Pair of Winter Whites- should I separate?

tikitiki212 · 06-12-2020, 11:06 AM

Hello! New to the forum here.

A little over a month ago, my boys got a pair of Winter White Dwarf hamsters from a local pet store. We previously had a single WW Dwarf hamster for several years who sadly passed away in January. We researched a learned that the pair thing can be tricky, but the boys really wanted to give it a try.

They have seemed to behave overall okay together, though one is very small and the other quite large. Supposedly they are from the same litter (brothers) but I'm not positive. The pet store claimed they were but at first I thought the larger one was maybe a little older. We'll never know.

Anyway, when we brought them home we saw some dominance type behavior start from the larger one, and the smaller would squeak and go on his back. It always seemed short lived, though I watched it very closely.

Lately, it seems to be escalating some. The larger hamster has started chasing the smaller one at times, and sometimes pins him down and seems to possibly be biting him even. Lots of squeaking from the little one when that happens. No injuries or blood drawn at all, but the smaller one often does seem "scared" or on edge around him. I have seen the larger/ aggressor sort of lunge at him in a threatening manner many times too.

However, they still often sleep curled up together and most of the time seem fine together. We have two of everything but from time to time the larger still seems to become aggressive- just randomly. It is worse when we bring them out and feed them any kind of treats- the larger will start sniffing the smaller's mouth and seems to get angry or dominant when that happens, almost trying to "get in" the other one's mouth to see what he ate or something.

I'm feeling we should probably separate them, just to be safe...it's so sad though, since they are adorable together and much of the time seem fine together. I don't want the little one to live with any stress or potential danger though, of course!

Any advice or would you just separate them?

Thanks!

souffle · 06-13-2020, 01:25 AM

I would separate these. They are reaching maturity and with single sex pairs it usually happens. It's not a natural situation. The larger one is bullying the smaller one and possibly keeping him away from food. He is likely secreting lots of stress hormones making him prone to other diseases as well. He will be safer though it will take about 10 days or so to settle him on his own so don't worry of he looks for the other one for a bit as that is normal. The usually become more people friendly as well once settled and you won't have the worry of finding a serious fight with injuries has occurred.

Petite · 06-13-2020, 04:15 AM

Please separate them. However adorable they look together it isn't worth the risk. It is often the case that this kind of behaviour will escalate, and even if it doesn't the smaller one will, as souffle mentions, be suffering some degree of stress which will not do his health any overall good.

Ria P · 06-13-2020, 07:33 AM

Living with a bully is not a nice way to live for anybody and i feel sorry for the smaller hamster who must be under a lot of stress living in fear.
The larger one sounds like he needs his own space, his own territory to do what he wants to do without another hamster getting in his way.
I do hope that you have separated them by now so your boys can enjoy two happy and relaxed hamsters and you don't have to worry about finding a dead or badly injured hamster one morning.

Engel · 06-13-2020, 08:05 AM

From what I know, read and heard, all hamsters should be solitary. Just because they in theory could live together doesn't mean they should. Fighting is inevitable really. Best seperate them. They'll be happier for it

The one might be bigger because he gets all the resources. The other one will probably be having 'scraps'

tikitiki212 · 06-13-2020, 09:33 AM

Thank you! We did go ahead and separate them last night. They were truly adorable together, but at least I have some precious videos and pictures that we can remember it all by! Of course their safety and happiness is the number one most important thing.

The smaller one seems to be happy and I am glad that we can now put treats or seeds in his cage without having to worry about the larger one taking them or becoming aggressive. Oddly, the larger one seems more anxious- he spent a long time just running around sniffing everything, as if he were looking for his brother. He just seems on edge, as if he misses him or something. I hope he will relax. I said to him, "You were the one that was beating up on your brother- don't complain now buddy!!

" Haha.

One more question- I know that once separated they cannot go back together. Should we make sure they are literally never even NEAR each other? Like, if my boys have them out at the same time, should they not even be allowed to sniff each other or be near each other? Should we wash hands in between handling them? I just want to make sure to not stress them in any way.

Thanks so much!

Engel · 06-13-2020, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikitiki212

Thank you! We did go ahead and separate them last night. They were truly adorable together, but at least I have some precious videos and pictures that we can remember it all by! Of course their safety and happiness is the number one most important thing.

The smaller one seems to be happy and I am glad that we can now put treats or seeds in his cage without having to worry about the larger one taking them or becoming aggressive. Oddly, the larger one seems more anxious- he spent a long time just running around sniffing everything, as if he were looking for his brother. He just seems on edge, as if he misses him or something. I hope he will relax. I said to him, "You were the one that was beating up on your brother- don't complain now buddy!!

" Haha.

One more question- I know that once separated they cannot go back together. Should we make sure they are literally never even NEAR each other? Like, if my boys have them out at the same time, should they not even be allowed to sniff each other or be near each other? Should we wash hands in between handling them? I just want to make sure to not stress them in any way.

Thanks so much!

Up until the beginning of last month I had 4 hamsters. They were not related. All different ages, different genders different species.

I kept them all in the same room. Cages stacked on top of each other. I got them out the cage one at a time. I then put them back and then wash my hands before getting the next.

Ria P · 06-13-2020, 11:05 AM

I also have four hamsters, each of them living in their own cage with two dwarfs living in the same room. Like Engel i get them out one at a time and wash my hands inbetween handling each hamster. I'd find it far too risky to have two hamsters out of their cage at the same time because they can be quick and jump off hands and laps. I wouldn't want two hamsters to make contact and possibly hurt each other.

Maker · 06-13-2020, 11:02 PM

I would make sure they don’t meet out of the cage, perhaps the boys could make them individual play pens? Or one get the bath the other the shower cubicle?? Think if they did meet and there was a fight how you would you quickly split them up, i don’t know how old your children are but they would probably get bitten in the process and would this make them fear their hamster as well as the trauma of injuries

souffle · 06-14-2020, 12:47 PM

That is usually the way it goes that the bully hamster takes the separation worse. He will settle though in about 10 days or so. We have always still kept ours in the same room though even after separation. Normal washing hands after handling is fine. We don't tend to have them side by side though. I'm sure they will soon settle down.