Why Do Hamsters Fight? - Pets Collector

Adorable as they may be, hamsters can sometimes exhibit aggression toward each other. However, it’s easy to confuse hamster playing with fighting, so knowing the difference is crucial. With that in mind, why do hamsters fight?

Hamsters fight hamsters of different breeds or the opposite gender due to their solitary and territorial nature. They also fight to get more space. You can prevent hamster fights by providing bigger quarters, extra food, and toys.

Keep reading to know more about why hamsters fight and how you can help your hamsters coexist in peace.

Reasons Why Hamsters Fight

Given the already short lifespan of hamsters, as a hamster owner, it can be rather upsetting to see these cute little creatures fighting aggressively and hurting each other. Sometimes, these fights may even result in severe injuries or death.

Here are potential reasons for hamsters attacking other hamsters:

Hamsters Are Solitary Creatures

Hamsters prefer solitude by nature, meaning your resident hamster may not take too kindly to a new hamster in their cage. Instinct will tell the hamster it will have to share food, water, toys, sleeping space, and more with the newcomer. And hamsters don’t like to share their things.

Territorial behavior is something domestic hamsters have in common with their wild counterparts. Placing another hamster in a cage currently occupied by another hamster may cause the latter to feel like its territory is being invaded. Consequently, the hamster may become aggressive.

Keep this in mind if you’re considering getting a second hamster to ensure you create a home where your two hamsters can live peacefully.

Placing Different Breeds Together

It’s already hard for hamsters of the same breed to get along, so keeping two hamsters of different species in the same enclosure is a no-no. One might attack the other, which may result in death because the victim of aggression has no way to leave the shared cage.

Housing different hamster breeds together can especially be problematic if one of the hamsters is a Syrian hamster. Syrian hamsters are insanely territorial and are known to fight and inflict grave injuries on each other if sharing the same quarters.

The Humane Society of the United States does not recommend allowing the hamsters to breed since a female may kill and eat her young if disturbed.

Small Living Space

It’s possible to keep hamsters in pairs or groups, provided you give them adequate space. The recommended hamster species for social living is dwarf hamsters. Nonetheless, it’s important to remember not all dwarf varieties are sociable.

If you’re planning on housing multiple hamsters together, ensure the living area is not cramped. Even hamsters that are by nature social will struggle to be friendly with one another if there’s little space for each hamster to explore comfortably. As a result, fights over territory are likely to occur.

Your Hamsters Have Reached Maturity

With a short lifespan of only 1-3 years, hamsters age quickly. It typically takes 4-6 weeks for hamsters to reach sexual maturity, with males maturing faster than females.

Adult hamsters get rather picky about their living conditions. And if left in pairs or groups, they are bound to start fighting.

Female hamsters can breed at approximately six weeks of age, at which time they develop strong motherly instincts. Pregnant females or nursing mothers will attack their companions—male and female alike—to protect their litters or due to stress or feeling overcrowded.

A fight between two adult hamsters can end in painful bites and scratches. So save yourself vet fees or the grief of losing a pet, and keep mature hamsters in separate cages.

Why Do Dwarf Hamsters Fight?

Dwarf hamsters fight over territory, food, and toys. Although typically social, Dwarf hamsters can fail to get along in a less-than-appropriate housing environment. For instance, keeping hamsters of the opposite gender together reduces the chances of peaceful coexistence.

That said, dwarf hamsters fight less compared to other hamster species. And given the proper environment, they’re more likely to get on.

How To Stop Your Hamsters From Fighting

Dwarf hamsters are your best bet for keeping hamsters together. But even they may end up fighting. Here are some tips to better the chances of your Dwarf hamsters living together peacefully:

Introduce them young. If you’re keeping hamsters together, make the introduction while the animals are juveniles. It takes a bit of time before the territorial instincts of young hamsters kick in, and as such, they may coexist initially. Dwarf hamsters may continue to get along as they mature if provided a suitable cage environment. Ideally, the hamsters should be littermates as they’re familiar with each other.
Keep hamsters of the opposite gender separate. Avoid pairing opposite-sex and different-breed hamsters to minimize conflict between cagemates. Hamsters of the same gender tend to fight less. Sticking to same-sex pairings also prevents accidental breeding.
Create a comfortable living space. For starters, ensure the cage is spacious enough that each hamster has adequate space to live and play. Second, equip the living quarters with two of everything: food bowls, water bottles, beds, and toys. This ensures your hamsters have fewer things to fight over. Lastly, keep the cage clean and replace bedding regularly.

Final Thoughts

Despite your best efforts to maintain a peaceful living arrangement, there’s no guarantee your hamsters will get along, and fights may occur. Separate fighting hamsters immediately and wear thick gloves while doing it to prevent getting bitten or scratched.

If hamsters start fighting while no one is around to stop them, it may result in injury or even death. For this reason, it’s best to house hamsters, including Dwarf hamsters, individually.