Do Hamsters Fight? (Tips to Control Aggression)

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Hamsters are such cute and cuddly pets. They can bring a lot of happiness into your life, but sometimes caring for them can be difficult.

It’s not that they’re incredibly hard to care for. There are just problems that might pop up while you’re taking care of these little pets.

For example, if you’re taking care of two hamsters in the same cage, you might have to worry about whether they will get along or not. Do hamsters fight or is this an uncommon issue?

Read on to learn about hamsters fighting. This should help you to understand what to do if you ever encounter this issue.

Do Male Hamsters Fight?

It’s very common for male hamsters to fight. This is a known issue, and some choose to avoid putting male pairs together.

However, it is possible for male hamsters to get along in the same habitat. They can get along for a long time and then have a falling out with each other, though.

You could have your male hamsters getting along well in the cage for months. Then something happens and the two just won’t stop fighting each other.

It’s a frustrating situation, but it’s something that you might have to deal with. There are ways that you can make it less likely that hamsters will fight that you’ll learn about later.

For now, you should know that males are the most likely to fight with each other. If you want to keep things as safe as possible, it might be better to avoid male pairs.

Do Male and Female Hamsters Fight?

Female and male hamsters can and will fight. Females can be a bit territorial and they will often give the males a bit of a beating if they choose to invade their territory.

In the wild, male and female hamsters usually only come into contact to mate. So living in the same space isn’t common.

There’s a good chance that a male and the female hamster will fight too much to be kept together. Many say that it’s better not to put your hamsters in this situation.

Hamsters can hurt each other when they fight. This isn’t something you want your pet to have to go through.

Do Female Hamsters Fight Each Other?

It’s common for female hamsters to fight each other, too. However, there are some types of hamsters that are more likely to live peacefully together.

Female dwarf hamsters appear to be the most likely to share a living space without fighting. So if you want to try to keep hamsters together, it might be best to go with two female dwarf hamsters.

You still need to be careful to monitor the hamsters, though. If the hamsters show signs of aggression, you might need to put them in separate habitats.

Just be mindful of the situation to see if you can house the two female hamsters safely. If there are signs of trouble, it’s better to separate the two.

Are Hamsters Aggressive?

Yes, hamsters can be aggressive toward each other. They aren’t generally aggressive toward humans, though.

When you interact with the hamster it’s unlikely that it’ll bite you much. It might bite you if you scare it, but it isn’t going to act truly aggressively.

Hamster aggression toward humans is rare, but hamsters being aggressive toward each other is common. It’s easy for hamsters to get mad at each other and start fighting.

Since hamster aggression is such an issue, many recommend not keeping two hamsters in the same habitat. If you decide to try it, remember to be cautious and monitor the hamsters.

Are Male Hamsters More Aggressive?

You might be surprised to hear that female hamsters tend to be more aggressive than males. So if you’re looking for a less aggressive hamster, it’d be fine to buy a male.

It’s worth noting that individual aggression levels will differ based on the animal. Sometimes you might get a rather docile female hamster.

Even so, females are more aggressive than males on average. So you’re generally going to have an easier time dealing with male hamsters.

Female hamsters do appear to be most likely to get along in the same cage, though. Dwarf female hamsters appear to have a higher success rate than usual when it comes to being housed together.

Are Hamsters Territorial?

Hamsters are incredibly territorial animals. This is why many enthusiasts don’t recommend keeping two hamsters in the same cage.

Dwarf hamsters are a bit different because they’re more likely to enjoy being social. So if you want to keep hamsters together, it’s better to choose dwarf hamsters.

You still need to be careful and monitor dwarf hamsters, though. As a hamster owner, it’s up to you to protect your pets and keep them in a safe environment.

Are My Hamsters Fighting or Playing?

Being able to tell the difference between playing and fighting is imperative. Hamsters will play with each other, but sometimes it can be tough to tell if they’re fighting or not.

Hamsters will assert dominance over each other. This is normal and is not considered to be fighting.

One hamster is likely to be the dominant one. However, sometimes this can lead to fighting rather than just normal activity.

Fighting occurs when hamsters bite each other, chase each other, and corner each other. If one hamster is cornered, that means that a fight is occurring.

If you see the hamsters biting each other, that’s fighting and not playing. You might even see signs of injury if you examine the hamsters after the fight.

Sadly, hamsters can get seriously hurt when they bite each other. It could be something minor such as a cut or a scrape, but a hamster might even have to deal with broken limbs or severe bleeding if the fight gets really bad.

Can Hamsters Kill Each Other?

It’s more common for hamsters to kill each other than you may realize. Some hamsters’ fights might wind up being to the death.

This is why you need to take hamster fighting seriously. If you ignore the fighting, one of your hamsters could wind up dead in the cage.

There are even some types of hamsters that are known to cannibalize. Since hamsters are territorial animals, they might choose to kill and eat the other hamster in the cage.

You need to make sure that you choose hamsters that are as likely to get along as possible. Going with dwarf hamsters is the best recommendation.

You also want to ensure that the two hamsters have an ideal environment that will give them the best shot of getting along in the same habitat. Otherwise, it’s likely that the hamsters will come into conflict.

Ensure That the Cage Is Large Enough

Ensuring that the cage is large enough will make it less likely that the hamsters will fight. You want to ensure that the hamsters have enough room so they can have their own spaces.

Typically, hamsters will claim a portion of the cage and that will be their territory. It makes it so the hamsters don’t have to live right on top of each other.

It’s always better to pick a bit of a larger cage when you’re planning to keep two hamsters together. This makes it far more likely that things will go well.

Small cages become problematic, and it’s also tough to keep them clean. Go with a cage that will offer more than enough space for the two hamsters.

Add Toys to the Cage

Adding toys to the cage will help the hamsters to have other things to focus on. They won’t have to focus only on each other in the cage.

Give them things such as exercise wheels and tunnels. This gives them a chance to exercise and have fun in the habitat.

It’s good for hamsters to remain active. You want to keep them from gaining too much weight, and giving them toys is one of the best ways to help.

Ideally, you want to have multiple exercise wheels and tunnels so the hamsters won’t fight over them. Always keep this in mind so you don’t create problems.

Other Tips to Reduce Fighting

Keeping fighting at a minimum is easier when you put food in two different locations. Don’t put the food for both hamsters side-by-side in the cage.

Instead, you should put the food for one hamster on the right side of the cage and the food for the other hamster on the left side. This keeps them from coming into conflict during feeding.

Likewise, it’d be wise to put two water bottles in the cage. This makes it so the hamsters won’t fight when they need to get a drink.

The hamsters will be able to drink water at the same time without fighting over one water bottle. Being mindful of situations such as this makes it easier for hamsters to live without fighting.

Consider Using a Partition

There is a potential solution to this problem that will allow the hamsters to sort of live together. It involves using a partition in the cage to keep the two hamsters separate.

The hamsters will be able to sniff and smell each other through the bars in the cage. They just won’t occupy the same part of the cage.

This prevents the hamsters from being able to truly fight. They could technically try to bite each other through the bars, but it’d be so easy for the hamsters to stay away from each other.

Many find this to be the ideal situation. You have hamsters in the same cage without having to worry about them fighting.

They won’t be able to kill each other if you use partitions in the cage. It gives hamsters companionship without the worry of conflict.

If you notice that the hamsters are still fighting through the bars, there are other types of partitions that you can use. For instance, you could use a glass hamster habitat with a glass partition.

This truly keeps the hamsters from being able to touch each other. They can still see each other, but they can’t actually try to fight in any way.

Should You Keep Hamsters Together?

Choosing to keep hamsters together in a habitat might not be for the best. You might want to try it so your hamsters will have companionship, but they are very territorial animals.

Since hamsters can fight to the death, it’s something you need to approach carefully. You don’t want one of your pets to get killed because you didn’t do things right.

Many hamster enthusiasts recommend not keeping hamsters in the same tank. They say it’s too risky and hamsters are too territorial for it to be safe.

Some hamsters such as dwarf hamsters can get better results. Certain types of hamsters won’t be good candidates for living in pairs.

You have to choose carefully so you can protect your hamsters. It’s always possible to utilize partitions in a cage to have a better experience if you’d like to go that route.

Final Thoughts

Keeping hamsters as pets can be a fantastic experience. You just need to be careful when housing them together in the same cage.

It’s common for hamsters to fight each other. The fights can be so bad that the hamsters might get seriously injured.

Sometimes hamsters can even die when they fight in the cage. You must take things seriously and do your best to prevent fighting in the cage.

It’d be better not to keep certain types of hamsters together. Dwarf hamsters appear to have an easier time being kept in pairs.

Even these hamsters need to be monitored. If you want to keep things truly safe, it’s recommended to use a partition in the cage to keep the hamsters separated.

Remember that hamsters are territorial animals. You need to do your best to keep them from fighting and hurting each other.

Don’t let this information make you shy away from wanting to get hamsters. They can be great pets even if you need to be mindful of certain things to keep them safe.

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