# Just found my one of my five month dwarf hamsters dead.



## Thunderandwhisper (Oct 19, 2008)

Hi 

Just really upset just found my beautiful white dwarf hamster, dead in the corner of her cage, she was only five months old. She lived with another dwarf hamster, who now seems quite lonely and keeps looking for her. 

She didn't seem quite mentally right, but can't understand why she would of died so early in her life? She seemed a bit mangled, so not sure if the other dwarf hamster, had a fight with her, and she died, but they always seemed to get on so well.

Does anyone have a idea why she would of died?

Will my other dwarf hamster, Maize, now be lonely? Should I get her a new friend?

It seems awful looking at the cage and just seeing Maize in there now. I feel really bad that I didn't notice, because she must of died yesterday afternoon, whilst I was out, and didn't get back till late.


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## elliottreed (Jan 9, 2008)

It is just my opinion, but Russian hamsters should be kept on their own. People say same sex pairs are ok, but I honestly haven't found a "pair" that haven't had to be seperated due to fighting in my time at the rescue 

It's really sad, and people will say " well i've got 2 and their fine ! " but from my experience, they're best alone 

I would suggest keeping your little girl on her own, as introducing another hamster which she is not used to will be stressful to both of them, especially in a cage your current hamster is used to.

Socialising is best done in a neutral area, so if you wanted to get another you _could_ but i would suggest keeping her alone.

So sorry for your loss  It's really horrible when one of your pets dies. Hope you're ok! xxx


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Sorry to hear this, but I have to agree with Cari - hamsters are not sociable animals once they reach maturity.


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## Pimperella (Sep 26, 2006)

I agree with the above.
But if like your saying she wasn't mentally right, then she could well have had a brain issue. In which case dying young would have been expected.
Being mangled. Well, wether her cage mate was looking for her as you say, which I don't see, she would still have chewed her up regardless. They aren't very nice and ain't like elephants and have no respect for death in anyway. They just become something else to chew on.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

That's weird, because all of the caresheets I've read online say russians are the most sociable and can live in groups? And that chinese can live in male groups but two females will fight. Obviously because I just bought a Russian I've been doing quite a bit of research on them.

The staff member and the caresheet given by PAH say they can be kept in groups, but obviously I didn't take that at face value - I have looked at some half dozen hamster websites that all say they can be kept successfully in groups throughout their lives.

Obviously not syrians, but specficially russian dwarfs.



> The Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster is sociable and will live with others of its own kind in single or mixed sex groups provided that hamsters are introduced at a young age.


http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/dwarf_winter_white_russian_hamsters.htm



> In general, Russian Dwarf Hamsters get along very well in family groups of one male and one or two females, or in same-sex groups


http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/hamsters/phodopus.txt



> Unlike Syrians dwarfs can be kept in pairs or small groups, in fact if you buy just one dwarf hamster it will probably get very lonely so we would advise you to buy at least two


Russian Dwarf Hamster Information Pictures

Sorry to be picky I'm just getting confused now :lol2:


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## annsimpson1 (Mar 23, 2008)

I'd imagine the size of the enclosure would determine whether they can live together or not, I thought most hammy's were unsociable and only comming together to mate but maybe in a really big purpose built area where they have plenty of space and their own areas it might work but not in the normal cages you can buy, I'd separate them.


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## elliottreed (Jan 9, 2008)

Hey Christy,

It annoys me because yes, they are better together than Syrians (who would kill each other in seconds no doubt..) But they are still not sociable like rats.

They are much MUCH better on their own. Every Russian I've had in at the rescue is either war wounded and the unwanted partner to a bigger tougher Russian, or is the bigger tougher Russian. Most usually come in seperated but I've made it a rule now to seperate them on arrival. Females are generally better together, but as Eileen said, once they hit maturity, they are extremely territorial and food possessive so i've noted. Usually one of them is killed before any "bullying" is seen, but I recently had news of a Russian missing an ear who is coming in soon, so luckily they are sometimes caught before it's too late.

I'm not saying this is how the OP's hamster died, I don't know the situation and probably wouldn't without a post mortem. It's such a shame and I wish pet shops would cotton on, they see the youngsters all getting on well but places like Pets at Home rarely have mature hamsters for sale, and if they do they are more than likely in the adoption section and have been seperated.

I may write to them to see what their views are out of interest, i'll reply in this thread if they take the time to reply 

xxx


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## elliottreed (Jan 9, 2008)

After a quick browse on Google I've read mixed opinions and it says Dwarves tend to get on better with siblings/cagemates from their own litter. But I would stick by "Hamsters are solitary animals"

xxx


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