Have two blueberry dwarf hamsters and the larger one seems to be picking on the smaller one...

Question

We recently picked up two blueberry dwarf hamsters. We were told they both are females and came from a batch of 5. We picked out the smallest one as my daughter liked that she had some unique coloring of white on her sides and my son picked out one of a medium sized ones. We bought two as I thought it would be good for them to be together to play and for companionship. Now that we have had them for a week and been able to watch them, the small one is getting chased around the cage by the bigger one a lot and will roll onto her back in a submissive position and just squeal. The little one also seems kind of nervous (which I can understand if I was getting picked on a lot I would too). When they are sleeping they seem fine and many times they will go into their little house together and snuggle up. But when they are awake and active it is a constant chasing around by the larger one.

Has anyone seen this kind of activity with your hamsters? I have also been wondering if I should just get another cage and separate them. What do you think? Greatly appreciate any feedback from folks that have had hamsters. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I would definitely separate them.  I had two mice, both males, and was told they were from the same litter also, so should be fine together.  But after one week, they began fighting, and one was slightly bigger and more dominant.  The smaller one also rolled over in a submissive position and he would squeak when he was getting bitten.  I immediately bought a second cage and kept them apart and they were fine on their own.  I put the cages side by side and they could see each other and would often climb the bars and look at each other, but it seemed safer to keep them apart.  When I returned to the store, a different employee told me that as they get older, mice and hamsters will stop tolerating each other and fight to the death.  

Answer 2

Separate them!!! My brother and I each had a female hamster, and when it was time to clean the cages I thought I'd put them in a card board box together while I cleaned and they attacked each other. I suffered some serious bites trying to separate them.

Hamsters prefer to be alone.

Answer 3

It is said by hamster manual's that hamsters DO NOT like to live together. We always bought seperate cages for ours and they are perfectly content to live in solitude.

Answer 4

First, you want to make sure they are both indeed females. Even though I don't think this has anyhting to do with them picking on each other, you still want to be 100% sure before you wind up with 20 more hamsters. Here is a site that should help you.

http://www.hamsterific.com/HamsterUniver...

If they turn out opposite sexed, you must separate them immediately.

Now the other thing, you never want to pick the smallest hamster out of the litter. This is usually the runt, and may possibly have a number of health problems. Also, due to its size, it will always get taken advantage of, and like that, it will develop a passive temperment. So smaller animals are usually a lot more alert and timid by thier nature of growing up treated like that. What you want to do is handle her often so that she does get used to being held, and not just being her timid self.

It is true that dwarf hamsters are typically social, and benefit from living with other hamsters. However, with any cagemates, there is always going to be some confrontation. There must be one dominant one, and a lesser dominant one. Since the little one is passive, the bigger one shows her dominance by chasing her and such. This is normal. It is just how they interact in groups. It might look bad for the little one, but it is natural. As long as there are no actual injuries, they are just being hamsters. It might also get better when the little one grows up to a similar size as the larger one. The bigger one might just be picking on her because she is a lot smaller and weaker. But this should eentualyl deminish.

What I strongly suggest you provide is a hiding place only the little one can fit into, if the size difference is big enough. Then she will be able to get away when she gets too stressed. And either way, you must have multiple hiding places. Only one will force them to be together al lthe time. They need soem time apart if they feel the need to. You can just put in some empty carboard boxes for hides.

Answer 5

definitely separate them. Hamsters are solitary animals, they are

much happier by themselves.( as long as they get plenty of playtime with you)

Answer 6

I would seperate them. My hamsters were doing the same thing and I thought they were playing. The bigger one killed and ATE my smaller one.  

Answer 7

I'd separate them to avoid even the chance of a fight.  Sometimes dwarfs can stay together, and sometimes it's just better to separate them.  They'll do just fine on their own, and the little one will probably prefer it. All of my dwarfs live separately.