Just starting out with my Russian dwarf, bought a friend - think it was a mistake.

[FinerFrenzy]

So, hello, I actually came here from a yahooanswers question, but I'm definitely going to stay as I've become obsessed with my Russian dwarf hamster (Charlotte) and plan to continue to have them as pets.

To start off, I bought Charlotte (she's a girl, just in case) at a pet store a little over a month ago, and they didn't know her age, but she was a baby, around two-three weeks maybe? I've had her for a month now in an aquarium tank, did my research so I regularly change her food and water, make sure she has fresh bedding, ripped up toilet paper for nesting, that sort of thing and she is very friendly and loves to climb things.

That said, we (my boyfriend and I) thought it would be nice to get her a friend. We go back to the same pet store and buy her a friend, also a Russian dwarf, albeit albino, who we have named Kida.

We put them together, and they were fine for the first few hours, a few squeakings, which I read was normal. They burrowed next to each other even later on into the day and suddenly Kida basically started fighting with Charlotte, and even bit her nose, causing Charlotte to bleed. That really worried me, so now they are separated, because my usually docile Charlotte was very standoffish when I went to pick her up.

I guess, is there a method I can use so they can get to know each other and actually cohabilitate in the same tank? As much as I would love to keep my new hamster, I don't know if I can get enough supplies and realize that this was an amateur mistake. Any advice would be very appreciated in the ways of getting my hamsters to get along.

[Kissa]

First off, most pet shops sell hams between six and eight weeks they don't get weaned till three, and have barely opened their eyes at two, so Charlotte'll be a bit older than your guess

Secondly, yes there is a way of trying to get a pair to cohabit. I say trying, because even if you do everything "right", there is no guarantee they will get along and stay together. First thing is to get the cage (at least 70cm by 40cm, with no shelves or tubes or anything "fancy"), completely clean it, put in fresh substrate, a massive pile of clean bedding, two water bottles, and the hams. Scatter the food on the substrate rather than using a bowl. If they get on, you can start adding things to the cage after a week or two, but have two of everything as it reduces likelihood of territorial behaviour over the items. Make sure you don't add toys that one ham can trap the other in, so houses should have multiple exits etc.

You were right to separate when blood was drawn. If you do decide to re-introduce, make sure they have both healed up first, and watch out for signs of fighting, bite marks on their rear ends etc. (Little squabbles and a bit of boxing is just them trying to assert dominance over the other.) There is always a chance that they will not get on, so make sure you have a cage for separation purposes. (There is a bin cage tutorial in the housing section of the forums, bin cages make suitable cheap homes if money is an issue.) And good luck

[souffle]

It does not often work introducing a same sex pair when one is already established and this is its territory and suddenly there is what it sees as an intruder. Also in pets shops the animals are usually hybrids and exhibit different degrees of Winter white and Campbell's characteristics so if the pair have different levels they may well just never get on.
I personally would keep them apart now but there is some good information here, (I know this is for robos but the principles are the same)
You need to be very vigilent and watch them like a hawk for bullying and fighting.
Oak Farm Rabbits and Rodents

[racinghamster]

The best and easiest way to have a pair is to buy them at the same time from the same place and make sure they are related, brothers or sisters from the same litter. If one has already inflicted a nasty wound on the other, that`s nature telling you it`s not going to work. I would keep them on their own now and enjoy them as individuals and give them both the time and love they need and not try to force them to co-habit. It could end in disaster and you don`t want one badly injured or stressed.

[Charley101]

Originally Posted by racinghamster

The best and easiest way to have a pair is to buy them at the same time from the same place and make sure they are related, brothers or sisters from the same litter. If one has already inflicted a nasty wound on the other, that`s nature telling you it`s not going to work. I would keep them on their own now and enjoy them as individuals and give them both the time and love they need and not try to force them to co-habit. It could end in disaster and you don`t want one badly injured or stressed.

Exactly what I was going to say.

[FinerFrenzy]

Well thank you for your responses, guys! I definitely would like to try and keep them together again, and if I had more space in the place I'm staying, I would like to get an extra cage and try to keep Kida as well. I was only worried because Kida seems to have instigated every issue from the squeaking and the fighting.

I really appreciate you guys trying to help me out. I'll keep you updated!

[FinerFrenzy]

As an update, we ended up returning the other hamster because all of my efforts failed miserably today. Charlotte was getting very angry, it seemed, so we thought it for the best. We ended up buying a water bottle instead of a bowl as well as trying out mealworms which Charlotte ate up!

Thanks again!