One Robo Hoarding All The Food?

Question

My question has to do with my two Roborovski Hamsters. I am fairly versed when it comes to basic hamster behavior, however I have come across one thing that puzzles me about my two baby boys.

I would seem that one, Sam, who is coincidentally bigger, hoards quite a bit of food the minute I put it into the cage, while Buster, the smaller one, tends to gnaw on some for awhile and then go back to sleep. I have had them for about 2 months now, and while they are both fine, I am wondering if I need to start worrying about Busters food intake, because it seems to me like Sam may be eating most of it. Just for extra information, they are brothers, and get along quite well, they sleep together, play together, and even run in the same wheel at the same time together.

I have also noticed that Buster seems more irritable. If i pick him up, he will usually start biting my hand. Not enough to draw blood, but enough to send a message.

Any suggestions or stories of experience would be great.

Answer 1

Hoarding food is a completely normal behaviour for hamsters - most of them do this, so in itself it is nothing to worry about. My Chinese hamster always used to move his bedding out of the house into another corner and use the house to store his food in.

The only problem is if Sam prevents Buster from actually getting to the food, as Buster will obviously get less to eat!

If you think this is your problem then ditch the food bowl and scatter feed instead. I do this with rodents anyway for welfare reasons.

Hamsters are a foraging species so this is the most natural way for them to be fed. It encourages natural behaviour and helps to keep them occupied, preventing boredom etc. It is one of the best forms of "environmental enrichment" for most rodent species.

It also makes it much harder for one hamster to hoard all the food, and will give Buster a fair chance at getting some!

I would suggest you remove the food bowl and mix their food into the bedding, hide it in toys etc. If it is spread around all over the cage both hamsters have an equal chance to find and eat it.

If your cage is big enough I would also suggest getting another house or adding a cardboard box. This way if Buster wants to hoard some food for himself he has somewhere to put it.

Answer 2

Purchase a hamster water bottle and heavy feeding bowl--preferably ceramic or plastic--and food supplies from a local pet store or outlet. Feed dried hamster mix daily, fill 3/4 of the bowl. Provide one teaspoon of chopped fresh vegetables daily. Give a hamster fresh fruits in moderation, typically one teaspoon twice a week. Keep treat sticks and hard crunchy chews available in the hamsters housing at all times. Place a small cut piece of cooked chicken in the bowl when convenient. Consider feeding live crickets or mealworms purchased from a pet store if the hamster lives in an aquarium or other enclosed area.