So I was in pets at home.....

[Hammie]

I was looking at the adoption centre part (I don't know why I do it to myself!!)

Anyway they actually didn't have anything except a cute bunny but they did have some baby chinese hamsters. I have been thinking about getting one for a while. They had a single male on his own or a pair of females. Now the male was very jumpy but the females were very friendly staying still while I stroked them and letting me pick them up. Unfortunately I have been advised that female pairs do not work but males ones have a better chance and I was just wanting some advice.

Is this what you find to be the case? I would like a pair so should I go for males? However if they are better on their own then I would have one of the females as they were lovely. Its a shame that I can't take them both.

I have a spare mini duna cage - would this be ok for a single? What size would I need fora pair?

Thanks in advance

[souffle]

The mini duna is fine for a single.
Chinese females very rarely stay together once they mature and the can kill each other fighting. I would say go for a single one definitely.
Two males don't work well either usually.

[Hammie]

Ok thanks. Its a shame pairs don't often work out but I wouldn't want to risk them getting hurt. I would look into a breeder ham but I don't actually know of any chinese breeders.

[souffle]

Nooboo hamstery, Manchester breeds Chinese :)
Manda at Mythic Hamsters also currently has a litter with domi spots and normals in it.

[SarahJ]

i got a pair of chinese's from P@H and i had to spilt them up due to bad fighting.
i would defo say a chinese should be kept by themselves.
everyone i know who has tryed to keep pairs always ends up spilting them up.

[Hammie]

Thanks for the advice guys...and the breeders Souffle, I will contact them. I wonder if any will be on the sales table at the cheshire show.

[mangoandmimi]

its a shame about chineses, most other dwars are alright in pairs or more! i know someone with 5 or 6 campbell russians in a cage together :) yeeahh i wass gonna get chineses but then found out they best to live separately so i settled for some robos :L lol cant even touch them XD

[Manda]

Though my female is nice and sane I still find my male Chinese is far more laid back about...well everything !

I've also heard males have more chance at living as a pair but not tried it myself yet. Would be very wary of trying 2 females together to be honest. Could picture a couple of laid back males getting along but have trouble picturing females doing the same.

Bit dubious about pairs full stop after the damage my girl did to my poor lad - he's fine now but took a good beating.

As souffle said I have a litter of 6 at the moment, looking male dominated. They'll be a tad too young for sales at Cheshire though.

[nooboo]

i sadly dont have any chinese pups at the moment, have tried to introduce a girl to my guys but she really doesnt like them!

i have two boys, father and son who are still together, and on the whole i have not had problems with keeping male pairs, but i would agree that female pairs never work out! and of course even with males there is a risk, and i would agree a higher risk than there is with keeping pairs of male ww or campbell.

if you are going to the cheshire show you could contact the person listed as livestock manager for the show to ask them if they know of any breeders bringing chinese or any species you want to the show for sale, can always ask if they could ask breeders to bring something suitable too!

[Hammie]

i sadly dont have any chinese pups at the moment, have tried to introduce a girl to my guys but she really doesnt like them!

Hehe - have visions of her turning her nose up at any suitors you put her way. Shame you don't have any as you are so local. Oats and Oakley are doing really well by the way (the cream and sable banded buys I had from you).

Thanks for the info guys - Manda where abouts in Derbyshire are you?

My mum has just adopted a chinese (I'll introduce him in another thread)-he is absolutely adorable. I'm hoping to build a cage for one but I think my plans outstrip my DIY abilities!

[Vectis Hamstery]

I would agree that pairs of females don't work. I've had bad luck with males too and am now keeping them separately. I may feel braver in the future, but memories of last year's carnage, vet trip and hamster surgery are still a bit too fresh. That said my five week old boys are still getting on ok and there are three of them. Fingers crossed.

I'll be at cheshire, but there's only one normal in the litter that's ready then that hasn't got a home. PM me if you want further info ;)