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Old 01-14-2020, 06:49 AM   #1
JasonR
Newborn Pup
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
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Question Help! Hamster Fighting

Hi All, I'm new here and was hoping to get some advice from you please...

Just over 3 months ago, My Syrian hamster passed away after little over 3 years, she meant so much to me and my partner, we decided that we'd buy more. This time around we went for 3 Russian Dwarfs (we were going to buy 2 but we couldn't leave the 3rd one to be sold separately, they were all sleeping together).

A week goes by and all 3 Hamsters are happily getting along in the cage, 2 of them decide to sleep in one area, and the other made a corner nest...2 weeks in and the 2 who have been sticking together kept looking for the third and both attacking her at the same time...I read online about this happening at the beginning whilst asserting dominance so I left it for 3 days....On the 3rd day it was getting so severe that the third hamster couldn't even sleep, so I bought a new cage, and although she is more shy now, she is happily living her life separately and each day makes a little more progress to come back out of her shell.

Sorry for the long post, but the reason I explained all this, is that shoot forward 2 months and we now have discovered the 2 who stuck together were boys (not girls as sexed in the shop) and the singular hamster is a girl...

Even though the 2 hamsters who have been cuddling together, affectionately sniffing, licking, nibbling eachother, one of them has decided that TODAY he doesn't like the other, and is defending both wheels, food, water and basically any time the other moves from his bed, he is running over and attacking him. Today is also the only day they haven't slept with eachother, and I had to take the naughty hamster out a moment ago just so the other could get to the food/wheel...

I'm so confused why one of them has suddenly flipped on the other, but she is being very territorial...literally yesterday I was taking pictures of them cleaning eachother..

THANK YOU so much for reading my post!! and I would appreciate any advice, no matter how small. I just keep finding conflicting advice on websites and realize that 'one size fits all' approach doesn't work for living beings.
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Old 01-14-2020, 09:18 AM   #2
Salem13
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

The thing with dwarves is that even though they can sometimes work in pairs or groups they often don't. They can flip on a dime and attack each other, severely injuring or even killing them. I remember the stories of my elememtary school class mates would tell of how their hamster literally ate the other one. The hamsters at the store tend to "get along" better because theyre pretty young, though often as customers you aren't going to spend enough time watching to see a fight.

I would highly suggest trying to find a third cage to seperate the two boys. Seeing as cages can be pretty expensive you may want to try a bin cage. If you dont know how to make one there are several good tutorials on youtube.
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Old 01-14-2020, 10:45 AM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

You need to separate them and have a third cage. Sadly this happens a lot, especially as they get a bit older and their hormones kick in. I would do it now and not wait to see if it settles because this can quickly turn into serious maiming or death before you know it.
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Old 01-14-2020, 11:33 AM   #4
Petite
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

This happened to me with two Russian dwarves. They were siblings, started off living together and sleeping together as they always had done, and then one began to stalk the other. When it reached the stage of drawing blood (we weren't sure until then) we hastily separated them. I wouldn't ever keep two together now. Once a grudge develops they are not very forgiving.
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Old 01-15-2020, 01:32 AM   #5
Ithuviel
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

Also i would like to point out that the female might be pregnant and you might have a litter in 1 or 2 weeks. Separate the boys as fast as you can, get a third cage or bin cage as suggested.
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Old 01-16-2020, 02:28 PM   #6
JasonR
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Red face Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

Thank you everyone for the advice and sharing your experiences!!

Sorry I haven’t replied in a couple of days but after posting this they completely stopped fighting, yesterday they were in the pipe of the cage sleeping together and getting along as before.

Today the dominant male hamster starting chasing the other again, cornering him and scratching, when the other submits he just sits on top of him until the submissive hamster runs away again. This seems to be on and off, until the dominant hamster gets bored.

They don’t seem to be biting but I have a new cage coming tomorrow morning and will separate them (although it breaks my heart to do it!)

I’m also keeping an eye on the female dwarf but she doesn’t seem to be gaining in size around the belly, in fact over the pass couple of days she has been really lively and has started coming out when we’re in the room, she even ate a treat from my hand today, so good progress with one of them at least!

Thanks again all!
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Old 01-16-2020, 03:00 PM   #7
Ria P
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonR View Post

They don’t seem to be biting but I have a new cage coming tomorrow morning and will separate them (although it breaks my heart to do it!)
Imagine how you would feel to get up one morning to find one badly injured or dead. That would break your heart to know that you could have easily avoided the suffering of such a small animal. Don't feel bad about separating them because hamsters are perfectly happy on their own. My guess is that the submissive one will appreciate a stress free life without a bully sitting on top of him and the dominant one will find other and more interesting things to do.

Your female hamster's life must have been hell before you gave her a home of her own and now she's eating out of your hand. Surely, that must tell you something.
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Old 01-17-2020, 12:52 AM   #8
Ithuviel
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Default Re: Help! Hamster Fighting

Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonR View Post

I’m also keeping an eye on the female dwarf but she doesn’t seem to be gaining in size around the belly,
Thanks again all!
She will gain visible size about 2-3 days before birth
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