20/03/2025
Cohabitation vs. Solitary Living for Hamsters
At Hamster Info Ireland, we deal with the damage when hamsters are housed together. Many Irish pet shops still sell hamsters in pairs or groups, leading to stress or even potentially fatal fighting.
Hamsters are solitary, protective animals by nature. Territorial fallouts are more common again in hybridised dwarf hamsters sold in Irish pet shops. When kept together, hamsters are forced to be close proximity rivals, causing constant stress and aggression. Initial findings suggest almost 70% of cohabitation cases end in fighting.
Fights are sudden, unpredictable, and vicious. Even if they seem playful at first, just one quick fight can cause devastation without any prior warning.
Pet shops claim same-s*x hamsters from the same litter will get along, but that’s just not true. Age, s*x, and species don’t matter when it comes to territorial behaviour.
Housing hamsters together also increases the risk of accidental breeding. One miss*xed pair can lead to dozens of unwanted babies, and health problems for both mum and pups. Our ‘Barista Litter’ rescue had over 50 hamsters born from one miss*xed pair!
Bottom line: Hamsters are happier and healthier solo. Don’t risk the stress, fights, or unplanned litters, and save yourself the cost and upset of dealing with cohabitation.