Petco knows what they're talking about?

2042 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by chachi, Jun 14, 2007

StarIllusion

Discussion Starter · Jun 10, 2007

Ok, so I have been reading and researching dwarf hamsters ever since I got my first, which was last year. I am on my third at the moment, and she's thriving and beautiful!

Anyway, I went to Petco yesterday to look at getting a friend for Nina (mine.) And yes, I've read how to introduce them and that it will take longer for them to get used to one another because they're not from the same litter and Nina's 3 months old....
But I told the guy who was helping me that I wanted to get another one for a friend for Nina and this is what he said.

"You can't put them together or they will kill each other. Two females cannot be kept together. The only reason we have them together here is because they're young but they will kill eachother if left together."

Well, from my research, I've read that dwarves ar social and can live peacefully together. Well, then two in the cage began "fighting" but it looked like playing to me because afterwards they were cleaning each other. (Or maybe a dominance squabble) and the guy said,
"See, they're fighting already...."

So I dunno... I thought I'd bring it up here with you guys because everything that guy was saying sounded like it was applying to Syrians and it contradicted everything I've read and heard. Any advice, please share!

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karlh

· #2 · Jun 10, 2007

it is said that male dwarves get on better than females, because of the 'heat' cycle. But they can live together...providing the introduction has been successful...

Dragonrain

· #3 · Jun 10, 2007

When my sister had them she had two females living together and they were fine together - she got them both at the same time though so they were living together even before she got them. I would think it would be fine though as long as you worked on introducing them.

karlh

· #4 · Jun 10, 2007

Exactly, you have to work on the 'introduction' issue. But don't forget, it may successful at first, but later on, for unknown reasons, they may fall out... very much like some humans... But worth while trying, because you will appreciate the result

dogslife

· #5 · Jun 10, 2007 (Edited)

Keep in mind the person working at Petco may have the best of intentions, but their plan is not to train and help dwarf hamsters adapt. They are selling them to people. For their purposes, putting females together will get them killed and that is bad for their business, therefore they have a policy of not doing that. They do not have the time or the inclination to try.

It doesn't make them completely right, but in that person's perspective it is not done and that is why.

Jennicat

· #6 · Jun 10, 2007

I would never rely on a pet store as my main source of information, especially not one of the "megamarts" like Petco or Petsmart.

girlrazor

· #7 · Jun 10, 2007

I would write a letter to the manager of the store emphasizing the importance of training staff about all their animals, and highlighting the differences between different species of animals...

He probably had best intentions in mind, but that's not always enough. Ignorance can kill and make animals' lives a misery.

For goodness sake, these shops still sell pine bedding and rotastak cages....

Have you tried looking for dwarf breeders in the area? They *may* have healthier stock

geegeorge

· #8 · Jun 10, 2007

http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f13/introducing-new-hamster-39982.html
http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f13/introductions-going-well-40233.html

Here are a couple of posts I had going about the same matter,I hope they help. Also, when I got my second hamster the people at the pet store said I might have problems introing them, but wished me luck and said it might work. Basically the same thing I was told on here

StarIllusion

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 10, 2007

Thanks all! You helped a lot! ^_^

Ya, I thought that he was probably taught that it was bad to keep them together because of the off chance that one may get killed, and then the store would get blamed. Well, I've looked for nearby breeders, but we live in a small, hick town where our Petco is a half an hour drive away so.... lol. But thanks again! I REALLY want to try getting another one, but I would have to find the right one of course. Any suggestions for looking for a personality of the new hamster so it would get along with the one I have? Nina has never bitten/ nibbled, she licks! lol. But she's a sweetie, not jumpy, pretty calm when held, active and loves to run! lol. She gets along with my dog so... lol.

Turkeyman

· #10 · Jun 11, 2007

Haha, sounds to me like the staff member was confusing syrians and dwarfs as you said. If he knew anything about dwarfs, he'd know that they can get on living together after being properly introduced. What he said was true of syrians. Syrian females should not be housed together. However, it has been the case that two male littermate syrian hamsters can live together just fine for their entire lives. They shouldn't really be introduced after sexual maturity, though.

I'd go ahead and get a friend for your hamster and follow what you've found on the net as well as here on PawTalk. Petco and Petdumb hire knowledgeable employees about 10% of the time haha...and they're not going to change anytime soon. Their management is just crap. I have a friend who was in Petco recently and saw a manager throw a small step ladder at another employee. Caused quite a scene in the store, actually...

And also back when I didn't have any rodents and was talking to one of the employees about some rats...they told me male rats couldn't live together no matter what and would kill each other in due time. What??

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Ky86

· #11 · Jun 11, 2007

Sounds like he had them confused with syrians. Maybe he just doesn't know dwarfs are able to stay together. My two girls are actually sisters, thus have always been together and do great together.

girlrazor

· #12 · Jun 11, 2007

Have you had a look on the internet? You'd be surprised, I'm sure you'll find someone breeding near you! Later on when you've done a few more posts, it might be worth looking in the classifieds...

StarIllusion

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 12, 2007

lol. I have looked on the internet several times. Most people in my town have never heard of a dwarf hamster! lol. But what I think I'm going to do is go ahead and get another and properly introduce her to my Nina. She's got a 10 gallon tank for a cage so there's plenty of room to run and be a hamster for her and her new friend! ^_^

Ky86

· #14 · Jun 14, 2007 (Edited)

A 10 gallon tank isn't even enough room for one hamster.
If you add another hamster, you must use a 20 gallon long tank(30" x 13" x 13") or bigger.

chachi

· #15 · Jun 14, 2007

I have two females not from the same litter together and no problems. I think he was confusing the dwarfs wth syrians

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