Two Syrian hamsters!?!

[Ninjakaatz]

I'm thinking of getting a second hamster, I did at first think about getting two rats but looking at Pumpkin he's so darn cute I think I'd like to get another. Now I know they can't be housed together but it would be ok to keep them in the same room in their own cages right? Also what would we do about play time? Would they need separate pens and toys?

It wouldn't be until later this year/early next year as I'm currently going through a separation and have other stuff to sort out first but I like to plan ahead and thought I could look at starting to build up stuff ready.
Thanks

[cypher]

Lots of people keep more than 1 in the same room, it shouldn't be a problem.
You might find this interesting!
http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/hamster-chat/54580-where-do-you-put-them.html

[SinNyx]

I keep mine in the same room, currently ten of them, with no problems. The one thing you may notice if you have a male and female is that they may react more to each other.

For play time, they need to be separated at all times, no playing together, however you can use the same play pen for them, though they may not like smelling another hamster on the same toys.

[Thin Lizzy]

I keep both of mine in the same room.
Sometimes they'll compete at how fast they can go in their wheels and it's very funny to watch!

[Candra_Faulkner]

It shouldn't be a problem to keep them in the same room, I've just noticed
people have issues when keeping other types of pets in a room with the hamsters,
like cats , dogs,or birds, that have very different scents, are noisy, and are predator types of animals.

I would definitely save up for separate toys , so each can have their own scents
on them. :D You could build some great things as well, it's really fun and relaxing,
I love building for Toby. If you do build , just make sure the toys are very roomy with
doors and such that are nice and big if you're getting a Syrian.

I wish I could afford a second one... even if I could I don't have the space for another one, ha ha. Toby's in a huge tank and I've got bookshelves and things on all my other walls.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Ours are in the same room too, some mind how close they are to others, others never seem to care at all.

[Ninjakaatz]

That's brilliant, thanks everyone for your replies. Guess I'd better get buying/saving :)

[RachK]

All my hams apart from Misty live in the same room, it has never caused any problems :) And they all share the same playtime toys.

[Artisans_uk]

All my hams apart from Misty live in the same room, it has never caused any problems :) And they all share the same playtime toys.

Just like many have said and RachK mentioned, mine are also all in the same room and they share playtime toys, obviously not at the same time but in other words, I do not have separate set of playpen toys for each hamster, no problems so far. :)

[Snowz]

You can keep two hamsters in 1 room in there own cages, and I think you only need 1 playpen just put one in then take one out after that then put the next hamster in so they would get their own play time.

[beccapenny]

My Vince has my 2 gerbils living on the shelf above his cage! He's so neat in his cage, but they send bedding flying everywhere and it gets in his cage and he looks so disgruntled haha! He shares the playpen with them too, and neither Vincey nor the gerbils seem to mind!