# How do I care for my chinese dwarf hamsters?



## imadrainpipe (Dec 12, 2012)

I'm getting 2 chinese dwarf hamsters for christmas 
I need some advice on care. I'm getting 2 boys because the people at pets at home said that 2 boys generally dont fight.


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## rainstars (May 3, 2012)

Chinese hamsters should be housed alone really. Males do fight less than females but they are both solitary & they could fight.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I think you would have to get a large cage like 80cm in length and 2 wheels 2 food bowls and 2 water bottles so that they don't fight over them.
I'm not sure but something's telling me that they aren't really supposed to live in colonies and that they can fight. 
I'm sure someone will come along and give the correct answer.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2012)

chinese dwarf hamsters should be kept alone, people used to advise keeping them in colonies but as fights tend to kick off opinions have changed.

If you get them from [email protected] there is a huge likelihood that they will be miss-sexed causing huge problems for you.

Why not have a look at rescue or a decent breeder.


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## imadrainpipe (Dec 12, 2012)

I am getting them from pets at home, but my friend got 2 from pets at home (the same one I am prorrably getting mine from).
But I am going to check they dont use those awfull rodent farms I have been hearing about. Not with the internet though, because you never know who read it from the daily mail...


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## HazelandDan (Apr 22, 2012)

I really would recommend only getting one. 

I have a male chinese hamster from the adoption section in pets at home - he'd fought with his brother and been sent back to the pet shop. The poor little guy is pretty traumatised from this start in life - he's now incredibly difficult to handle (he leaps across the tank if I try to touch him) and generally very skittish. 

These little guys really are perfectly fine on their own and do not pine for company. IMO it's not worth stressing the hamster out trying to keep it with a cage mate.


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## Guest (Dec 12, 2012)

imadrainpipe said:


> I am getting them from pets at home, but my friend got 2 from pets at home (the same one I am prorrably getting mine from).
> But I am going to check they dont use those awfull rodent farms I have been hearing about. Not with the internet though, because you never know who read it from the daily mail...


[email protected] DO get their stock from rodent farms, no matter what the staff tell you. They are well trained in lying to the public


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> [email protected] DO get their stock from rodent farms, no matter what the staff tell you. *They are well trained in lying to the public *


i agree 110% with everything you have ever said, but not this bit 
there were a few staff members at my local [email protected] who used topoint people in the direction of the re-homing over the babies- and would often tell people that they couldn't guarantee whether they were litter-mates or not because HQ orders X amount and their breeder (notice that doesn't say their local breederS) would ship them out... you know, a 'hint,hint,nudge,nudge' kinda thing!
they are now at one of the bigger, newer shops here.. as managerial staff apparently!

when my sister and i had hamsters we got males because they were cuddlier (granted they were LC Syrians, not a dwarf type- but my point Should still work!) and my sis' Buddy was about a year or more older than my Dash, but we had to keep them in different rooms because they would wee and scrap at each other through the bars if their cages were too close. they got on beautifully out of their cages when free roaming in our room.
i did love my boys!


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2012)

kodakkuki said:


> i agree 110% with everything you have ever said, but not this bit
> there were a few staff members at my local [email protected] who used topoint people in the direction of the re-homing over the babies- and would often tell people that they couldn't guarantee whether they were litter-mates or not because HQ orders X amount and their breeder (notice that doesn't say their local breederS) would ship them out... you know, a 'hint,hint,nudge,nudge' kinda thing!
> they are now at one of the bigger, newer shops here.. as managerial staff apparently!
> 
> ...


I should have said that they are well trained but some do try their best.
I know a couple of good [email protected] staff but they can only do what the actual company allows so their hands are tied somewhat


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> I should have said that they are well trained but some do try their best.
> I know a couple of good [email protected] staff but they can only do what the actual company allows so their hands are tied somewhat


yeaa, someone really should go to their HQ and slap the upper management in the face with a rotten fish! that would certainly make me chuckle!!!
anyne up for it!?


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2012)

kodakkuki said:


> yeaa, someone really should go to their HQ and slap the upper management in the face with a rotten fish! that would certainly make me chuckle!!!
> anyne up for it!?


Count me in, can we bring a few tomatoes as well?


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> Count me in, can we bring a few tomatoes as well?


it'll be a vegetarian revolution!!!!!


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## dancemagicdance (Sep 27, 2012)

Just wanted to add my 2 cents! My OH stormed out the house one day and came back with 2 male chinese hamsters(they are smaller than normal hamsters but they're not technically dwarfs) from [email protected]  (I think he was trying to say sorry in his own way, just didn't think it through at all and it didn't work!) he had been assured by them that 2 males would be fine together in a little tank with 1 bed, 1 water bottle, 1 dish etc. needless to say, on the first night they fought so bad that one of them got a big gash on his nose and they had to be separated. I refused to send one back because who knows what they'd be going back to, or who it would be sold to  
Males are _less_ likely to fight than females but it is still quite likely. If you have two together then you need a lot of room and 2 of absolutely everything, basically so that there is nothing for them to fight over, so beds need to be the same so that they don't fight over the 'better' one etc. I think the general rule is that squabbles are ok but as soon as blood is drawn then there is no going back and they need to be separated or they will fight until one of them is dead  So if you are set on getting two then be prepared because it is quite likely that you will need to separate them and have room for 2 cages.

That aside, I would never have chosen them myself but they are lovely little pets, very fast though, I don't imagine them ever being calm and cuddly!

Edit -thought I would add in a bit about care  best not to bed them on wood shavings because it's bad for their respiratory system, something like carefresh/megazorb/finacard etc would be ok. I usually give mine shredded kitchen/tissue paper in their beds but when I clean them out I leave the paper beside the bed because they like to arrange it how they want and will make adjustments whatever you do! You're best to get a tank or cage without accessible bars because they are very small and can squeeze out of tiny gaps. They need an exercise wheel without any holes in in case their tiny feet get stuck and they are too small to go in hamster balls. Mine have a dish with chinchilla sand and they seem to like it, they also like treats like seeds or mealworms or chicken every once in a while


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

My sister had two Chinese male dwarf hamsters that lived together for around 12 months and then they started fighting, one of them attacked the others testicles and she didn't separate them and one morning came down to one of them eating the other one. I would only ever have one no matter what Pets at Home say.:001_unsure: 

I have a female chinese hamster and she's happy enough on her own.


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## Colette (Jan 2, 2010)

To be honest I wouldn't trust PAH staff to know which round to sit on a toilet! (No offense intended but I've heard so much crap from them its unreal!)

I had two male chinese hammies as a kid from a pet shop (not PAH to be fair), having been told they would be fine together.

The squabbling started within a matter of days, although it wasn't serious at first - some squeeking and scuffles. Then we had a couple of minor scratches / bites. I don't know what would have happened if they hadn't separated themselves. One managed to escape the tank and was never seen again. (Sadly we did find his little body under the fridge several years later when the kitchen was redone).

Please only get one, and not from a pet shop!


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2012)

Colette said:


> To be honest I wouldn't trust PAH staff to know which round to sit on a toilet! (No offense intended but I've heard so much crap from them its unreal!)


PAHAHAHAHA :lol: :lol: :lol:

I might have to steal that phrase if you don't mind :dita:


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## imadrainpipe (Dec 12, 2012)

I have heard enough about hamster fighting, thanks. And I'm going to get a cage divider anyway!


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## imadrainpipe (Dec 12, 2012)

> Originally Posted by kodakkuki
> yeaa, someone really should go to their HQ and slap the upper management in the face with a rotten fish! that would certainly make me chuckle!!!
> anyne up for it!?
> 
> Count me in, can we bring a few tomatoes as well?


Is this [email protected] america or is it UK too? I like hurting people with justin bieber songs :devil:


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## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

imadrainpipe said:


> I have heard enough about hamster fighting, thanks. And I'm going to get a cage divider anyway!


May I ask why you're so keen on getting two? You can't always compare animals to people and automatically assume that all animals get horribly lonely. Yes, some do. Some don't. As far as I'm aware, Chinese hamsters don't.

And if you're planning on hurting them with JB songs, remember to get some very expensive ear plugs. You're going to need them.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> chinese dwarf hamsters should be kept alone, people used to advise keeping them in colonies but as fights tend to kick off opinions have changed.
> 
> *If you get them from [email protected] there is a huge likelihood that they will be miss-sexed causing huge problems for you*.
> 
> Why not have a look at rescue or a decent breeder.


The mind boggles at the thought of trained pet store people mis-sexing Chinese hamsters:w00t::blink: Seriously its about as obvious as telling a man from a woman Some places won't even sell males because parents complain that little kids start asking "awkward" questions when they see them. So if a 4 or 5 yr old can see it, how in gods name can store staff not know? :001_huh:

And don't keep Chinese hamsters together no matter what someone from a store tells you. How will you feel if you wake up one morning to find one or both dead cos they had a fight at 3am that you couldn't do anything about?


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## Tomskrat (Aug 11, 2011)

> Originally Posted by B3rnie
> chinese dwarf hamsters should be kept alone, people used to advise keeping them in colonies but as fights tend to kick off opinions have changed.
> 
> If you get them from [email protected] there is a huge likelihood that they will be miss-sexed causing huge problems for you.
> ...


I thought this too , one would have to be exceptionally dim or impaired of sight in order to mis sex Chinese hamsters.


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> The mind boggles at the thought of trained pet store people mis-sexing Chinese hamsters:w00t::blink: Seriously its about as obvious as telling a man from a woman Some places won't even sell males because parents complain that little kids start asking "awkward" questions when they see them. So if a 4 or 5 yr old can see it, how in gods name can store staff not know? :001_huh:


its the same with rats though. at 3 weeks old male rats start to grow huge balls about half the size of their actual body  its not very hard to tell the boys from the girls even when they retract their torpedoes. so how [email protected] staff can mistake male rats for female and visa versa is seriously stooopid.

as for the op, you want to know how to care for your chinese hamster you are getting for christmas :blink: dont listen to the stooopid people who work at [email protected] home who have told you that 2 male chinese hamsters can live together in harmony for all their live. They are bullsh*tting you. If you really really really want a hamster then get 1, give t the biggest cage possible (look around online), reasearch as much as possible, get him plenty of toys, the right bedding, the right food and handle him daily. Then you would ahve cared for your chinese hamster.


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