Hamster Separation Anxiety?
I had a question that I was hoping to get some input on -
So, I bought 2 male robos about 2 months ago (and about a week apart). After a day or so of acclimation (having them in one cage, divided in half), I put them together, and all seemed well. They would play, sleep together, etc. After about a month and a half, though, they started fighting - I think this was a result of having only one wheel.
So, put them in a larger, divided cage for a week, gave them each their own food, water, wheel, and sandbox. After the week of "cooldown time," I put them together again, but one hamster (the smaller one, ironically), was still being dominant, so I've separated them into their own cages.
Now, a week later, I'm noticing the the less-dominant hamster is, while alone, becoming even more easily frightened and submissive. Is this normal when being removed from another hamster? Is this a tiny, fury version of battered wife syndrome? Any thoughts?
(As a final note - last night, a friend gave me essentially an 80 gallon small animal cage - 16"x16"x7'. Would the hamsters be more likely to get along given such a massive enclosure, or is it a pretty lost cause?)
Thanks for any input!
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