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Old 10-23-2020, 11:32 PM   #1
MrsB
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Join Date: Aug 2020
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Smile Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Some of you may remember that I first posted here with my very sad story when I lost my two Campbell's Dwarf hamsters to, in part, treatment for mites. (complicated story). My breeder (an amazing woman who has been showing and judging dwarf hamsters for many years), insisted that I bring my three granddaughters and pick out two new hamsters to mend our hearts. We had an amazing visit and came home with two lovely little females. The first (picture attached) is called Lemon and she came from a tank of two litters. They were all running around and she climbed up on a toy and reached up to us. To this day, we think she was asking to be taken home!! The blue (picture attached) is a week younger, is named Azul and is completely charming. Both of them (from the first day) hear us come to their habitat and will come out to see us and step on to our hands!! They are amazing and I am besotted! I am back here to learn as much as I can from all the wisdom shared here.
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File Type: jpg lemon.jpg (295.9 KB, 20 views)
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Old 10-24-2020, 01:47 AM   #2
Ria P
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Yes, i think i remember you and your sad story of the two little hamsters. Aren't you the lady originally from Wick?

Those two little hamsters are absolutely adorable and i can see why you're besotted with them.

Do they live in their own habitats or do they share?

Looking forward to see more of them.
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Old 10-24-2020, 02:07 AM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Yes I remember too. Very sad and I am so glad you have two lovely new baby hamsters I think Hamsters do choose you sometimes! It also shows her personality - she seems like she might be confident and curious. Lovely that they are both so tame.
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Old 10-24-2020, 09:05 AM   #4
MrsB
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Yes! That's me ... and sad that travel "home" is so difficult right now.

They do share a habitat and it scares me based on some of the advice I was given, but I have been given a lot of contradictory advice on it and the breeder was adamant that it should not be a problem with these two so I live in a hyper-alert state with a lot of prayer. They have a 40 gallon aquarium (picture attached) and they actually choose to sleep together. When we approach their tank, they stick their heads out to see us - Lemon first and then immediately behind her is Azul or if I lift the lid of their wooden hideaway they will be together in one tiny compartment. Perhaps because Lemon is a little older and a little bigger they've established seniority?

I love talking about our hamsters, so I am sure you will be seeing more of them and I am so happy to be able to add a happy note to my sad story.
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Old 10-24-2020, 09:15 AM   #5
MrsB
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
Yes I remember too. Very sad and I am so glad you have two lovely new baby hamsters I think Hamsters do choose you sometimes! It also shows her personality - she seems like she might be confident and curious. Lovely that they are both so tame.
Yes!! Exactly! We do feel chosen and she really is curious and brave ... even with three (very loving) children handling her daily. The 8 year old dotes on them ... frequent kisses ... the 11 year old has decided, based on hamster poop, that she will stop pressing me for a dog!!! and the 12 year old is our hamster whisperer. They are incredibly relaxed and comfortable with her. I wish I had pictures of Azul on Maya's arm lying on her tummy with all four legs splayed out in complete relaxation.
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Old 10-24-2020, 10:47 AM   #6
flowerfairy
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Aww they look lovely. Great for all of you that they are so friendly.
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Old 10-25-2020, 02:25 AM   #7
Ria P
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

I've just re-read your previous thread to check that you have been made aware of the possible consequences of keeping two hamsters in one habitat and how to set it up to accommodate a pair.

I have currently a foster hamster who was made homeless after a fight with her sister when kept as a pair because her previous owner didn't have/want a second cage.

With all my heart i wish you the best and really hope that your two lovely little hamsters will live together in harmony and that this story will continue to be a happy one.
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Old 10-25-2020, 04:14 AM   #8
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

That is a lovely big tank and I can see you've taken a lot of care with the set up for a pair - with larger type tunnels etc.

It is very difficult when different people have strong views and pairs is one of these - either way. When I first joined this forum the usual advice was - careful set up and keep a close eye if any kind of squabbling. If any injury then separate. There were some experienced owners who believed that squabbling could be settled and also felt strongly about people saying - separate straight away. On the other hand there have been some awful injuries.

So it is a big emotive topic and I am sure your breeder will give you support and advice if there are any issues.

Pairs can live happily for life without needing separating - the time they often start to fall out is when their hormones kick in/puberty.

It is usual to have two wheels with a pair plus two houses or (I see you have a lovely large house) or more than one entrance to a house - maybe that house does have more than one entrance and I can't see. The reason being to help avoid any territorial behaviour. But as they are settling in I wouldn't change anything or move anything around right now and stress them.

The easiest thing would be to just "add" the odd thing - eg an extra wheel - or an extra house/hideout (with more than one entrance) - a tissue box with a couple of holes is fine! One at a time maybe. If you can just pop them in without needing to move anything around (which it looks like you might be able to).

It does no harm to have an extra house and wheel either.

I had some of these tips from someone who did manage to keep pairs together - and it included -scatter feeding instead of using a food bowl (if you do use a food bowl then add an extra one so one doesn't get territorial about the food bowl). And even to the point of having them both out for handling at the same time - so the one left in the cage doesn't start to get territorial about the cage.

But it is lovely that they are sleeping together and have settled in well. Fingers crossed. The things to look out for is if the smaller one stays small and the bigger one gets bigger (it can mean the bigger one is dominating and the smaller one isn't getting any food). And any fighting of course.

The tips for two wheels and houses etc are to help avoid fighting or squabbling over one thing. If you think about it, it's like small children sharing toys! If they start fighting over the toy then give the other one the same toy! To prevent it - give them both one to start with.

With the hamsters - even if they have two houses, they may still both sleep together in one house - but if one gets awkward, the other one has another house to go to, to retreat. Another reason for needing more than one entrance - in case one blocks it and traps the other one inside (or outside) of the house.

So the whole pairs set up is to avoid either of them getting territorial about a certain aspect of the habitat. I hope that helps! They will love the silent runner. I would suggest adding another wheel that's an open wheel - and maybe a flying saucer as well. They can both run in them together but at times may want to run on a different one separately.

You will find people advising to separate them anyway. I think if it was me I would see how it goes, but not wait for injury - but look out for squabbling/fighting. That can progress very quickly to a fight to the death. One can kill or seriously maim the other one. (Sorry I know you're already anxious) - but that is what can happen. I was going to adopt a pair of siblings from a rescue but they had to be separated before I could adopt them.

When cage cleaning, again it would be best to take them both out at the same time - into a playpen area eg. And to not do a big full clean out - but spot clean the substrate mostly and do partial cleans infrequently. So do the wheels as and when needed - not too much or it removes their scent and they get confused. Toys tend not to need cleaning very often - cardboard can be replaced if pee'd on. It's only really their pee that needs cleaning - and spot cleaning pee areas is the main thing. (If you can find them! If not then don't worry about it). You can go two or three months with just spot cleaning the odd handful of substrate, before needing to change the substrate. When you do change the substrate, it is a good idea to keep back some of the old substrate that is clean and dry and spread it on top of the new (so it still smells familiar). That layer will gradually get spot cleaned out.

You don't need to worry about poops - they're not dirty or smelly - they eat them sometimes or even hoard them (which is normal - they are hard wired to prepare for food shortage!). They have two stomachs and can redigest vitamins from the poops. They often use a sand bath as toilet for pooping. And you can just scoop them out of the sand bath when they get rather a lot.

Don't worry if you do need to separate them - they live perfectly happily on their own - and it can be a relief from stress (if one is getting bullied or not getting enough to eat). And they can still enjoy bonding with your grandchildren although then would need to come out at separate times (once separated they can't mix again - unless you are a very experienced owner who knows how to manage that kind of thing - not recommended though).

If they do need separating, what you could do is have them in separate rooms - so the grandchildren can all enjoy playing with the hamsters - just not in the same room.

My only slight concern might be the blue plastic house in the sand bath which they could squabble over as it doesn't look very big for both to get in and out of easily - but it's hard to tell from the photo. Personally I would take that out.

Oh and two water bottles as well- or a water bottle and a shallow drinking bowl. I can see you've got three bowls on top of the house - so assume two of them are food bowls. If one is a water bowl, it does need to be something very shallow so they don't fall in and get wet. Hamsters shouldn't get wet.

Something to think about could be - scatter feeding insread of food bowls and have the sand bath on top of the house instead - to make space for and extra wheel without needing to move anything else in the cage.

Last edited by Pebbles82; 10-25-2020 at 04:48 AM.
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Old 10-25-2020, 05:44 AM   #9
LunaTheHamster1
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Default Re: Introduction ... again ... with happier story!

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsB View Post
They do share a habitat and it scares me based on some of the advice I was given, but I have been given a lot of contradictory advice on it and the breeder was adamant that it should not be a problem with these two so I live in a hyper-alert state with a lot of prayer.
I think your habitat looks great, especially if it was for just one hamster. But as you have two, like Serendipity says you may want to double up on wheels/hides etc.

Personally, if you are that worried and scared about the two of them living together I would just split them up now, the hamsters will be fine on their own and you will have relieved yourself of all the stress and worry about them fighting/killing each other. Just not worth it in my opinion. I appreciate you may be confused by the contradictory advice and I probably have just confused you even more (sorry ) but it is the only way you can 100% guarantee nothing horrible happening to them.
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