Multiple Syrians - One household

[Tildauk]

Firstly just encase anyone is worried I do not mean keep more than one Syrian hamster in a cage. What we going to do is have two Syrians in separate cages - both myself and my husband take the death of a hamster incredibly hard and we are going to try having two as a way to help this slightly, when one goes the other will be about to look after us still.

What I do want to do is make sure both hamsters are happy with this situation so here are my questions:

1 – I know Syrians can get worried if they can smell other Syrians, is there a rule to how close they can be? I mean I have two Alexander cages next to each other is that too close? Or would it be fine if I had a divider between the cages?

2 – Is it possible for them to share playtime toys (not at the same time obviously)? I have a plastic tunnel and a wooden play house thing etc that Lois plays with when she is out (not in a playpen, she hates playpens we have compromised and have the toys on us or on the desk), I am assuming they cannot share the toys because they will smell of the other hamster?

Is there anything else anyone can think of about having multiple Syrians?


Thanks

[greysome]

Hi Tildauk,

I don't know if there is a rule about distance between cages but I believe next to each other is fine. All my hammies are housed in my bedroom. Hazel Nut is housed perhaps a bit "further" away in that she's about 6" away from the other cages, which are on top of one another. My two males are actually housed in what is essentially a single unit but split into two cages (Hazel Nut and the males are all housed in LACK Ikea DIYers) with Chublet at the bottom and Sgt. Pepper above him.. Resting on top of their unit is Patch's (a robo) cage. Honestly, they all pretty much ignore one another when inside their cages. There was a brief period of interest I think the first couple of days (at least from Hazel Nut and, the first time Hazel Nut went into heat with the boys present) but I think once they adjusted and their scents were no longer new to each other, they didn't seem to care so much.

i did notice that the few times Chublet tried bar-chewing, Sgt Pepper, who is housed above him, would end up going to the same corner of his cage and attempt to bar chew as well. Sgt Pepper has never tried bar-chewing unless he hears Chublet doing it first.

As for playtime toys--Mine share a good chunk of toys. There is more sniffing (maybe even a bit of caution?) of the shared toys, particularly, I've noticed, the more "natural" toys over plastic/synthetic ones but other than the initial curiosity followed by a cursory exploration of the play area (presumably to make sure they're the only one there I guess) it doesn't seem to bug them. WEll, maybe that's not quite right--I have noticed the syrians, at least, all share the same favorite spots/toys during their play times--a bendy bridge and a tissue box. Whether it's a "we like it" sort of favorite or a "why does this smell different---didn't I just mark it yesterday?!" is up for debate.

Are you planning on having your syrians be the same gender? I ask because when Hazel Nut goes into heat, she's gets playtime after the boys as they can smell her (to be fair, she STINKS during heat) and can occasionally get a bit too excited as they spend their time presumably searching for her. I

[POLAR WHITES]

when I used to show hamsters we used to keep them next to ech other without any problems as long as the cages don't touch each other, also we used to swap our hamsters toys around to stop them getting board as long as your hamsters are healthy there is no worry,

[Golden_Syrian_Hammmies]

Tildauk congrats on your new ham! I think this was discussed on another thread possibly CCs thread? Also thanks for flagging up this question as I've been thinking the same things! I would love another ham some day and was wondering about these two very same questions.

[hrl20100]

I've had 3 Syrians at the same time in the past and I used all the toys I had, swapping them between cages each time I cleaned them out. They were housed next to eachother but not close enough so they could bite/nip/grab at eachother through the bars.

I had no problems back then, I don't think you would either
Unless you had an incredibly sensitive ham that gets stressed easily, then I wouldn't swap toys between them.

[Tildauk]

Oh thanks so much, I haven't actually got the second ham yet mainly because both myself and my husband have been ill and the prospective hams only came of age while we were ill. It's hopefully going to be a sable from austins hamster haven in Doncaster as one of their rescues was pregnant when it got to them. I found out today that it will be a boy ( I feel like a new mum with a scan lol). It's been great I have seen pics of them growing up and their mum who has recently been rehomed.

I have never had any trouble with any sort of hamster diseases but won't swap toys for a bit just encase the new one gets something though to be honest the rescue lady seems to know her stuff and the hams look very healthy and well cared for.

My Lois doesn't smell when she is in heat sometimes very faintly but I can tell when she is because she is more scampery, I will probably play with the new boy first then her so they don't get all worked up for nothing as it were! - she did smell strongly once I think I sniffed her shortly after tinkling ( I swear she will get a complex because I sniff her every day but I am terrified she will get that womb thing beginning with P - when I can, she hasn't had many hugs recently because of being plague household) what was really horrible is that a guy at work had mackerel in tomato sauce for lunch and it smelt just like her wee / heat smell - bleuch!

I used to have a hamster called hazel and I love the name chublet- I hope they are a porky ham

Thanks guys hopefully there will be a new meet my hamster thread from me soon and Lois updates I am woefully behind :s