It can be very annoying and upsetting if your hamster starts fighting. Hamsters will squeak or scream, or jump over each other. One of the hamsters will stalk or tease other hamsters in the cage so that the non-dominant hamster will be afraid of the dominant hamster. However, there are methods you can try to get your hamster to stop fighting and restore calm between your pets.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Understanding Why Hamsters Fight
Step 1. Determine the type of hamster
Certain breeds should be kept alone, in separate cages and farthest from other hamsters. Certain types of hamsters can also only socialize with hamsters of the same sex. Take your hamster to the vet to confirm the breed, or check with the pet store where you purchased the hamster.
- The Syrian hamster, also known as the golden hamster, is the most common and the largest hamster breed. Syrian hamsters come in a variety of colors although the most common are gold, dark brown with black spots, and white on the belly. This hamster also has round black eyes, large ears, and a short tail. Syrian hamsters should not be housed in one cage because they are very territorial and are solitary creatures. This aggressive tendency begins to develop when this hamster is between 6 to 8 weeks old. After reaching 8 weeks of age, he should be placed in a separate cage.
- Dwarf hamsters are the second most common type of hamster and are smaller than the Syrian hamster. Dwarf hamsters have fur with a dark stripe that runs from head to tail and is often brown. If the hamster is an albino, it will be all white. Dwarf hamsters usually prefer to live socially, either in pairs or in groups. However, their social skills vary and some dwarf hamsters prefer to live alone.
- The Chinese dwarf hamster is the third most popular hamster breed. This hamster is small, about 10-12 cm long with soft grayish-brown fur and a black stripe along its back. This hamster is sometimes considered a mouse because it has a longer tail than other types of hamsters. The long tail makes this hamster good at jumping and climbing. He likes human interaction, but doesn't get along well with other hamsters, so keep one in each cage. This hamster is also nocturnal, so it will run around and make noise at night.
Step 2. Find out the sex of the hamster
The best rule of thumb is to keep hamsters of the same sex together and keep hamsters of different sexes in separate cages. Hamsters of the same sex tend to fight more often than hamsters of the opposite sex.
If you want to try to keep hamsters of different sexes in the same cage, introduce them both when they are young
Step 3. Keep the hamsters in separate cages side by side
This initial setup allows the hamsters to get used to each other's body odors without having to make physical contact. Let the two kiss each other and interact through the bars of the cage. After both hamsters seem to tolerate each other's presence, try bringing them together in the same cage.
Before putting them in the same cage, make sure the cage is neutral and doesn't contain other hamster odors. The cage must be clean or new, and have clean bedding and toys. This will leave some things up for grabs and prevent the two from fighting over territory
Step 4. Watch how the hamster plays and interacts in the cage
Once you've put the two hamsters in the same cage, pay attention to how they interact with each other. Do the two play each other at least once a day or ignore each other? Does one hamster appear more daring or aggressive than the other? This will help you get a feel for the dynamics of the two hamsters and whether they are starting to become aggressive towards each other.
Don't leave your hamster alone in the cage until you're satisfied that they both accept each other. You should feel that the two hamsters are not harming each other or will not hurt each other. If you're not sure if the hamsters are getting along or not, take them out and put them back in separate cages. Try putting them together again the next day and watch the hamsters interact to see if they get along or not
Step 5. Be prepared for normal fights between hamsters
Normal fights between hamsters are usually about dominance, which makes one hamster oppress the other hamster and convinces him that he is the dominant hamster. If the hamsters are chasing each other and squeaking, this is considered a normal fight. Granted, these fights can be very noisy and annoying to watch, but as long as the chasing, sniffing, and squeaking sounds are brief, it's still normal dominance behavior. You should let them fight and don't interfere as this is the hamster's natural way of establishing dominance.
- One hamster may jump on another hamster until it squeaks and gives up. The hamster that is on top is now legally dominant and must let go of the hamster it overwrites.
- This kind of dominance can happen over and over again and as long as the hamster is able to get up and continue its activities, fighting is normal. Normal fights can last for several weeks when the hamsters are first brought together and can last a hamster's life.
- Do not disturb the hamster during a fight or remove one of the hamsters and put it back in the cage. While your hamster is fighting, you should allow it to respond to each other on its own. Taking one of your hamsters out of the cage can be confusing and stressful.
Step 6. Look for signs of a hamster fight
Characteristics of fights include biting each other, chasing each other, and one hamster cornering the other hamster so it can't escape. These are abnormal displays of dominance. These are signs of bullying and fighting between hamsters.
- One hamster can injure the other hamster and prevent the underdog hamster from eating, drinking, or sleeping.
- The hamster that is being bullied will distance itself, it will lose or gain weight, and it will stop playing with other hamsters or with you. He may be aggressive towards you when you hug or touch him. These are signs of severe stress, and you will need to arrange housing for the bullied hamster or move it away from another hamster.
Step 7. Move the bullied hamster to a different cage
Some hamsters, even if they are of the same sex, will end up fighting with each other even though you did your best to make them both happy. If the bullied hamster is showing signs of stress, such as a loss of appetite, hiding in fear, or having bite wounds from the dominant hamster, it's time to move the bullied hamster to a separate cage. Hamsters that are separated from each other do better than hamsters that are aggressive and stressed out in the same cage.
Once you've moved your bullied hamster to its new cage, try to keep the new cage as close to the old cage as possible. This will allow your hamster to transition more easily into the new cage and reduce stress levels
Step 8. Don't let your hamsters socialize after being separated
It is very important to separate the hamsters, not to take them out of the cage at the same time, not to put them in the same cage, or to play together. Both hamsters will start fighting or be aggressive with each other again if they are both socializing at the same time.
Method 2 of 2: Customizing the Hamster's Residence
Step 1. Buy a larger cage for both hamsters
Hamsters may be aggressive towards each other because they have limited space to live and play. This can trigger the hamster's natural tendency to fight for territory. One hamster should have at least 1 square meter of space, so two hamsters need to be twice as big.
Talk to sales at your nearest pet store to find a cage large enough to keep both hamsters happy and stress-free
Step 2. Arrange the cage so that there are no blind spots or covered areas
It is very important to arrange the hamster cage so that no hamster will trap other hamsters. Avoid long tubes and blind spots. Make sure all the boxes or houses in the cage have two exits, so that both hamsters don't get trapped at the same time.
There should be a corner or a tight spot in the cage to prevent the hamster from being trapped or confined
Step 3. Provide two beds, two water bottles, two food bowls, and two wheels
Have two pairs of accessories for each hamster so they don't have to share or fight over water bottles or bedding.
- Having two beds is also important because most hamsters don't like to share a bed. If possible, you should also provide two pairs of toys, such as two wheels or two boxes with two entrances.
- You should provide two food bowls large enough for your hamster to fit in them. Most hamsters like to sit on their food bowls and don't like fighting over the same space.
Step 4. Maintain a daily routine for both hamsters
Show each hamster the same care and love by feeding, playing and grooming his fur at the same time each day. This will reduce tension between the hamsters and strengthen their relationship. After the couple has spent a lot of time together, the two should treat each other like a couple and reduce aggressive behavior towards each other.
Step 5. Hold both hamsters together before returning them to the cage
Always try to get both hamsters out of the cage at the same time and hold them in your hand so that both hamsters get the same body odor. This will reduce romp in the cage and less stress between the hamsters.
