Surviving Hamsters Community (for NEW and Old Hamsters alike)

This is a very tough topic to cover itself but I will try to cover as much details as possible. Although I do encourage hamsters to be kept to pairs (other than Syrian), I do not encourage breeding of hamsters unless one understand the responsibilities of breeding and able to take care of all the hamsters.

Important : If your existing hamster/s is/are very territorial by nature, it will best that your new hamster should kept separate to prevent injuries/fights among themselves. Other than territorial hamsters, I also do not recommend different species of hamster to be placed in the same cage at all times.

On the general rules of thumb, Syrian should be kept alone. Communities hamster like Russians hamsters and Roborovski hamsters can be kept within their own communities (however, subjected to the temperament of each individual hamster). It will be best to introduce hamsters to each other when they are young as young pups can are earlier to adapt having additional companionship.

Another important point to take note is emotion well being of both existing and new hamsters. New hamster should be left ideally alone if there's sufficient cages available as this will allows them to adjust slowly to the environment. As for the existing hamster/s, it is best to reinsurance that they are still part of the family by showing them care and love (and letting them know that they are still being cared for although there are new additional to the family).

Step 1 (Before hamster-hamster interaction)
Before letting any of your hamsters interaction, it will be useful to bath (either by sand bath/powder bath/water bath of the same scent) all the hamsters to remove all hamster smells among themselves. Other than bathing all the hamsters, the cage (advisable to be a open style cage) that is going to be used for interaction should be washed and replace with new bedding as well.

Step 2 (Initial Interaction)
Place the hamster (preferring to be the younger or the timider of the hamsters) in the interaction cage for a while before introducing another hamster. Observe how both the hamsters interact. If fighting or bleeding occurs, separate them instantly with a fishnet or a rice bowl(Alternative : Wear Gloves). You may consider re-introduce your hamsters at a later time.

Possible reason of fights : Hamsters smell strangers/dangers within their territories.

Step 3 (Permanent Interaction)
When both hamsters are comfortable with each other for more than 15mins, then it is time to settle the pairs in!

Next try letting the pair living with each other for the next few days and continue to observe their behavior. If loud squeaking occurs without fighting/bleeding, don't worry. This is their way of communicating with each other when they are having fun with each other.

However, if loud squeaking occurs along with fighting and bleeding, PLEASE separately them without further delays.
(i) Same Gender  Interaction
Seriously, until date, i had not successfully introducing same gender interaction for hamsters older than 6 months. Therefore, my best advise is to get the same batch of siblings hamsters together at the same time or alternatively introduce the hamsters to each other early in their lives.

(ii) Different Gender  Interaction
Generally male-female interaction should be less problematic than same gender hamster.
However, this section brings about breeding of hamsters along with the moral issues involved. Please understand that while keeping a pair of hamster is fun, breeding isn't. There are various issues of breeding such as understanding the pregnant hamster and temperament, taking care of the mother hamster and the newborns and who will be taking care of the pups when they grow up.

Hamsters (animals) as gifts and presents????

On last Saturday, a friend whom I had not met for 3 years give me a pair of winter white hamsters as a birthday present when we met up for dinner.

Seriously, I was furious as well as annoyed by the stupidity of my friend in one way or another although I appreciate his thoughts on knowing that I love hamsters.

Hamsters are living animals that I seriously believe that we should not gave them as random gifts or presents. Have my friend consider what would had happened if I had rejected the pairs of hamsters? How will the hamsters fare? What will their fate be if I did not accept the hamsters?

My parents does not hate animals but do not approve house pets although I been keeping them in my room. As the result, I had to reduce the numbers of hamster that I had been keeping to 2 until that thoughtless friend of mine give me a pair of Winters for my birthday. He was mentioning that I used to keep 13 so 4 should not be a problem...

Have my friend really think of the consequences of that should I had rejected the 2 hamsters? What will my friend do? Return to the pet store and apologise? Keep the 2 hamsters and remind him how his recklessness had resulted in keeping 2 hamsters that he have neither experience or facilities for them for at least 2 years or more?

I seriously believe that animals are serious commitment until death brings us apart. If one really wish to give someone special an animal as a gift or present, I seriously advise the one to bring someone special down to a pet shelter (save a life, adopt one) or pet store and choose together.

Let the new /existing owner knows that he/she will be having new additional to the family and the additional commitment involved. Do not rush into a pet store and buy animals as gift or presents for the reason that they are simply adorable looking.

Every Single Animal is 

A Lifetime Commitment