# Hamsters



## rainbow.nicola (Aug 4, 2009)

Hey.

I've been searching around about Hamsters but I'm not really sure which I should/could look after. Unless I got a Syrian I would like to have a pair, I'm a little worried about making sure the sex is right though as I don't trust pet shops and such (They wouldn't be the ones with all the little hammy babies). Also, I'm not sure which Hammys my cage would be suitable for, bar size and that. I've only had a Syrian before so I'm not very experienced.

Hagen LivingWorld Small Pet Home Exercise Dome: Great Deals on Small Pet Cages at zooplus

I also read somewhere that you can't really handle dwarf hamsters, they're more for watching rather than interacting with you.

All advise appreciated!


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Dwarfs are really handleable, mine were anyway, the only difference I can think of is Syrians apparently dont ever get untamed if you dont handle them for long periods while apparently dwarfs do (not a theory Ive tested though). The cage though isnt ideal for more than 1 hammy, its a lovely cage but because its got more than 1 level they can become territorial over seperate levels and guard them from the other hamsters (especially ladders or tubes). With groups of hams you need to be very careful, have one wheel each, seperate houses so they can have one each if they choose and tubes are best avoided, scatter feed rather than a food bowl so that cant be guarded and I used to use 2 water bottles too. Mine never fought at all but just in case you would need one spare cage for every animal so you can seperate them immediately if any serious fighting occurred. Having said that I highly reccomend dwarfs they were lovley pets and I really miss them.


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## rainbow.nicola (Aug 4, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Dwarfs are really handleable, mine were anyway, the only difference I can think of is Syrians apparently dont ever get untamed if you dont handle them for long periods while apparently dwarfs do (not a theory Ive tested though). The cage though isnt ideal for more than 1 hammy, its a lovely cage but because its got more than 1 level they can become territorial over seperate levels and guard them from the other hamsters (especially ladders or tubes). With groups of hams you need to be very careful, have one wheel each, seperate houses so they can have one each if they choose and tubes are best avoided, scatter feed rather than a food bowl so that cant be guarded and I used to use 2 water bottles too. Mine never fought at all but just in case you would need one spare cage for every animal so you can seperate them immediately if any serious fighting occurred. Having said that I highly reccomend dwarfs they were lovley pets and I really miss them.


I think i'll go down to the rescue centre and see what they have there, they only put certain animals on the website that have been in their care a long time but I saw quite a lot of small animals on the board ):

I might get a Syrian for that cage and go buy a ZooZone next chance I get and pick up some Dwarfs. Gosh, I can see my flat being filled with cages! Haha!


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## rainbow.nicola (Aug 4, 2009)

Oh god, I just went back on to the Sspca website ( I need to stop visiting that site ) & found these:
Baby hamsters (Russian Dwarf Hamster Small Pet) | Rehoming | Scottish SPCA


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I think you need to think long and hard about getting them, weigh up all the pros and cons and then in a few months if you still want them go and get some hamsters.

































:lol: Had you going there didnt I :lol: I take it youve already enquired about those little beauties.


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## rainbow.nicola (Aug 4, 2009)

Noo not yet! I'm still waiting on my tank for Sparks! I'm going to TRY and be smart about it! Hahahaa. There may be older hamster there that would be harder to rehome! I'll wait til I get the tank then i'll go down and have a look. I can guarantee I won't come back without a new little friend though, Once you look you can't say no! 

I would really like a ZooZone if I did get some Dwarfs. 

I'll probably go down next Wed, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what I come back with  Hahaaa.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

my dwarfs are just as handalbe as my syrians, only thing i will say, is if you get a pair, you will need 2 of everything, and you would be best to take the shelves out, as a large single level cage is highly recommended to prevent territorial fights


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

Just be careful with the SSPCA.... I went there to rehome a gerbil that had been abused and came home with 2 guinea pigs aswell :lol:

There wasn't any hamsters on the website the last time I went along but once I got there they had alot.


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## rainbow.nicola (Aug 4, 2009)

Yeah, They only have the baby dwarfs & mother, a degu and Guinea on the website, but when I went to pick up Sparks they had a big board on the wall with quite alot of hamsters. The woman asked me if I wanted to go down to his cage, or if she should bring him out. I asked her to bring him out. Probably the best idea otherwise I may have came back with/ or planned homes for more then returned! ha!


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## CheekoAndCo (Jun 17, 2009)

The gerbil I got wasn't the best to handle so they wanted me to go down with them. Was loads of little kittens that were a few weeks old in the room too. 

There was a zoozone sitting and a guinea pig came running out and she was my favourite breed so right away I asked if I could give her a cuddle. The women was like 'well you aren't really supposed to but.... ok' And that was that. I took her and her sister


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## Cheryl 0278 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hello!

hamsters can't live together, really. One of them is going to hurt or kill the other... you should have only one hammy


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Cheryl 0278 said:


> Hello!
> 
> hamsters can't live together, really. One of them is going to hurt or kill the other... you should have only one hammy


if you get the right species of hamster, the right cage, and the right amount of things in the cage then you have a very good chance of keeping them together, my dwarfs got so much out of living together and never had a fight the entire time they were together as did my chinese hamsters. As long as you have a spare cage just in case it does go wrong and you keep a close eye on them (especially when they hit sexual maturity) then its well worth the risk. Obviously Syrian hamsters can never live together but with the dwarf species its definately possible.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

dwarf hamsters such as winter whites, campbells and robos CAN live together if given the right cage setup, they are normally very social towards each other.

syrians on the otherhand are solitary by nature and will fight to the death if put near each other


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## Cheryl 0278 (Apr 5, 2011)

I think it's dangerous... they could fight during the night and you won't be there to save them...


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Cheryl 0278 said:


> I think it's dangerous... they could fight during the night and you won't be there to save them...


It is a risk but its one worth taking, they get so much from the companionship of living with other hmsters. I keep my female mice and rats and gerbils in same sex groups and they can all in theory turn on each other in the night however it would be considered cruel to deliberately keep them alone. Having said that I dont think its cruel to keep hamsters alone as they cope much better with solitude than some more sociable rodents but I would always keep them with a friend if possible.


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