Introducing a new Hamster

[naomiparker12]

Hello,
I rescued a female Russian Dwarf hamster yesterday, she's approximately 10 months old. I was just wondering if I was to go out and by a new female hamster of the same breed, would they be ok to live together? Or will they fight?
Thankyou in advance,
Naomi x

[HollyHamster]

I would think that since she is used to being on her own for so long, that she wouldn't like having a cage mate. Its probably best that you don't put another hamster in with her.

[cactus]

I agree with HollyHamster, I think your new little one would rather be alone now after so long getting used to it. I have two Russian Dwarfs in two separate cages and they get on a lot happier living alone. I'd love to see some pictures of her once she's settled in

[Charley101]

Ditto. It is likely going to end up in a fight. Pairs/groups are best if the hams are family members and have lived together all their lives. Your new hamster won't be lonely if kept alone. They quite like their own company

[racinghamster]

Congratulations on rehoming your new Russian dwarf. I wouldn`t bother getting her a companion because she has been living on her own for a while now and bringing in a strange hamster will cause fights or even death. It`s not worth the risk to the hamsters. Most hamsters are solitary and even though some people will keep them in pairs or small groups, they can be very tricky to keep together without eventual fall outs or injuries, so my advice would be, enjoy your new girl and don`t cause yourself any grief, or vet bills for that matter, by worrying too much about her being alone. They are not human at the end of the day. x

[amie]

Well done for taking in a rescue hamster.
I echo exactly what racinghamster has said which sums it all up perfectly.
Good luck and enjoy your new hamster.

[Glomoro]

Were I to do something like that, I'd only do it with a neutral environment and very slowly. Let them meet in a hand taming box with a wire mesh wall between them, see how they react there. If they seem friendly like that eventually you do some handling sessions with them in there with no separating wall. After some time of that and no signs of more than the short dominance slap fight that ends with a submission from one and no injury, I'd try moving them into one habitat that hasn't been scent marked by either of them yet and again, observe how they behave.

It's not something to be undertaken lightly and you have to be ready and able to separate them to their own living quarters immediately should the need arise. Though, that's true even of pairs raised together from pups as well since some just wish to live alone even in the dwarf varieties. I've been sleeping with my recently bought robos that live in a pair not only in the same room, but within reach from my bed just so I can keep an eye on them. These two are sisters, but they have hit the age where if one wants to be alone the real, knock out drag out fighting will begin and I want to be positioned to stop it if that scenario plays out.