Can Syrian Hamster Live Together?

Janinhaa · 02-01-2015, 04:01 AM

So i adopted a female syrian hamster and she was pregnant. They were 6 pups and they born at 5 of December.
I give them all except two girls.
I bought a cage of three floors and they (the two pups and the mother) have been living together since then, and until now, there was no kind of problem.
I know you can not put syrian hamster together, but, since they are her daughters and they know each other from the day they were born, is it really a problem for them to live together?

Tyvm!!

SecretlyDying · 02-01-2015, 05:06 AM

Syrian hamsters should never be house together regardless of whether they're related in any way. I think i read something recently about a mum and daughter living together for so long fine and then one day the mum suddenly turned and killed the daughter. Id seperate your syrians right away as its really not worth risking. They can and will kill if/when one becomes too terroritorial.

SinNyx · 02-01-2015, 05:09 AM

It is a huge problem.

Most likely mum will want space and attack the pups. As they age they will also get hormonal and fight for their territory. Ideally all should be separated before 8 weeks, 10 at most.

It goes against a Syrian hamster's natural instincts, and you don't want to walk into a bloodbath. Having a cage with three levels especially creates territorial issues as they may fight for levels. Even if you do not notice it, they may also become very stressed living together. in the wild, mum would make them all leave and they would move on to other territories. Trapped in a cage they can not do this.

You will need to house all of them in separate cages if you plan on keeping them all. It really is in the best interest of the hamsters. Even if there are no problems now, there can and will be. Especially as some may become more dominant over others and their personalities show through.

I took on a rescue litter that were only around four weeks old, separated males and females and the same day I had to remove them into separate cages as one of the males started attacking all of his siblings.

Thin Lizzy · 02-01-2015, 09:07 AM

Hi Janinhaa and welcome to the forum.
The sooner you separate them the better!
I wouldn't want to witness them fighting or come home and find the 2 pups dead.

Janinhaa · 02-01-2015, 01:38 PM

Ty all

I'm going to it if its for the best.