Male russian dwarf hamsters - should I seprate them?

My Furry Baby · 01-22-2016, 02:39 PM

Hi i have been the owner of syrians before and one at current but I bought my first ever two russian dwarf boys a couple of weeks ago and they have been lovely sleeping together etc really good friends. Today I cleaned them out for the first time but made sure I kept some of their old sawdust for their scent. When I put them back in the cage after having them out together in a pen, the bigger one started chasing the slightly smaller one around and the smaller one squeaked loudly and was pushed on his back. The same happened again when the smaller one went to go into the nest the other one chased him out there was a lot of squeaking and the smaller one was put on his back again. I've been trying to research this and have found that what is happening is dominance. They have since slept in the nest together but a smaller session of this squeaking and chasing happened again when they woke up.
I've also read in various places that I should separate them now as the dominance can turn into a death fight very quickly and have read other people's stories of how they have found one of their dwarf hamsters dead after not separating them because there was no blood or wounds previously.
I'm just very worried that the smaller one will be found dead if they decide to fight to kill and we are not around to stop it.
Please people with experience of their own male brother dwarf hamsterso help me.
Thanks in advance.

xbuttons94 · 01-22-2016, 04:41 PM

Hi

I haven't owned Russian dwarves but my two Robos started squabbling one night after I finished work and I looked in to find Weaver had started to chew the fur off of Popes back. I separated them right away and had to keep an eye on Pope and clean his wounds for a few days after. I know it isn't convenient but it is safer for them in the long run and will reduce stress, especially for the one being bullied. Someone might have better advice than me but if it were me I would separate just in case. I hope this helps x

cypher · 01-22-2016, 10:19 PM

It really isn't uncommon for pairs to begin to fall out & one to show it's dominance as they grow up or if anything unsettles them, even though you were careful with the cage clean it's always unsettling until they get used to it so that may have been enough to trigger the falling out but it may well have happened anyway.
I always think it's better to be safe than sorry & if you have any worries about fighting go ahead & separate them before it's too late.
They will be very happy living alone & probably more likely to interact with you that way.

BluerayDarkes · 01-23-2016, 10:24 AM

The general consensus that I've seen on this forum would be to separate them now, the smaller one will be constantly be put through stress by being chased and bullied. Putting them in their own cages now will prevent this escalating, and will even prevent death from the bigger male killing the smaller one.

An expert will also be along shortly to put in their two cents as well.

Pebbles82 · 01-23-2016, 10:51 AM

Agree (I'm not an expert by the way, on dwarf hamsters!) but I'm also sure one will be along soon and agree with Blueray that the general consensus is to separate them now before any serious injury or death occurs.

Do you have another cage? Or something to put one in? If you need to get a cage quickly, Amazon do next day delivery.

This isn't a bad price and is sold by Amazon, so next day delivery available. It's a little tall for a dwarf hamster so would need setting up carefully to avoid falls, and lots of deep substrate to cushion any and reduce the height. It has very small bar spacing which is suitable for dwarfs though.

Riviera Varazze Mouse/ Hamster Cage, Extra Large, 70 x 40 x 40 cm: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

Or the Duna Multy is available at Porton Aquatic and they tend to deliver within 24 hours of despatch.

Cage Duna Multy

Meanwhile have you got any shelves or levels in their cage? This can make them territorial I believe. If so you could try taking any shelves or levels out and make sure they each have their own house, food bowl and wheel (if they haven't then just do what you can until you have another cage sorted).

flowerfairy · 01-23-2016, 12:03 PM

I have two roborovski sisters who had lived together since birth. After being with my (in a large cage) for less than two weeks they started wrestling. I decided to separate them as I was worried that they could harm each other.

They are now perfectly settled in their own cages. So. I advise separating just in case. Why take the risk?

racinghamster · 01-24-2016, 01:47 AM

Hi Furry Baby. The cage clean could have been the trigger for this behaviour and you saw for yourself how it can affect their karma. What size/type of cage are they in? Is it a single floor cage or a multi storey type? It`s better to be a single floor cage for a pair without platforms, although a shoe box turned upside down as a sleeping box could be used for them to climb up onto the roof.

What to do now is watch this chasing/squeaking behaviour and decide if it`s escalating more than before and if your not happy that one is being chased or bullied by the other, then the simple solution is to give them their own cages. If on the other hand they have settled again and are just having little play squabbles without one being scared or chased into submission all the time and not wanting to walk about or emerge from the nest due to his cage mate ruling over him, then yes, give them their own spaces.

Spot clean or half cage clean but never do full cage cleans. It`s not necessary. Doing this disturbs their whole settlement and hamsters really do prefer their own smell around, especially as they scent mark their territory. Their cage is their habitat/domain/safe place. So if it`s cleaned too often or changed about, it can cause unnecessary stress and upset.

My Russian male is older now but even when he`s out and about, if I go in and remove his box to spot clean under it, he races back into it while I`m cleaning as he doesn`t like me removing his stuff!

How are they now? x

My Furry Baby · 01-25-2016, 03:47 AM

Since that day when I cleaned the cage they have been perfectly fine they are both sleeping together and cleaning in the sand together etc and the smaller one seems perfectly happy (no marks on his body when I check at all and seems to be growing himself) both running in the wheels (I have two wheels) and eating etc? I have the kerry tankhttp://m.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/hutches_cages/hamster_cages/hamster_cages/219419 but I have made a narrow shelf at the back with a ladder where I put the food, a hiding house and their sand bath (plus a stick treat atm). I haven't seen any trouble with the shelf as they both go up when they want and go together quite happily. I am keeping an eye on them and if I see anything like the dominace again then I will be splitting the cage in two to separate them.
When I take them out to hold or put in their balls they are fine when they are back in the cage. The reason I changed the majority of the sawdust was due to them pooping everywhere and lots were buried so I couldn't just take the top layer although I did mix in some old sawdust and gave them some of their old bedding in the bed.
Has anyone had two males live together all their lives happily? Would be interesting to know.
Thanks for the responses.

My Furry Baby · 01-25-2016, 03:52 AM

Also should I keep them in the cage next time I clean or is putting them in their balls is okay?
I'm slowly learning as obviously my syrian and past syrians were fine with complete cage cleans and being solitary meant no worries of fighting!

BluerayDarkes · 01-25-2016, 04:36 AM

Please remove the shelf as having a shelf in there will only increase the fighting, other dwarf owners have also said its best to scatter feed a pair rather than use a bowl. Also have two of everything including two houses with more than one exit.