[mangoandmimi]

I agree with amity, I often have to question the ethics of keeping pairs together especially when it involves a smaller than required cage with a very basic setup in an attempt to keep them together. In fact I am yet to see any convincing evidence that a fully bonded pair are more likely to stay bonded in a medium sized basic setup than in a large and enriching setup, the idea of a forced bond is something that doesn’t sit well with me at all.

There are plenty of similar animals that actually require company such as gerbils & mice, so to me it makes very little sense trying to keep unsociable animals together. The reasons that they live in colonies in the wild do not apply to hamsters in captivity and on top of that they are unable to escape a dangerous situation in a cage of any size - best keep them alone.