Russian Dwarf Setup, Second hamster?

[Artur26]

Hi, I'm new to having hamsters and yesterday I got my first Russian Dwarf, a male. My cage is this one, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ferplast-Ha.../dp/B00FRFS1G8
I put it as you can see in the pictures. When I first put the hamster in he immediately got inside the wood igloo and never came out except for a brief moment to eat a bit of calliflower from my hand. I gently put him on the top floor but he came back to hide in his nest. I assume this behavior is normal and that he will take some time to settle in. I'm just a bit worried because he has not touched the water bottle yet. I know because I put a little bit of peanut butter on the tip of the botTle.
My girlfriend suggested we should buy another of his brothers, to give him so company. Would that be a good idea? From the pictures do you think they have enough space and entertainment? I also have an equally sized cage fully equipped with the same amount of toys and distractions, but I don't want to put another hamster there separated, I was just going to use that cage for temporary situations, like when I have to clean the other cage etc.

Thanks for reading and for your advice

[mangoandmimi]

He is very sweet. For now just let him settle in, it may take a couple weeks. The setup looks ok for now. Can't tell if there are any potential big falls but make sure there isn't. Just stick with the one hamster, you shouldn't introduce hamsters - he might feel a bit lost without his siblings now and along with the new environment but don't worry. They do best alone.

You will probably want to start thinking about a cage upgrade though, this one is quite small despite the shelves. It's ok for now while he settles but I'd start looking for something at least 80-100cm in length and 50cm wide. Also a wheel upgrade, not sure what that size is but as he grows he'll need one at least 8-9 inches in diameter.

[cypher]

Congrats on getting your first little Russian, he does look adorable.
As mangoandmim said they are best living alone, pairs rarely do well as they are territorial animals & as they mature they want their own space & begin to fight so once he's settled in to his new home he will be happiest living alone.
The cage is quite small & also fairly tall so there is a potential for falls there, do what you can to make sure he can't fall onto anything hard.
Does he have a house or dark place to make a nest in the base of the cage? It's a bit hard to see but they do need a good size house with no base directly on the substrate.
He should be ok in there for a while as he's settling in but you will ideally need to upgrade his cage.
The hamster heaven cage is a fairly good size & not too tall, best used without the tubes & penthouse though! The large front door is a big bonus making access really easy.

[alpacassei]

I agree about the size, Russian dwarfs need a minimum cage size of 70x40cm. They also need their cage to have a deep base so they can burrow. Russian dwarfs will burrow all overvtheir cage if they are given the opportunity. You’ll also need to upgrade the wheel, Russians need between a 6.5 and 8inch wheel (17-21cm). I can’t tell if you have a sandbath or not but if you dont, you’ll need to add one.

For Russian dwarf’s I’ve used the following cages:

Ferplast Criceti 15, 80x50cm. Good base depth, not too tall, large top door
Ferplast Duna Multy/Fun Large70x40cm. Good height, Fun version has a barred section for extra ventilation, Fun ver also comes with two large platforms. Tank stylee is great for burrowing. Large top door.
Alaska, 80x50cm. Affordable, good base depth, height could be an issue for climbers. Top and side doors.
Savic Ruffy 2, 80x50cm. Basically the Hamster Heaven without the fancy stuff. Good height, good base depth.

I’ve also used 70x40 and 100x40 bin cage. The 100cm bin is from Wham, I’m not sure about the smaller bin since I dont have it any more

Please please please do not introduce him to another hamster! Russian dwarf pairs should only be kept by experienced owners that can distinguish between fighting and acceptable dominance behaviours as the two lare VERY similar. Its also very risky to introduce two hamsters once theyve been separated, even if they are brothers.

[Artur26]

Guys, thanks for your replies but Im afraid I did a mistake.

I ordered a bigger cage, the Living World Green Eco Habitat Medium Size which is 98cmx58cm (Is this enough?) . But today I was at the pet store and I felt sorry for the dwarf hamster that was there alone (he was the day before yesterday with the other one I bought), so I brought one that too thinking that it would not be problem since I was getting a bigger cage. This was before I checked your replies here.

I have another cage at this moment, and I could separate them if you think it is necessary. I read that they were kinda social and that it would be okay, but apparently after reading your answers and some other posts that is not quite the case.

They are very active and no longer shy and hiding but I can't tell if they are fighting or playing. I recorded this video so that someone can help me.

https://youtu.be/EQkl6YRSI-Y

[mangoandmimi]

They look like winter whites. Which really should be kept separately whether they’re litter mates or not - even in the wild they’re quite often solitary and only together to mate. That squeaking is not a good sign, they often are vocal with fights. You need to separate them now, don’t let them go a night together where you can not monitor them. Things can get out of hand before you know it so it’s better to stay on the safe side. No joint play time or anything once they are separated.

The eco habitat however is a great choice. The medium is a good size for one of them. You will need to think about what to do with the other.

[alpacassei]

I responded to your message earlier but please seperate them immediately, before their fighting escalates and one of them gets seriously injured or worse.

[Artur26]

I made a new hamster setup Hamster pen - Album on Imgur