Why Do Hamsters Fight and How To Prevent It?
Hamsters are small, cute, and cuddly rodents mostly kept as pets. They’re easy to manage as they don’t require much attention. Naturally, hamsters are happy and active but can be aggressive too.
Hamsters fight for various reasons, including dominance and lack of resources like toys. If they’re living in a small cage with other hamsters, this can also trigger a fight. You can prevent future wars by ensuring they have enough resources.
Fighting hamsters can injure each other so badly enough to result in death. Read on to learn why they might be fighting, how to differentiate between fighting and playing, and how to stop them from fighting.
Do All Species Of Hamsters Fight?
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Hamsters are solitary animals and prefer not to share a living space with other rodents. However, not all species share those habits since some can live in pairs.
The following table contains some of the popular species and their preferred living conditions.
Hamster Species | Preferred Living Condition |
Golden Hamsters | They are more territorial and bigger than other species. They prefer living alone. |
Winter Dwarf Hamster | They can live in pairs, though with ample space and resources. They also need an early introduction. |
Roborvski Dwarf Hamster | Roborovski hamsters are often aggressive to humans but live in pairs of the same gender. |
Chinese Hamsters | Are mildly aggressive to other hamsters but enjoy human company |
How Do You Tell If Hamsters Are Fighting Or Playing?
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Before intervening, observe closely to tell whether your hamsters are fighting or playing. Following are some ways you can differentiate between the two.
1. Introduction
If one of the hamsters is new, you might see it sniffing the other pet’s nose and scent glands. Afterward, both rodents might begin wrestling and turning each other over. If one of the pets surrenders, the fight ends.
The regular wrestling will be common during the first days with the new hamster. The behavior often makes new hamster owners wonder, is it normal for hamsters to play fight? It is normal as long as no pet is seriously hurt.
2. Observe the Fighting Signs
Fighting hamsters chase each other, bite, and squeak quite a lot. Observe your hamster for these signs; if they’re mild, the pets might only be squabbling. Hamsters squab to show dominance, but none of the pets should be injured.
3. Observe For Physical Injuries
Blood or a broken body part after the hamster’s wrestling shows hostility. The dominant hamster might be bullying the other one if it draws blood.
4. Relationship
Hamsters that are friendly to each other when playing and eating are less likely to fight. However, if your hamsters are regularly wrestling, they may be fighting.
Factors That Can Lead To Hamster Fights
![Factors That Can Lead To Hamster Fights](https://caringtinypets.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Factors-That-Can-Lead-To-Hamster-Fights.jpg)
After observation, if you realize your pet hamsters are fighting, you should identify the reasons. Various factors cause the hamsters to fight each other.
1. Lack of space or resources
Hamsters in smaller cages are more likely to fight each other than those in bigger ones. Also, minimal resources like toys, feeding bowls, and water bowls can contribute to the pets fighting.
2. Overcrowding
If you have more than two hamsters, they might feel overcrowded. Overcrowding can cause fights among these animals who love to burrow and hide.
3. Dominance behavior
Hamsters are dominant animals, always trying to have better things than others. If resources are minimal, they will regularly fight for almost everything, including beds.
4. Hormonal changes
Like humans, hamsters develop hormonal mood swings, especially during the estrous cycle. The female will be more dominant in everything during this period.
Most owners unaware of this fact will wonder why are my male and female hamsters fighting? Hamsters of different genders may fight more and should be separated.
How to Stop Hamsters From Fighting?
![How to Stop Hamsters From Fighting](https://caringtinypets.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-to-Stop-Hamsters-From-Fighting.jpg)
A fully-fledged hamster fight can be hard to separate until they cool off. However, with all the worst possible outcomes, it’s better to intervene than wait. But how do you safely stop two fighting hamsters?
The first step is to protect yourself since fighting hamsters can also cause injuries to your hands. A hamster can cause Francisella tulerensis if they bite all scratch you on an open wound. Wear some gloves if possible, or use a cloth to hold them apart.
However, after taking the precautions, you can follow the following techniques to separate fighting hamsters.
1. Distracting them
When your pet hamsters are in a fight that’s not too serious, you can distract them. You can offer them some of their favorite treats or call them. However, distraction might not work in a fully-fledged fight.
2. Spraying Water
Using a spray bottle, you can stop and separate fighting hamsters. A spray is also a good option when you’re uncomfortable holding them in that state.
How to Prevent Hamster Fights?
Hamster fights can be consequential, resulting in costly veterinarian visits and, worst case, death. Therefore, preventing these fights from happening can save you a lot. Following are some ways you can prevent hamster fights.
1. Providing enough space and resources for each hamster
The more pet hamsters you have, the bigger the cage is required. A hamster’s cage should be at least 620 inches or at least 4000 centimeters squared. Animal experts suggest the owner use larger cages if they house more than one hamster
Hamsters also require plenty of toys, including balls and exercise wheels. Each hamster should have its set of toys to minimize fights during playtime.
2. Avoiding Overcrowding
Two is already a crowd to these solitary and dominant pets. Therefore, for peaceful leaving, avoid keeping more than one pet. Invest in a spacious cage if you’re a hamster lover and can’t stop buying new ones.
3. Separating Hamsters If Necessary
Separate the hamsters if they show signs of hostility towards each other. Keep the cages near so the pets can watch each other to help them familiarize themselves. You can also opt to separate them permanently if they continue fighting.
4. Monitoring for signs of aggression
Close monitoring helps you address the cause of the problem. Hamsters can become aggressive for many things, including disarrangement in the cages. Observe the aggression triggers and resolve them. Also, keep hamsters of the same gender because they are less aggressive than the opposite gender
Do Hamsters Squeak When Fighting?
Hamsters squeak for various reasons, including fighting. Also, these pets squeak while chasing each other when wrestling before a fight.
However, squeaking is a way pets communicate with their owners. If the pets are fighting and one squeaks, they might be injured.
Do Hamsters Fight If They’re Of Different Species?
Hamsters of different species are more likely to fight, especially if one is bigger. The Syrian hamsters are the most territorial and shouldn’t be kept with other species.
Dwarf hamsters on the other hand can live with other species. However, the two species must know each other from a young age for better chances. Also, each hamster should have its own set of toys and feeding bowls to avoid fighting.
There are also the Chinese hamsters, which can live with others, though they prefer living alone. They’re mildly aggressive to other hamsters but appreciate human company.
FAQ
The following section provides answers to the frequently asked questions related to this topic.
Can Hamsters of Same Genders Live Together?
Hamsters of the same gender can live together without fighting much. However, the concern is more on the possibility of unintentional breeding.
Do Hamsters Fight a lot if Feeding from The Same Bowl?
Sharing a water or feeding bowl can trigger fights in hamsters. If possible, serve each pet on its own feeding and water bowl. However, siblings can feed from one bowl without fighting.
Some Parting Wisdom
Most hamsters prefer to live alone and fight when kept in pairs. However, they sometimes wrestle without seriously fighting, which you should observe closely. Hamsters fight for various reasons, including overcrowding and limited resources.
If your pet hamster engages in a fight, you should separate them immediately. They can injure each other, especially when one species is larger than the other. You can also prevent future battles by using the solutions provided in the article.