Please need help from hamster experts! (pics)?

Question

okay so i have two dwarf female hamsters that i got together at petsmart like may i think and anyways they have been in the same cage since and recently like last week they started to fight and ugh it was they worst sound ever!! i went to check on them since th woke me and i culdnt sleep and i found that the smaller one has like a really bad cut on the back. they were the same size when we got them but now the size difference is noticeable. so i seperated them and got a new cage. i took the bigger one out just cuz i didnt want to touch the one with the cut and now that im watching the bigger one in the new cage she seems very scared. i feel so bad.

this first pic is of the original cage and u can see the one hamster in there.

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=295v8xt&s=4

this next one is the new cage and the hamster is in the wheel. the thing is i dont think she knows that she can get on the second level where her food and water are. i tried putting her up there but she just sat there and looked like she didnt know how to get down.

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=34nisk4&s=4

the third pic is of the wound on the smaller hamster. i tried to get a good pic but she was running around all crazy. the red is the cut. it looks better actually.

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=29gijxs&s=4

so my questions are are the hamsters sad that they are apart? i just feel bad that they arent together anymore. how can i make this situation better? i will for sure try and watch them play when the little hamster gets better. oh and ive moved the bigger hamster out of my room and into my brothers since there was no space. is that bad? please help

Answer 1

Those cages are so cool!

im interested in getting a hampster now!!!

I could keep it next to the tv :D

Answer 2

first off, move the food and water dishes down to the first level. second, they might have just been playing, not fighting, so try putting them in a room where they can't get out, and watch their behavior. if they instantly start fighting, separate them, and keep them apart. if they start fighting a little and it escalates, keep them together, but with two food and waters, and maybe a divided cage. if they don't fight at all, try putting them back together. if they fight again, just divide the cage, or put the two cages close to each other.

Answer 3

My first question is are you sure they are female because females fighting is very uncommon.  Males are the fighters,  unless one of the females has babies.  Separating your hampsters is ok because they are solitude rodents.  We had as much as 40 hampsters one time, since then we have reduced the population.  I've seen my share of the fights and many times they fight to the death.  that again is the male population.  Just make sure they have the plenty of room to run around and if not get one of those balls so they can run around your house.  Play with them, they love to be pet and have their hair combed.  Hope I was able to help you.

Answer 4

That happened to my hamsters too except their boys(Roborovski dwarfs) I caught them fighting and the little one was bleeding from his foot and had a both had bite marks on their ears and his foot turned swollen, this happened before the little one had has foot swollen but I didn't know it was because of fighting and I separated them right away just yesterday because they fought yesterday now one is in a bin cage and the other in a crittertrail 2 but enough about me now to your question.

They might be lonely but dont put them together cause they'll fight till one dies and you did what you were supposed to.....and because you moved your hamster to another room isn't a bad thing eventually he'll forget his friends scent.

Good luck!

Answer 5

maybe should try putting the food down on the first level and the water.

i wouldn't think they would be sad apart since they were FIGHTING..but maybe the hamsters are use to having another little hammy around.

Ooh and if they seem sad give them a few treats and toys but not too much treats!

Answer 6

You never should have kept those hamsters in the same cage.  They do well together when they're young but as they mature, they get more territorial.  Eventually, one would have killed the other.  It always happens eventually.

Hamsters don't always go for multilevel cages like rats do.  Put the food and water down to the bottom level.  New environments are always stressful for hamsters but you did the right thing.  You're beat up  hamsters back will likely get better without any treatment if it doesn't look infected and it's already improving.  Some extra fruits and veggies wouldn't hurt though.  Apples, dehydrated bananas, cabbage, oranges--just little pieces that you take out every day if they haven't eaten it.  They should both get a little extra nutrition.

Answer 7

dwarf hamsters usually get along with one another although small squabbles do tend to happen too. you can try putting them back together once the smaller one's wound is better but if they continue to fight then i strongly suggest just keeping them in separate cages. as far as if they're sad, i really don't think so. they will eventually adapt to being separated.

Answer 8

They may be a bit unsettled at first, but they will be fine. I wouldn't put them back together though. Hamsters that are kept apart forget the smell of their former cage mates and usually fight if put back together. Many hamsters will have territorial squabbles when in the same cage, but hamsters that have actually inflicted wounds on other hamsters will be better off alone in the long run.

EDIT: Syrian hamsters are the "solitary" ones. Dwarfs can usually be housed with other dwarf hamsters.