johanna (Mar 16, 2013)

Felt I should register to the website just to share my story for anyone thinking of getting 2 dwarf hamsters or trying to reintroduce dwarf hamsters. I bought 2 baby dwarf hamsters (sisters) from the pet shop for my kids so they had one each. Everything was going ok until I left the cage open and one of them escaped. A few days later we found her and put her back in the cage with her sister. They fought from the start so I watched them and separated them when they got in a scuffle. I since saw loads of advice about how to get them back together. Painstakingly daily I put them in nutrual territory (my bath) to get them used to each others smell a few times a day for 8 days.I noticed one becomes submissive the other dominant. I never let the fight get nasty , i put a piece of cardboard between them. One lay on it's back squeaking as a way of showing he didn't want to fight. I did everything I read I should do but when I put them back in clean cage changing all food/ bedding etc they still fought. The smaller submissive one spent most of it's time laying on it's back squeaking, poor thing. I chose a day I was at home and took the cage into each room I was in so as to separate them when needed. When the submissive one lay on her back I noticed the other slowly reaching around it's bottom each time then biting her there. Even when it looked like they were getting used to Rach other. I looked on forum and hearing from friends and others experiencing sore bottoms. I basically realise it's the dominant hamster biting the other which inevitably ends in death. Horrid. 
I am gutted to have to give in. But I stress to anyone with dwarf hamsters or thinking of purchasing 2. DON'T or keep a very close eye on them. Read other peoples stories about one ending up killing the other. I feel I've had a lucky escape but have seen so many stories on this forum about hamsters being killed it breaks my heart. Am too much of an animal lover to not try and put others off what can be horrible consequences. 
Hamsters are territorial and will fight to the death and they have bad sight and very short term memory. 
Even if they are bought at babies, I've heard so many stories of them starting to fight. 
If your hamsters are even occasionally fighting, separate them before it's too late!!! 
They aren't meant to be together and are much happier on their own. 
I'm just waiting for my new cage to arrive and sadly be defeated. Couldve been worse...


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## Peapet (Feb 8, 2013)

Seen as though one was missing for a few days, I wouldn't have put it back in the cage. The other would've got used to living on her own and you put it back into her territory.
Yes most of them don't get on or start to fall out after being moved or growing up. You need to try and minimise fall outs by providing a large single level cage and 2 of everything.
It's up to the owner to keep an eye on them and if they're constantly squabbling, they need to be seperated.


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