Do dwarfs actually get lonely?

LunaTheHamster1 · 08-01-2022, 10:56 AM

Yes it is absolutely fine that they live alone, there is research out there that suggests that once the hamsters reach maturity it can cause them stress if they do not live alone. I think this is mainly because we can not replicate how they live in the wild. In the wild if they fall out, one hamster can just go off and remove itself from the situation, they cannot do that living in a cage, which results in injuries and sometimes death. Syrian and Chinese hamsters are 100% solitary animals. Dwarf hamsters can live together in certain circumstances but it is not something I advocate or recommend and it is more tricky than people realise.

I did a whole video about it if you want to know more:

Are Hamsters Solitary Animals? - YouTube

and the link to the research is including in the description below the video.

Ria P · 08-01-2022, 11:11 AM

It is very simple. If you'd buy another dwarf hamster in the pet shop and put him in the cage with your hamster, they'd probably kill each other. At the very least, they'd be very unhappy and stressed.

So, the answer is, no, dwarf hamsters don't get lonely.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 08-01-2022, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

It is very simple. If you'd buy another dwarf hamster in the pet shop and put him in the cage with your hamster, they'd probably kill each other. At the very least, they'd be very unhappy and stressed.

So, the answer is, no, dwarf hamsters don't get lonely.

Yes, I believe that, because my hamster is already an adult. It's sad to see the state that they're in at the pet store. It's weird that mice had a wheel and hamsters didn't and the bedding was just rocks. Nevertheless, they didn't have any paper bedding.
I was shocked to see so many dwarfs together and the syrian was alone. I wondered if I misunderstood something about dwarf hamsters and after visiting the pet store I believe my hamster has a better life than he had at the pet store. There were so many dwarf hamsters together and the cage was even smaller than my cage. A lot smaller. If I'll ever get a hamster again, I know the first thing should be a visit to the vet, because I don't believe they change or really clean the cage. it's kinda suspicious that Bogie's cage at the store is exactly the same as it was a year ago, really. That Syrian hamster at the store was cute though, but Bogie and me were still meant to be and I'll make him as happy as I can.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 08-01-2022, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LunaTheHamster1

Yes it is absolutely fine that they live alone, there is research out there that suggests that once the hamsters reach maturity it can cause them stress if they do not live alone. I think this is mainly because we can not replicate how they live in the wild. In the wild if they fall out, one hamster can just go off and remove itself from the situation, they cannot do that living in a cage, which results in injuries and sometimes death. Syrian and Chinese hamsters are 100% solitary animals. Dwarf hamsters can live together in certain circumstances but it is not something I advocate or recommend and it is more tricky than people realise.

I did a whole video about it if you want to know more:

Are Hamsters Solitary Animals? - YouTube

and the link to the research is including in the description below the video.

Thank you for mentioning the dwarfs in the video. A lot of people leave them out from everywhere and it was really confusing for me to see that so many dwarfs are in the same cage, which is WAY SMALLER than mine and they barely had any bedding and NO WHEEL. Just one drinking bottle and the Syrian was completely alone and he had a toilet paper roll and hay and rocks as a bedding. I do not believe that they change the hay or all of the bedding when they get a new hamster. If I'll ever get a hamster again I guess the first trip would be to the vet, because my current hamster had bugs when I got him. I didn't even notice it immediately and he wasnt tamed yet when he got bugs. One night I just woke up, because he was absolutely screaming and hissing and I went to check what's up and saw bugs everywhere.
I then cleaned the cage and the bugs kept coming back. It didn't stop till I took my hamster to the vet.