Can Hamsters Be Kept Together in the Same Cage

There are several different species of hamsters but I am going to talk about the two most common types that are usually kept as pets, Syrians and Dwarf hamsters. Some hamster species will do well together in a cage while others like to have a cage all to themselves.

Can Syrian AKA Teddy Bear Hamsters be Kept In the Same Cage?
The only answer to this is, no they cannot. Syrian hamsters are solitary animals and will fight, sometimes to the death if they are housed in a cage with another Syrian hamster. They will be happier if they have a cage all to themselves and are not sharing it with another Syrian hamster. I know this from experience because I have had many Syrian hamsters and have seen the fights that can sometimes break out. They will be fine after they are born up until they are weaned from their mother, but as soon as they are weaned they should be moved to separate cages because they will fight and male and females will breed right away.

Can Dwarf Hamsters Be Kept in the Same Cage Together?
Dwarf hamsters are also sometimes called Chinese Dwarf or Russian Dwarf and while they are different and are also a lot alike. These hamsters are about half the size of Syrian hamsters and do like to be housed together because unlike the solitary Syrians these Dwarf hamsters are social animals and like to have cage-mates.

I once adopted a little Dwarf hamster and a few days later ended up having 5 more because I didn't realize she was pregnant at the time I adopted her. After the babies were weaned I housed the females in one cage and the males in another but momma hamster didn't like sharing her cage so she got her own cage. So even though they might be social animals each one is still an individual and may not like being with others and you may have to make arrangements to have another cage ready just in case.

Always House Hamsters According To Their Gender
Hamsters are able to breed with one another almost as soon as they are weaned from their mother and will breed with their siblings if given the chance. I do not condone small animal breeding for the sake of breeding because there are so many unwanted animals out there just waiting for someone to adopt them. If you would like babies then go to you local shelter and see if they have any hamster babies or pregnant mothers. You can leave your name and phone number and when the babies are ready for adoption you can be contacted. Also look into adopting from Hamster Rescues, these little animals are always looking for a good forever home.

How Big should Their Cage Be?
Hamsters like a lot of Space so they can have a corner to store their food another corner designated as their bathroom as well as places to sleep, play and rest. I do not recommend using glass aquariums as cages because these types of cages do not let enough air flow through the cage and this can make your hamsters sick. I do recommend getting the largest hamster cage that you can afford. The two or three level wire hamster cages are the best in my opinion. They give your hamster enough room to play and explore and if you are housing 2 or three Dwarf Hamsters the likely hood of fighting significantly decreases if the cage is big enough for the hamsters to have a lot of room to themselves when they want it.

More from Mary
How To Choose The Best Cage for Your Hamster.

Why Do Hamsters Fight With One Another?

The Differences Between Dwarf and Syrian Hamsters.