How Many Hamsters Are Too Many?
- February 1, 2023
- Pet Care
- Roger Miller
Hamsters are so cute and little that, at first glance, first-time hamster owners can believe that having multiple hamsters at once is possible.
But how true is this in reality? Is having many hamsters together advisable?
If you have ever asked yourself, “how many hamsters are too many?” then let us tell you that you are not alone.
Well, there are certain rules when it comes to keeping multiple hamsters at once, and Your Pet, Your Love will show you the answer to your main question.
Quick Pet Answer
More than two hamsters in the same cage are too many hamsters. You can keep hamsters in pairs only if they like each other. Do not keep more than three hamsters in the same space!
How Many Hamsters Can Live Together?
As a general rule, you should not keep more than two hamsters together in the same hamster cage. This rule changes depending on the breed of hamsters that you are keeping.
For instance, Syrian Hamsters can usually get along when there are two of them in the same cage.
But if you have twin hamsters that have lived together from a young age, there’s a high chance that they can get along as adults too.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or RSPCA, states that although hamsters are solitary rodents, you can have a pair of hamsters together provided that they know each other and they are compatible.
This means that there are two main rules for hamsters living together:
- Never pair female and male hamsters together for a long time (they will only get along during breeding season).
- And never house male hamsters next to each other.
The exception to these rules is quite simple: if hamsters already know each other, then keeping them in pairs should not be a major issue.
How Many Hamsters Can You Keep Together?
You can keep up to two hamsters together and no more. Some people claim that they have been able to keep three and even four hamsters together, but this is not advisable.
Even with two hamsters living together in the same cage, some problems might appear.
They might fight each other, which causes wounds and potential illness – you will want to know How to Soundproof Hamster Cage after a while!
But professionals are crystal clear about this matter: no more than two hamsters should live in the same cage, AND only under certain conditions.
How Many Hamsters Should You Get?
You should get as many hamsters as you want if you provide separate housing to them or keep them in pairs, provided that they get along.
Besides, you should only get the number of hamsters that you are totally capable of maintaining.
Hamsters need care as well, so it’s not like you can have 5 cages with 2 hamsters inside each and forget about them.
You need to clean their cages, provide them with food, watch out for illness, and more.
Besides, remember that most hamsters are nocturnal, which is why some Hamsters Only Run at Night.
And, as you know, we humans are diurnal, so if you have multiple hamsters, taking care of all of them might be challenging.
Are Hamsters Hard to Maintain?
Compared to other pets, hamsters are relatively easy to maintain, but this doesn’t mean that they do not need major care over time.
Generally, there are 5 things to must do for your hamsters:
- Clean their cages. Although you must not clean your hamster cage every single day, it is important to remove their feces, so they live in a healthy environment.
- Provided them with a proper hamster cage. Hamsters are highly energetic creatures, and they need some space to play around and climb on things.
- Give them toys. Hamster wheels and chewing toys are fundamental.
- Provide them with enough food and water. Hamsters need a constant source of food and water in order to keep themselves hydrated and well-fed.
- Prevent bites and wounds. This is why you should limit the number of hamsters living together – they can even fight each other to death if they don’t get along or if you put too many hamsters in the same cage.
How Many Hamsters Can You Legally Own?
There is no regulation that limits the total number of hamsters that you can legally own in the United States of America, but there are some exceptions.
For instance, according to The Humane Society, it is illegal to own pet hamsters in Hawaii. This means that you cannot legally own hamsters if you live in the state of Hawaii.
The thing is even more curious in other states, such as California.
According to the Importation, Transportation, and Possession of Live Restricted Animals Regulation, you cannot own Chinese, Russian, or Syrian hamsters in the state of California.
Other than that, if you live in any other state of the United States, there is no specific number of hamsters that you can own.
Pet Recap: How Many Hamsters Is “Too Many”?
Now, the moment of truth: how many hamsters are too many?
Based on our research, more than two hamsters in the same cage are too many.
And if you have multiple hamsters in separate cages, our recommendation is not to have more than two cages of hamsters (with a total of four hamsters).
Hamsters cannot always live together – they are not as social as other pets, and we need to respect that.
That’s all you need to know about this topic. Remember that hamsters live really short lives, so when the moment comments, learn How Much to Cremate a Hamster here.
FAQ
Can You Put 2 Syrian Hamsters in the Same Cage?
You can only put 2 Syrian hamsters in the same cage if they have known each other from a young age, or if they get along together during the breeding season.
How Many Hamsters Are in the World?
It is hard to determine the exact number of hamsters in the world, but according to research and statistics (AZ Animals), there might be over 57 million hamsters on the planet.