Male dwarf trying to seduce female dwarf?

Hanhanboban · 03-08-2014, 07:15 PM

Hey everyone (:

I just posted a thread basicay saying my two new dwarfs, who we seemed to be under the impression where both males, seemed odd. Like one is really conifident and happy with being handled but the other wasn't.

Well in my thread I said I was worried that Gizmo (our confident, active little boy) was bullying our other quieter boy who is only really active at night, Gimli. We weren't 100% sure if Gimli was a boy as he's so shy it's been hard to sex.

Well anyway I think we've realised that possibly Gimli is a girl and Gizmo was trying to seduce her? They've been completely fine together the last 7 days since we bought them and I haven't noticed anything like this until today.

Everytime Gimli would mind it's own business Gizmo would come alone and climb on top, walk over, walk on her back, stick his nose in her body and private area, chase her around the cage, run around and find her. He'd then go back to his usual business but do this every few minutes. I could see it was bother Gimli as he/she wasn't running on the wheel or around the cage like she use to like crazy, she is normally very active and hyper at night. She was curled up in a ball and not defending herself and sort of cowering away.

So, is it possible that Gimli is a girl and Gizmo is trying to seduce her?

For the time being we've put a cardboard sheet between the cage and seperted them and shared toys out equally. We have two wheels so they have one each. gizmo is now happily running around but Gimli is all curled up just sat in hers, I tried to feed her some cucumber and she jumped and ran. I'm really worried about him/her.

We plan to buy a new cage in the morning and seperate them for good, any help and advice? I'm really worried about Gimli ):

Thanks a lot in advance

Hannah x

**DrKMcK** · 03-08-2014, 09:59 PM

I really hope you get her a cage soon. Or him...either way, if he is a she, or if Gimli is being bullied by Gizmo, it sounds like Gimli isn't having a very good time of it. Gimli is already a timid hammy and has been somewhat stressed by Gizmo, so s/he will run. They are still fairly new to you too, so the poor thing doesn't know what to do. Make sure S/he has a hidey to run into to feel secure.

Hanhanboban · 03-09-2014, 02:57 AM

We are going into get them a cage today! When I woke up they had managed to fight their way through the seperating board I put down and both seem fine together now. They're both doing their own thing and Gizmo isn't bothering poor Gimli anymore.

I've felt for poor Gimli since day one as s/he was very shy and as you say this incident last night didn't help my concerns. After I seperately them Gimli seemed happy eating, drinking and running on the wheel and right now, like I said, they're both just doing their own thing.

It's so hard when you're new to the hammy world and don't know what you're looking for, I want them both to live a really happy and comfortable life so I'm off into town today to buy a new cage to seperate them! It'll be sad to seperate them coz they have gotten on so well other than that but I don't want to risk anything and it's for the best!

Thanks for your reply (:

Hannah x

Colby and the Dwarfs · 03-09-2014, 04:54 AM

I've had 2 accidental litters(one mistake, but I didn't get dad out soon enough and they bred again), and your description sounds a lot like it.

The girl was skittish and mean, and I didn't know why, and the dad was chasing her, but I figured that it was just play because they never had a real fight.

Then, I ended up with a mother canabalizing all but one of her litter, just to have 6 more later and abandoning the other baby. It was a mess.

I'm so so so so so so so glad you separated them, don't put your hammy through what my hammy went through

I hope it all works out,
Colby

racinghamster · 03-09-2014, 09:49 AM

Hi. If these are your first dwarf hamsters and your not sure of their genders, then it is better to separate them as (a) you don`t really want babies arriving! and (b) it will prevent any fighting/bullying and possible separations at a later stage.

They will be fine living apart, but remember that once they are separated, don`t allow them back together again, even for play sessions as this could escalate into a serious fight. They will forget one another and will become strangers, so once apart, always apart.

Did you manage to get the other cage?

Bella2013 · 03-09-2014, 10:15 AM

Poor Gimli! Bless getting a new cage is by far the best thing to do. Make sure you leave him\her until you get a new cage and check that they haven't chewed a hole in that cardboard sheet. When you get the cage gently lift her into it and then leave her till the next day and see if she is happier then. Hope it al works out Bella2013 x

Hanhanboban · 03-09-2014, 03:19 PM

I got her a new cage today! And new toys and things to put in it so she can have fun!

I'm away from home for two weeks now so my boyfriend has got them both at this, when I left them they where both sleeping but he has updated me that Gimli seems much happier on her own and is even seeming more confident with him and his sister.

Hoping she has managed not to fall pregnant but if she has we will accept it and take our best care of her, and we've decided that if this does arise we'll keep one boy and put it with the daddy and one girl and leave it with the mummy, would that be acceptable or is that a no no? Either way the hopes are that she isn't!

Thanks a lot for all your help you've all really helped me out a lot (:

Hannah x

Colby and the Dwarfs · 03-09-2014, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanhanboban

I got her a new cage today! And new toys and things to put in it so she can have fun!

I'm away from home for two weeks now so my boyfriend has got them both at this, when I left them they where both sleeping but he has updated me that Gimli seems much happier on her own and is even seeming more confident with him and his sister.

Hoping she has managed not to fall pregnant but if she has we will accept it and take our best care of her, and we've decided that if this does arise we'll keep one boy and put it with the daddy and one girl and leave it with the mummy, would that be acceptable or is that a no no? Either way the hopes are that she isn't!

Thanks a lot for all your help you've all really helped me out a lot (:

Hannah x

The baby boy would fight with dad most likely, as he doesn't realise it's his baby and will treat him just like any other intruder. I'd definitely keep a gal for the mom though, to keep her company through her retirement years