My hammie died....

[DarkDragon2000]

Today, my little Siberian dwarf, Destroyer, was murdered. THAT'S RIGHT. Murdered by his brother, Diablo. I don't kno why, they never fought, but I came home from class and found his stomach ripped open! I buried him and bought him a little mini gravestone. That was the first hammie death I've ever experienced, but it won't be my last. I have 7 other, 5 siberian dwarves and 2 roborovskiis, and y'kno whats sadder? he was only a year old. I bred him myself, and his parents are still alive and strong... I'm just totslly freakin out, i dunno what to do....

[MaryMac]

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster's death.

I don't know how many times it's been said on this board, and on every web page I've researched, they say not to keep hamsters in the same cage. They are solitary creatures. As they mature, they fight for their territory. So one day things may be great, but literally overnight things like this will happen.

To me, anyone who thinks that just because they never fought before means they will never fight in the future, is just wishing away the hamsters life.

Please people - separate your hamsters so we don't have to read any further posts like this.

[SapphireWolf]

Only syrian hamsters have to be separated. Dwarf hamsters are social. DarkDragon, is it possible that you hamster was sick in any way and died? Because, dwarf hamsters have an instinct to eat the deaceased(This does have a function, it keeps their home clean, and if they were in the wild, it would keep predators from smelling the stench of death) Either way, I'm sorry for you loss

[LilSnooPydOG]

Dwarfs are soial, Syrians are solitary.

I'm very sorry this happened. But as Sapphirewolf said, he may have been sick and died, and the other hamster was only "disposing" of the body.

[Padfoot]

Dwarfs are soial, Syrians are solitary.

I'm very sorry this happened. But as Sapphirewolf said, he may have been sick and died, and the other hamster was only "disposing" of the body.I was thinking the same as Sapphirewolf and LilSnooPydOG... I think he just died... and his brother was cleaning. Sorry to hear about your loss. 8(

[DarkDragon2000]

No, I dont think he was just disposing of the body. It was really gruesome, and the dead one was perfectly healthy. I dunno what was going on. Two females-their sister and their mom-lived in the aquarium next 2 theirs, so could they have possible been fighting over the females although there werent any to fight over? I doubt it.

_____________________________________________

RIP -Destroyer---- We all still love you :angel6:


MY HAMMIES

Torpedo
Tyconderoga
Snowflake
Crystal
Diablo
Mary Kate
Ashley

[Zouave]

He could have just died or become very sick - and THEN been biten by his brother. In the wild a dead animal can give off odors that can reveal the location of the rest to predators, so others try to dispose of it.

On the other hand, it could have been a fight. There is no way to be sure it was not.

Based on everything I have read (and it is a lot) dwarfs CAN BE social, but, unlike gerbils, they do not have to be. Even in the case of gerbils I would be very careful introducing a new female to another female; bonded pairs of males can be tricky to introduce to another bonded pair.

I think dwarfs can live happy lives alone. it seems that they usually are rather calm with each other when from the same litter, but even then, problems can happen - as you saw. :(

I also think it is safer to let female gerbils, who were rescued individually or had their tankmate die, live alone if they seem happy enough.

With dwarfs. I have three, and they live alone and seem happy, too. I also don't worry that way about fighting.

It is a difficult issue, dwarf safety in groups, even when the tank is big enough. I have heard of tankmates suddenly fighting. ???

Maybe it is best to let them live alone.
I don't know; perhaps someone can add to this thread on that issue.

Sorry for your loss. But hang in there.

[SapphireWolf]

I have a question, have you noticed them ever fighting before the death? And, Yes, it is better for some dwarfs to live alone, some just prefer it. I had to separate a pair of my females because one suddenly turned on the other(One of them is dead of old age, RIP Cujo) I have no idea what caused it, it just happened, so I paired up the one who got beat up with another of my girls and left Cujo alone. Maybe it could have died in a fight, or got sick then disposed of, we will just never really know, Again, I'm sorry this has happend and I hope you feel better soon.