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Old 07-22-2018, 06:28 AM   #1
GreenCherry
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Join Date: Jul 2018
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Default What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

This is my first time having hamsters and I have no idea what to do with them. They are both Russian Campbells and all I have done is to provide food, water, bedding, mineral chews, treats and a sand bath.

Both of them are 8 weeks old and 1 of them always hides in houses and the other always stays outside and I just found out that you are not suppose to put them together so that is something that I need to fix soon. I also need some toys for them but I have no idea which ones to get to prevent any accidents.

I also need to know if the temperature is okay for them to live in. I'm sorry if this is long but this was a birthday present from my parents who also have no idea how to take care of them. Please give your advice on what I should do!!

Last edited by souffle; 07-22-2018 at 09:30 AM.
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Old 07-22-2018, 01:10 PM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

Welcome to HC & congrats on your two new hams

If they're not fighting then they may be alright together for a little while but even brothers or sisters tend to fall out at some point & need to be separated so you will need to get another cage ready as soon as you can.
Once separated you will probably find the more nervous one that stays hidden will gain confidence.

They aren't too difficult to please when it comes to toys, you can use simple things like cardboard toilet roll or kitchen roll tubes, egg boxes (cardboard only) with a couple of holes cut out make great hide outs & places to hide food or treats too, bendy bridges are also good as they are safe to climb on & make another nice place to hide out underneath.
A good size wheel is the most important thing, most Russians need an 8" wheel so they can run with a straight back.

They can cope will cooler temperatures more than they can with the heat but around 18-20C is about right.

Russian Campbell's (or hybrids if they came from a pet shop, a cross between Campbell's & Winter Whites) can be prone to diabetes so it is important to take care with their diet, a good dwarf specific mix (Burgess dwarf hamster harvest is ok if you're in the UK) no sugary treats or anything with honey, a little fresh veg daily (begin slowly, maybe once every few days building up gradually) is good but avoid fruit.
Mineral chews aren't necessary & aren't good for them so it would be best to remove that.
Hope that helps a bit, if you have any more questions just ask & we'll try to help.
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Old 07-22-2018, 04:11 PM   #3
GreenCherry
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Default Re: What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

Thank you, I'll do i as soon as possible.
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Old 07-23-2018, 05:47 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

Hi - are they siblings who were living together already or do you mean you got them separately and put them together? If it's the latter and one is hiding and the other bolder then I would separate them now and keep them in different cages as the hiding one may be suffering stress from the presence of the other one.

If they were got as siblings who already lived together then - the outcome may be the same but just keep an eye on things. Any sign of bullying, fighting or squabbling and it would be best to separate them.

As Cypher says best to have a second cage ready regardless. When keeping a pair together anyway their set up needs to be done to avoid territorial behaviour - ie no platforms or levels, and two of everything - houses, wheels, food bowls, water bowls. They may still share one thing but they need one each so they have the option to avoid fighting breaking out.

If you don't have two of everything now - or the space to fit them in - it might be best just to separate them anyway. It sounds a bit like the bolder one is claiming the territory and the hiding one is being pushed out a bit. Could be an idea to add another house made out of a tissue box or shoe box with holes cut in so it has more than one entrance - 2 or 3 maybe. That way the shy one can't get blocked into the house by the other one.

What cage do you have at the moment? Cage size can also be relevant with a pair. Not too big, not too small.
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Old 07-23-2018, 03:48 PM   #5
GreenCherry
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Default Re: What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

So if it means they are siblings, it is still ok to put them together and just wait to see if they fight each other?
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Old 07-23-2018, 10:50 PM   #6
cypher
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Default Re: What do I need to do with my two Russian campbells?

Now they're living together it really won't matter if they're siblings or not, you don't normally put two unrelated hams together but as yours have been together for a little while now it won't make any difference.
If they're not fighting they could stay together for a while but do be aware that fighting can start & escalate really suddenly & quickly so you do need to have another cage ready.
Also if one isn't coming out much at all it may be stressed & could be being bullied by the other more outgoing one so you do need to consider the well being of each ham as well as looking out for any signs of fighting.
Another thing to watch for is a noticeable difference in size, sometimes one ham will prevent the other from getting enough food then it will fail to grow & thrive.
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