Dwarf hamster 1 or 2?

Question

i have a dwarf hamster that used to play around and run around her cage but she doesn't anymore she mostly sleeps. she seems bored. she is 1 year old. should i get another female dwarf hamster?

Answer 1

As a hamster passes the age of one year signs of old age may appear such as fur loss, some weight loss, drying of skin and a general slowing down with less eating and more sleeping. If the hamster is becoming slower or is sleeping more than usual as in the case of your dwarf hamster who is 1 year old, the amount of exercise and handling should be reduced and extra care may be needed to ensure your hamster is kept warm.

Also old hamsters are generally bored hamsters since they get used to doing the same thing again and again. Some tips to make her more interested would be -

1. Spread her food and hide treats in her bedding instead of putting food in a food dish. This would make her burrow and search for food instead of eating mechanically from her food dish.

2. Give her a variety of toys to play with. By toys, I do not mean the expensive ones you get in pet shops. Your hammy would be equally or more happy with inane things like empty toilet toll tubes, toothpaste cartons with flaps cut off or even hollowed out plastic balls (non toxic plastic should be used). I even remove the base of Starbucks coffee cups to make simple tunnels for my hamsters.

3. Make a hamster proof room area where she can roam around freely with no danger of escaping. I use the bath tub in my house - dry it out completely, plug the drain hole and make her roam in the tub. To make it even more interesting, put some toys and maybe a stand alone exercise wheel there and leave her there for 20 minutes and watch her have fun.It is also a good way to interact and play with her too.

But as I mentioned before, if she refrains from being active in spite of the variety, just leavr her to herself.

You can get another female dwarf hamster but not for her company. Dwarf hamsters can get along in one cage only if they are from the same litter or of the same age group. Your old hamster is one year old and would have become territorial so you might endanger the life of the new hamster by putting her in the same cage. Of course, you can go ahead and buy one if you plan a separate cage for the new one.

Answer 2

Hamsters live to be about 2 years old unless you take really good care of them and get a good one, then they live to be 3.

Your hamster is not bored, she is getting old.  There's nothing wrong with her.

You can't put two grown hamsters in the same cage.  They are territorial and one will kill the other.  So, you hamster doesn't need a playmate.

I know they keep them together at the pet store but they are usually litter mates that are kept in the same cage and they are young enough that their dominance side hasn't developed.

Your hamster is fine.  Let her sleep.  Hamsters are suppose to sleep all day and be up thru the night.  But try to add different things in the cage once a week; different toys and treats.

Answer 3

She is ageing. hamsters only live 1-2 1/2 years, u know.  You should NOT get another hamster female.  they will attack each other and both will die.

Answer 4

well give her a wheel and take her out and get a ball for her to run in so she can get her exersise it seems like she is just bored because she is always in her cage!

Answer 5

You can try but make sure you have an extra cage on hand in case they don't get along.