Owning more than one hamster

[Pygmypuff]

Hi all!

So, I've been considering this for a long time, and I think I'd like to get another hamster. However, I really don't know much about keeping two hamsters at the same time, and I could really really do with some advice. These are the questions that I came up with:

Can I keep two hamsters in one room? Will they be able to smell/see/hear each other and get upset? Will the hamster I currently own become stressed out?

If I take one hamster out for a while, and then put it back in its cage, would it be alright to take the other hamster out straight after? Will it just follow the other ones trail of scent and get confused?

Would it ever be possible to have them both out at the same time? (I'm guessing absolutely not, this is just out of curiosity!)

After handling one of them, should I go and wash my hands before handling the other?

Is there anything else I need to know about this?

And finally, I just want to be sure that both hamsters will be able to lead happy, fulfilling and stress free lives. It would be so unfair on Puff to introduce a new hamster to my room if it would drive her crazy.

Any advice is fantastic! Thank you!

~Storm and Puff

[POLAR WHITES]

hamsters are fine being kept in the same room, they don't mind their cages being next to each other as long as they cant get to each other and you might fined if you get a male and a female when the female is in heat the male will become more active, When I had my hamsters I used to wash my hands between handling each one on the odd occasion I forgot to the male would just lick my hand where the female had been, Never get them out at the same time together as fights can happen very quickly and it just isn't worth the risk, I don't think your hamster would be bothered if another hamster was put into your room if your bothered about the new one upsetting her keep it at the other side of the room,

[Pygmypuff]

Okay, thank you so much for the advice! ^^

[cypher]

As polarwhites says it's fine to keep more than one in the same room, I have three in a fairly small living room with no problems, even with one male & one female hybrid they don't really seem even remotely bothered by each other.
I generally wash my hands between handling them but if they're all up & wanting attention sometimes I don't & they barely seem to notice most of the time.
The cage is their territory so it doesn't worry them so much if you use a playpen or free roam in a room where they can smell another ham.
You might be surprised by how many some people keep in one place if you have a look at this thread!
Where do you put them?!

[Pygmypuff]

Okay, thanks cypher, that was really useful. And very surprising indeed!

[Hekomi]

This isn't particularly recent, but.



Biscotti was in the 29gal you can see with the blue WW. Below him (that's actually empty I believe at this time) is Darissa.

Back in front, the one with the spinners is Mocha and Caramel. The 40gal behind them is Java. There is a 29gal you can't see on the other side of Java, right where the purple food container is. Under Java's 40gal is Chai.

We're planning to move either the dwarf boys or Java's 40gal to where Biscotti's is, move that 29gal down onto the shoe box beside it, and then use the space where Java's tank was to stack really useful boxes

[Pygmypuff]

Gosh! Wow! Thank you, that gives me a really clear picture of the distance needed between cages. You have an awful lot of hamsters though, wow! That must be hard work, but very rewarding.

I adore the names you've chosen for your hamsters. Very cute!

[Hekomi]

Pygmypuff, thanks. We do have a lot (we have three more in bins in the living room actually, but we're moving them in soon) but they're all wonderful. My SO helps quite a bit as well.

We try to name all of ours around caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.

[Cabbage Patch Hamstery]

When it comes to washing hands between handling/stroking/etc, I'm always quite vigilant about this when I first get a new hamster, just in case they are carrying any infections. But after they have been with me for a few weeks I tend to relax this...

[Pygmypuff]

Ah okay, makes sense. Thanks! ^^