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Old 01-16-2016, 07:14 AM   #1
orlastar
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Smile 2 dwarfs in detolf

hi,

I haven't actually got 2 dwarfs yet, but... i was think about getting a pair and i was wondering if anyone has any advice or tips for keeping your first pair. Also, is an Ikea Detolf cage big enough for a pair of dwarfs?

Any tips or advice for owning a pair welcome...
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Old 01-16-2016, 02:03 PM   #2
flowerfairy
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

I bought a pair of roborovski dwarf hamsters from a breeder (sisters) but they have fallen out so now live separately.

I notice on here that for two people advise two of everything eg wheels, houses, etc and houses need more than one entrance so they cant trap each other inside.

Levels are discouraged as they can get territorial and fight over them so a nice big cage (at least 80 x 50cm) with deep substrate and plenty of toys.

Best of luck. I love my two. ps It may be a wise idea just to have one as it can be stressful wondering if they are fighting or about to fight ...
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Old 01-16-2016, 03:23 PM   #3
M3gan
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

Be prepared for the possibility of a fallout. Have a spare cage and two of everything you buy. I would only reccommend keeping robos in pairs.
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Old 01-16-2016, 11:33 PM   #4
cypher
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

A detolf is quite a good size for two, ideally for a pair you want one large space without shelves or levels & the detolf is good for that, you need to have two of everything basically, two wheels, water bottles, at least two houses with more than one exit & scatter feeding rather than using bowls can all help to prevent them falling out, even with the best precautions that can still happen though so you do have to be prepared with a spare cage or a means of dividing the detolf if that occurs.
Any particular reason you're thinking of getting a pair?
If you are fairly new to hams in general & dwarf hams in particular then it might be worth considering just starting with one, with lots of toys & hideouts the detolf would make a great cage for a single dwarf, they live very happily alone & it gives you a greater opportunity to interact with them, a lot less stress with not having to monitor behaviour & keeping an eye out for fighting too! If you have more experience & think you can cope with a pair then just ignore me
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Old 01-17-2016, 11:36 AM   #5
kyrilliondaemon
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

Personally I'd be concerned a detolf would be too large for a pair. I've seen people suggesting the ideal cage size for a pair to be anything from roughly 60x40cm to 100x50cm and in the end the ideal seems to vary between pairs. Its important to remember that too much space can cause problems as easily as too little space, so if you did use a detolf for a pair of dwarf hamsters I'd suggest making a divider so that you can restrict how much of the cage they have access to at a time - then you can adjust the cage size as needed to keep them happy and if they did fall out then half a detolf each would be a perfectly reasonable cage for them. I've kept a few pairs and groups in the past and if I had to guess at a cage for a pair of dwarf hamsters I'd probably feel safest going around the 70x40cm mark to be honest. I went for the bigger the better with my first group of dwarf hamsters and a few months down the line I regretted it, they had to move to a smaller cage for a few days away and were instantly so much more happy and settled that they never went back to the original cage.
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Old 01-17-2016, 01:00 PM   #6
flowerfairy
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

Very intersting kryillion daemon. My two robos fell out having been put into a maxi duna multi (100 x 50) they are now separate. Wonder if a smaller space would have helped them.
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Old 01-18-2016, 04:56 AM   #7
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Default Re: 2 dwarfs in detolf

I would never attempt keeping a pair personally as they are just too volatile. Cage size could have an impact and my feeling is the larger the cage, the more chance they will bicker over that territory, so it`s arguable what is the best size for a pair. I would be happy keeping a pair in a Zoozone 1. Usually used for a single dwarf hamster normally, but if you have two silent spinner wheels or good wheels in there, the wheels allow the hamsters to run off their excess energy and they still have space to forage about, play and have one shoe box nest at one end with doors cut into it, so their nest would be spacious as well.

If your sure you want a pair, I would look at the long term and still have a spare Mini Duna or another Zoozone 1 just in case they ever fall out. Meaning, both hamsters would then have a similar home in the end. The Zoozone 1 is around £31.00 online. Or just go for the single hamster and save yourself the stress! x
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