How do I Introduce hamsters to each other?

[Snowflake_and_I]

My sweet big brother got me a playmate for my Campell dwarf, snowflake! A Winter White Russian named Avalanche. I put the two in seperate cages, and they smell each other and dont seem to mind one another, but what is the next step? I guess, how would I go abut putting them in the same habitat so I can connect the two?

[souffle]

I do hope they are the same sex as hybrid breeding is not to be recommended. Trying to introduce them is very difficult and more often than not ends in fighting and separation. This often happens even with same species pairs. Some people have kept them successfully together but this is better done when you have two litters of the same age to mix when they are separated from the mothers.

If you really want to try start by rubbing their scents over your hands then over each other. Next swap cages so the scents mix. Since you have only just got them this may be stressful as they have not had a chance to settle or be tamed yet so watch them for signs of illness. Then you can let them meet but they must be supervised constantly.

Always handle both, one at a time if need be, never only one as they need the mixed scents. Have gardening gloves ready in case they fight. Gradually leave them longer and longer together. As they mature they may become territorial and fight so watch them very carefully. The cages should have two of everything. Never feed in bowls, always scatter food on the floor as they can get territorial over bowls. Never do full cage cleans as you can lose their scents. Do half and mix the old stuff in to keep the scent of both in the cage. As you will realise scent is they key and is all important to our little friends!

It would probably have been wiser to have got a litter mate as they tend to live together better but you can but try so good luck. Remember you must always keep an emergency cage or bin available in case you need to separate quickly. Good luck :lol:

[Snowflake_and_I]

oh yeah I definitley don't plan on mixing them, they are totally different species, from what I have read. They are all male. Thank you so much for the detailed advice :D

[souffle]

Have you checked the sexes yourself? Pet shops, especially the very large ones are very, very frequently wrong in thier sexing resulting in many unexpected and unwanted litters. Please have a good look yourself. :lol: Young, untamed dwarf hammies are quite difficult to sex so do not reley on what the pet shop said!

[babyboos]

sadly as different species you have a harder battle to get them to happily cohabitate, good luck following the advice given

[Snowflake_and_I]

I did in fact check them myself too, after looking in a book to see what I was looking for. From what I had read online, the male and female have two vents and the females are much closer together to look like they have one, and they both are definitley male. Though I did finally allow them to be in the same cage together finally today after switching them between cages as souffle had so helpfully suggested, and they have been very peaceful surprisingly. I have been watching them to make sure, but I haven't heard a squek from then since :D

[babyboos]

glad to hear the introduction is running smoothly