Multiple Hamsters in One Cage

It is hard to ignore the fact that hamsters sometimes get into fights. Mature hamsters are fairly solitary in the wild and their domestic cousins aren’t that much different. Hamsters do well and can live quite happily alone, but they are so darn cute many owners often want more than one. Trouble can start quickly when multiple hamsters live in one cage. It is possible to keep several hamsters peacefully in one cage but it is much easier if you stick to just one breed and keep only litter mates of that breed together. Start with young litter mates and watch them carefully to reduce the risk of them injuring or killing each other. The amount of fighting and territorial disputes hamsters get into often depend on the size of the cage. If the cage is too crowded, it will be difficult to prevent fights.

Some breeds of hamsters fight more than others. The common Syrian hamster, also known as golden or teddy bear hamsters, are notably antisocial and do not take well to multiple roommates. Syrian hamsters are very territorial and will often fight to the death if left unattended. Female Syrians can be especially aggressive towards their male counterparts and the two should not be kept together except when breeding. Baby Syrians can start fighting over territory as early as six weeks of age. It is possible to keep multiple Syrian hamsters together, but most likely one hamster will be come dominant and the others will suffer.

Dwarf hamsters are easier to raise than their Syrian cousins and they do not fight nearly as much when living in groups. However, dwarfs, like all hamster breeds, should be kept only in groups of their own kind, as mixed species will usually fight to the death. The four most popular types of dwarf hamsters kept as pets are Russian Campbell Dwarfs, Winter White Dwarfs, Roborovskii Dwarfs and Chinese Dwarfs. Dwarf hamsters are more playful and active when in a group, but even Dwarf hamsters will sometimes fight as one hamster tries to establish dominance. There will be lots of squeaking and shrieking until a dominant hamster emerges and things in the cage settle down a bit.

If you plan on keeping just one pair of hamsters together in a cage it is probably best to keep them of the same sex. Hamsters can become pregnant soon after giving birth and a same sex duo will prevent that from occurring.

Multiple Hamster Crowd Control Tips

• Make sure your cage is big enough for multiple dwellers.
• Make sure the food dish is big enough to allow several hamsters to sit in it when eating.
• Get a separate hamster wheel for each hamster in the cage.
• Create a separate bed for each hamster in the cage.
• Get separate water bottles for each hamster in the cage.
• Leave a pinch of soiled bedding with scent on it in the cage when cleaning. Totally clean bedding without scent can upset an established pecking order and renew old arguments over territory.
• Start with young hamsters of the same sex and move them into their new home together.
• Keep an extra cage on hand to separate hamsters that draw blood when fighting.

Keep a close eye on your multiple-dwelling hamsters for the first few months as it will take a while for their order of dominance to show up. If excessive fighting occurs, send them to separate cages for a while. You can keep multiple hamsters together in one cage, but it might take a bit of vigilance and patience to get it to work out.