Im thinking about getting a dwarf hamster?

Question

ok so i'm pretty sure i want a dwarf hamster or a teddy bear hamster

i have two cats

im pretty sure i want two of them at some point


i've looked online at how to's and such but i wanna hear from other people with experience and such

any tips for someone who never had one?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Dwarf hamsters require much more specific care than the traditional Syrian. I recommend them only to experience owners who have done serious amounts of research. A Syrian is a little more sturdy as far as hamsters go, able to handle minor mistakes on the owner's part. Dwarves are small, easily handled too roughly, have a considerably shorter lifespan, tend to be more tempermental and snippish, and there are "hamster treats/foods" that can be downright deadly for the little guys. However, dwarves are the only kind of hamster capable of living in pairs/groups peacefully (Syrians fight to the death). Owning a dwarf means you need to read every ingredient on each food before giving anything to them, as even small amounts of certain things are dangerous to them when a Syrian would show no ill side effects. Dwarves come in a limited choice of coat styles and colors, Syrians have a large array to select from (this is because dwarves are still fairly new to the domestic pet life).

I adore dwarves over all other types of hamster, but I openly admit that they are much more work and worry than a Syrian. I recommend a Syrian if you've never had a hamster before or if you've only had a few. You can have two Syrians, but they have to live separately (even paired dwarves sometimes have to be permanently separated if fighting persists).

Sites like hamsterific.com and Wikipedia.org can give you further details on the care required of dwarves.

Source(s):

rodent manager of a pet shop, owner of numerous hamster species including Syrians and two of the three types of dwarf, 10 years hamster experience

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

the website was great!

Answer 2

i ahve 2 dwarf hamsters and dwarf hamsters are geat hamsters but if your going to get 2 of them remeber if you get a male and female they can have 5 bays every 18-19 dyas!!! email me for more if you need more g2g

Answer 3

I have had a few Hamsters. Dwarf hamster, you may be able to get away with two in one cage...but all other hamsters need to be separated when they get to be about 1-2months.
Hammys are great pets, although I wish mine would wake up earlier (seems to wake up at 11Pm...when I need some sleep)

Answer 4

I had two albino dwarf hamsters. They looked like two little cotton balls! They were cute but the male got very aggressive. I ended up getting two rats when my little hamsters passed from old age (like 2 yrs old). The rats, in my opinion, are way more fun. They are super smart. I even taught them a few tricks. And they've never been aggressive. They seem much more social. Regardless of which rodent you choose, be sure to keep the boys and girls seperated (unless you have homes for the hundreds of babies you'll eventually have) and keep them safe from your kitties!

Answer 5

Maybe you want a teddy bear hamster because dwaft hamster are hard handle and you don't want them with cats

Answer 6

i have tow and dwarf hamsters are GREAT! they are sweet, adorable, small, and affordable! hey that rhymed! anyways, i'd advise getting two of the same gender, unless you want babies. if you get boys, they dont fight as much as girls, but girls dont smell as bad and are neater. you might end up separating them if they fight too much. i had two that were perfect together ,they sisterly loved eachother, then later i had two that were as different and as mean to eachother as republican vs democratic! but really, get two dwarfs, you won't regret it. :)

Answer 7

here's my advice: if u get 2, just be prepared with an extra cage just in case they dont like each other!

Answer 8

I would go to the pet shop, take a look around, ask a few questions. Handle some hamsters, Dwarfs, and Syrians.
All hamsters make good pets, it is a matter of what you would be happy with.
Take into consideration that Syrian hamsters must be housed alone, you cannot keep two in the same cage.
Sometimes Dwarfs do not get along together, so be prepared to separate them if this problem should arise.
Buy two of the same sex, for obvious reasons.