can siblings can be kept together"?

dakota_wolfe · 02-06-2015, 01:32 PM

Im actually wondering this myself! I bought a fairly large cage on the expectation of getting 3 dwarf females. When the gal came , she left them in the garage and drove off (was posed to wait for me to get home) found out they where 2 syrians/teddy bear.

She cant be reached/wont answer my emails. I tried to seperate them but they act weird (stand up on there back paws chittering and acting stressed till put back together) They where really lethargic the 1st couple days so ive been keeping them warm , plenty fresh food/water, and now found out i have 2 males..

Would it be horrible to keep them together for now? Is it even normal behavior?

velma · 02-07-2015, 01:07 PM

If they are Syrians they need to be separated. Do they look very young? As they mature they will definitely fight. I'm not surprised they are chittery, they are probably quite stressed from someone leaving them in the garage! They may have got cold, they may have been poorly if she hadn't taken great care of them so warm & well fed is good as it quietly observing them while leaving them to settle but I'd say seperate.
Quite a few members on here rescue/have rescued hamsters so they may be able to give you something more relevant

SinNyx · 02-07-2015, 01:48 PM

No, they need to be separated. Syrians are solitary by nature and even if siblings, will fight and have even been known to kill and eat each other. It's natural for them to fall out, in the wild, mum gets them to move on and then they go to their own territories, as they will want to do in a cage as well, only they can not escape.

You will need to find a way to separate them even if it means one has to stay in a smaller cage for now. It's not worth any risk in them hurting each other, the stress of a move may also cause added stress and cause fights.

Thin Lizzy · 02-08-2015, 02:10 AM

This woman who left them in your garage is very selfish, You thought you were getting dwarf hamsters.
Like the others have said syrians need to live separate.
It's hardly surprising they're stressed out and this can cause them to fight.

racinghamster · 02-08-2015, 05:37 AM

Oh dear....first of all, if they are definitely Syrian hamsters, they are solitary. Make sure though before making plans to give them their own cages. Such a shame someone has taken advantage of your offer of a home and dumped two Syrian on you out of the blue. But hey, it`s not the end of the world. Keeping the three dwarf hamsters you were planning wouldn`t have been the best idea as trios never usually work. A pair perhaps, but even those usually require separating at some stage, so maybe this was fate?

How are the wee guys now?

Thin Lizzy · 02-08-2015, 05:51 AM

Syrians are wonderful to have, and can be more sociable than the dwarf.
It's also great that you've joined this forum where we'll give you all the help you need.
So don't be afraid to ask.

dakota_wolfe · 02-08-2015, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racinghamster

Oh dear....first of all, if they are definitely Syrian hamsters, they are solitary. Make sure though before making plans to give them their own cages. Such a shame someone has taken advantage of your offer of a home and dumped two Syrian on you out of the blue. But hey, it`s not the end of the world. Keeping the three dwarf hamsters you were planning wouldn`t have been the best idea as trios never usually work. A pair perhaps, but even those usually require separating at some stage, so maybe this was fate?

How are the wee guys now?

Im not sure there age, They look to be older then Hamtaro (my 1st hammy bought at a pet store Dec 2014) so maybe 3-4months? Im definantly sure they are syrians though they have weird coloring. I posted a pic below of one of them

Kairi · 02-09-2015, 03:10 PM

Just thought it's worth mentioning, you said that you were going to get 3 dwarf hamsters - dwarves shouldn't be kept as a trio. I've read that two of them form a pair and gang up on the third one :/

souffle · 02-09-2015, 04:41 PM

Those look like baby hamsters still I'd say. Possibly silver grey but hard to tell from the pics. Have you checked if they are boys or girls? They will be staying togther due to being young but I'd take the plunge and separate them. There is a chance they may be roans there but would need a clearer pic to see for sure. You must check the sexes though.

Nancy's Hamsters · 02-09-2015, 05:43 PM

I'm with Souffle on this one. Young pups some where around the 5-6 weeks of age. Can't tell much with the first photo, but I see a cheek crescent on the second photo and see a Grey hamster so without any other clear photos to go by I say silver grey for at least the 2nd photo. Male pups will usually start to quarrel at around 6-7 weeks so it would be for their own safety to separate now and allow them to adjust to solitary cages. If they seem uncomfortable alone you could keep the two cages side by side so they can still see, hear and smell each other. The pup does seem very tame in the photos which is a bonus for you.

Also by the rear end in the 2nd photo I am not so sure it is a male as by 5-6 weeks old the rear end of a male pup usually is much rounder and you can see the bumps/ bulge if his Boy bits. If one male and one female it is a must do to split them immediately to prevent a sibling mating which can occur at the age they are.