how many should i get

alonso99 · 10-18-2012, 02:25 AM

hi guys

I am going to buy some so called "djungarian" hamsters

and iwas thinking about a trio of females or males .

I have heard about fights and all this but i have heard that they are social creatures is that true http://www.hamstercentral.com/commun...s/confused.gif

o the more I buy is it more expensive to look after

thanks!!!!!

souffle · 10-18-2012, 03:39 AM

I would stick with even numbers so two. If the hamsters you are thinking of come from a pet shop they will be Hybrids (some label as Russian hamsers or djungarian) Two brothers or two sisters are your best bet but fighting will often start when they reach maturity so if you get more than one you must be prepared to separate and keep them in single cages. It is more expensive to look after more than one naturally as they eat more and wee more so need more frequent changes of substrate. They also need more toys, wheels, chews and more vet care should they become ill.
It is important to think of all these things and ensure you can provide for more than one. A single dwarf can be quite happy living alone with plenty toys and interaction with you so don't assume the need friends as they don't. Living in single sex groups is not a natural way of life for any species which is why they often fall out.

alonso99 · 10-18-2012, 03:45 AM

wich gender is more likely to start fighting , because i was told to go and watch them in the evening to see if they are healthy and happy and were both acting nice to each other is this because they are from the same litter or because their still not fully grown

tanks!!!!

souffle · 10-18-2012, 04:28 AM

I couldn't really say which gender would be best.
It may be that you get a pair and they are just fine especially if you prepare the cage with two of everything and also scatter feed and have no tubes or hidey holes for they to get territorial over.
Fighting usually starts at 4 month plus. Youngsters are normally fine together. Is it a breeder or a shop and what country are you in alonso?

**Silver** · 10-18-2012, 05:03 AM

All so if you get two dwarf hams from a pet shop which are the same age, this does not mean they are from the same litter, so would unlikely be siblings.

This means they are more likely to fall out.

The only way you can be sure they are siblings would be to find a breeder yourself where you can see that they come from the same litter

Silver xxx

alonso99 · 10-18-2012, 05:32 AM

thanks for the replies
souffle i live in switzerland and their there is only one petstore it is called Qualipet and is very expensive a hamster costs around the 20 pounds in the UK and 30 dollars in the US

but they seem very well treated and have massive cages

omz123 · 01-10-2013, 03:30 PM

Hi. Hope your hamsters are getting along well. I just had a question, I got a pair of male winter white dwarf hamsters on the 23/10/12. They play fought a lot and eventually they had a vicious fight about a month ago which was so severe that I had to separate them.

I was just curious to see how yours were getting along?