Can Hamsters Be Kept Together? Unveiling the Potential Risks and Truths of Cohabitation in the Same Cage

Today, let’s discuss whether hamsters can be kept together in the same cage. First and foremost, the conclusion is: hamsters should absolutely not be kept together in the same cage. Some “cute”individuals might question this, saying: “I’ve seen many bloggers keeping several hamsters in the same cage, and there are dozens kept together in the flower and bird markets.” Others might say: “My two hamsters never fight when they are together.” In response to this, I want to emphasize that, apart from during the breeding period and the juvenile period, when hamsters can briefly cohabit, forcing them to share a cage at other times is akin to sleeping on the floor of a toilet – it’s not far from trouble.

Scenario Analysis

Male and Female Situation

Will a male and a female hamster tolerate and love each other due to love? It’s important to know that hamsters do not experience love; they only coexist peacefully during the act of mating, after which they leave each other without any accountability, very pragmatic, and then they will fight fiercely.

Litters Born Together

Another scenario is whether littermates will coexist peacefully due to kinship. What are you thinking? Have you ever fought with your own brother? Surely you have, or at least had conflicts. Humans are like this, and even more so for hamsters, which do not even recognize their relatives, right? After three months, these young hamsters will claim their own territories, and there may be a situation where they turn against each other. Therefore, it is crucial to separate them in time after they reach three months old.

Hamsters That Seem to Coexist Peacefully

There are also instances where hamsters seem ordinary and peaceful, and you might think they won’t fight. But can you monitor them 24/7? There will always be times when you need to rest, right? When the night falls and it’s quiet, they might start fighting. By the time you wake up the next day to check, you might find that your little darlings have already been separated in death.

Misunderstandings of Hamster Behavior

At this point, there will definitely be people who will argue with me, saying: “No, no, no, my hamsters really don’t fight, and they are quite affectionate with each other……”Wait! Let me help you analyze this. Is it always the case that one hamster is pressing on top of another, and the one being pressed occasionally licks the fur of the one below? Then, you might imagine a warm scene and occasionally feel touched: “My raised little ones are really loving, and as a motherly figure, I feel very satisfied.”

Today, I want to tell you a truth: this behavior is not love. The one that presses on another and allows the other to lick its fur is actually the dominant one exerting pressure. This behavior is essentially one hamster bullying another. Allowing the other to lick its fur is not out of affection but rather to taste it. Once the hamster that is licking is in a bad mood, or if there is a lack of food, it might bite the weaker one to death or even eat it as a reserve food supply.

The Issue of Uncontrolled Reproduction

The most critical issue is their uncontrolled reproduction. Within a few months, they could make you write a novel by Lao She – what novel, you ask? It’s “Four Generations Under One Roof”. With my current conditions and capabilities, raising three is already quite a struggle. Imagine if you had to raise dozens – it would be truly daunting. Moreover, they engage in inbreeding, and most of them have physical and mental defects; no one would want them even for free. At that point, it’s like a sow stuck in a fence, in a dilemma.