One Or Two Better?

[PetLuver21257]

Well, since I am probably going to get a hamster this weekend, or next week, I am just wondering, should I get one or two?

I am going to get a Campbell Dwarf(ves). The last two hamsters that I have had (Also Campbell Dwarves) have been alone in the cage. I really would like to try owning two hamsters at the same time. I know to get two that are either sisters, or brothers and to get two that are already in the same cage and get along with eachother.

But, my mom would rather that I get 1 because, well, I dunno why... So can you tell me something that would make me persuade her into letting me get two dwarves. I am afraid that she might think I will get one female and one male and that they will have babies... But, I assure her that I won't... :)

[Caitandcritters]

Well, I always find it's good to try a pair with Campbells. If they were WW it'd be a bit different, but, these aren't so.

Two is more ideal, not necessary, but ideal. They tend to be "happier" in twos. Gives them someone to snuggle with. :)

I can't think of how to convince your mom, but do try, LOL.

[PetLuver21257]

Lol! Thanks so much! I might print out what people say on here and show her that it is good to have two! ;)

But yea, I know that they can live in pairs and I really want to try out a pair! I just would love to see them sleep together and I would also love to hold both of them at the same time! Plus, I have an extra cage, so if they start to fight (I highly doubt it), I can always use the HUGE roomy cage that I got at a garage sale for $1! :D Thanks for replying! :)

[Caitandcritters]

Not a problem! I'm sure if you get litter mates or tank mates you should be fine. :) It's always cuter seeing them together!

[kettie]

Im not sure why your Mum would want you to have one rather than two, two are not more trouble, take no more bedding and only take slightly more food.

There would be no reason to keep a campbell alone unless they were already in the cage alone at the store as they came in an uneven number or that one had bee seperated for somereason

Maybe tell your Mum that Campbell should live in pairs, and to be honest it would be wrong to leave an animal that should be in a group alone, but make a deal that if the store has a single then you will take that, but if they only have groups then you want to do the right thing and keep them together.

[PetLuver21257]

Alright, thanks guys, but she only wants me to get one... :( It was worth a try though!

[Zouave]

There is no point in getting one dwarf. You may as well get a Syrian.

My dwarf groups are great fun, especially the six females. of course, they all come from the same litter, or were intro'd to the others very young.

Intro'ing adult dwarfs is very hard and dangerous.

[PetLuver21257]

Well, I'll show her these posts and we'll see what she says.

[Caitandcritters]

Hope it goes well! Tell her we said "Purty please with sugar on top". It always helps to have complete strangers begging, too. ;)

[PetLuver21257]

LOL! Aight, lol, I am gunna show her this later tonight, but if she still says no, one hamster is better than none right?! ;)

[animalmagic]

If you're only allowed one, why not just get a syrian? They're just as cute.

[dwankrista]

yep, i'd have to say get a syrian if you're getting one. in my opinion, one is not better than none if the animal is social by nature. it's like when people say "one rat is better than none" and i have to disagree. it may be better for the person to have one rather than none but not necessarily better for the animal.

[LMDH]

These are social creatures, I always try and pair up my campbells. I have just recently introduced my year old black, Bournville, to a group of 12 week old babies - they are all getting along just fine.

Unless there is a really good reason for the hamster to be alone then they should have company.

If you have having one campbell, then getting two of three of even four (in the same cage) is not that much more of a commitment. The biggest commitment is that of getting a hamster in the first place and you have made that part already!

[PetLuver21257]

I don't like Syrians.... I wouldn't like to get one. Kiba lived with her brother before and then when she was alone in her new cage in my room, she loved it a lot and she was so very happy and content. I would love to try two, but when I said that one was better than none, they CAN live fine alone.

It's not like I am depressing them or anything. But I think I just might stick to one, Robos and Winter Whites like to be together, but Campbells are okay alone too.

[dwankrista]

^ i had a friend who thought the same way about his rat. sure, the rat seemed "fine" living alone, but until you put them with another and how much happier they are you never really can grasp the extent of happiness. you cannot speak to them, nor they to you so you cannot tell what they're feeling. while we may think they're doing fine they'd do MUCH better with a friend. just because an animal "can" live alone doesn't mean it "should".

i like to compare it to a human living in a house with a cat coming by a few times a day to hang out and feed him/her. while you can survive this way and the cat would be great company from time to time there are things another species simply can't offer and you'd miss.

with lone animals it's dandy for the person because they get a pet but it's not fair to the animal. however, a lot of people overlook this and only think of their own wellbeing and will justify it any way they can. :)

[MouseyMari]

Yes, you could get one. However, is it really fair to deprive an animal of a companion, especially when the animal is naturally social at heart?

Two is no more work than one. Also, who's going to groom the animal? You surely aren't going to lick the fur and sleep with it? Reconsider your choice.

[PetLuver21257]

HaHa MouseyMari! Lick it.... lol! :D

Well, I am totally WITH the idea of getting two, but my mom is totally AGAINST it! She just thought that since Kiba was happy, and was a good pet alone, then another ONE will be happy alone. I dunno, my mom just wants me to either get one, or none... :(

*IF* I get two, what will happen when one of them dies? Won't the other one feel TERRIBLE!?! :( That would suck to see someone's friend and companion for 2 years or so just die! :cry: Well anyways, I am gunna show her this thread tonight... then I will post what she thinks/says to me! :D Thanks peeps (lol)! ;)

[dwankrista]

that's why you adopt littermates, so they're of similar age. it's also why i adopt and keep my small animals in trios. either way, as i said before, people justify their actions to themselves and it's hard to make them see the light.

"my mom is against it" is not a reason to just go get a lone animal. that's your problem, not the problem of the pet. it's better you be deprived of another species than a social animal be deprived of its own.

[PetLuver21257]

dwankrista: Are you like a lawyer or something?! You argue SO WELL! I applaud you! :applause:

Well anyway, *SNAP!* Woah, still smarts from your arguement! ;) Uhh, no comment? Will get back to ya though with my moms reasons...

[PetLuver21257]

My mom thinks:

-If I get two males, they will fight eachother
-Might get two different sexes accidently
-"Not a big enough cage" (Which is SO not true, it's a 10 gallon, that is big enough for two dwarves)

Anyway, bad arguement on my mom's part, I really want to get TWO!! :( But, you can't argue with the person that owns a household if you are going to keep those animals IN their household. I will keep persisting on it until the absolute breaking point! ;) lol well, until she says yes! Thanks for helping me guys! :)

[dwankrista]

no, i'm not a lawyer, just someone who has had experience with many, many animals and also seen too many animals living solitary lives that never should have been subjected to them. i've also seen the owners claim they're happy and yes, they do seem fine, until i've seenthe same species with tankmates and realized that the happiness i saw before wasn't happiness at all, just acceptance. in most cases the owner saw no problem with it as they were just concerned with their own wellbeing (having a pet), rather than the mental wellbeing of the animal. i've often seen solitary animals live much shorter lives than animals kept in company. i try to prevent it from happening whenever i can, even though most people will just say they know what's best, justify it to themselves, block out advice and continue on their way, all in the name of their own satisfaction.

[PetLuver21257]

Ok. Well I know what you are saying. I really get it. And I wasn't that shocked about it (with the *snap* and everything), because you say good stuff like that all the time...

Anyways.... I just want to point out that Kiba "bounded around the cage" and ran on her wheel and ate and jumped up in the air all the time. And in my hamster book, it said that those were the signs of a truly content and happy hammie! :) Not saying your wrong or anything, but I really do think that Kiba was an exception.... I also couldn't even imagine how much happier she could have been if her sister or mom was in there with her. But only her brother was in the tank with her at the pet shop... So yea.

Oh, and because of reading your posts, I think that my mom is considering letting me have two!!! :D You know how you can just tell when they know that your right? Well, I am starting to get that feeling!!!!! :)

HAZAA!!! :laughing: :slaphappy :biggrin:

[dwankrista]

i hope so! good luck, and yes, she may have been content, but you don't know how she would have behaved with another. in my opinion, it's depriving them of something they need to be happy, healthy, and receive the best care properly. just like they require medical attention, and human attention, they also need same-species attention.

[PetLuver21257]

Okay, gotcha! Thanks for all of your help and top-notch arguing! I have to finish reading a book (Lad: A Dog) before I can get any. I am on page 75 and there are 280 pages.... UGH! Well, thanks for the luck and I will tell everybody when I get a pair or maybe... just one. :( I will post lots of pictures when I get them!

[dwankrista]

and you still say "or maybe...just one".

to borrow an old adage from my father, "dwan, you'd might as well be shovelling manure against the wind".

good luck.

[Zouave]

I don't like Syrians....

So YOU'RE the one. I knew there must be someone in the world who didn't like Syrians! :p

[PetLuver21257]

Yea... Hehe... Well, they are just too big for meh... I LOVE small animals. Like my favorite bird is a Chickadee because it's small... And because it says its name.... Lol, but that's besides the point! No offence to Syrian lovers, but they are not for me! :D

[LMDH]

Tell your mum that male campbells live just fine together.

I have 6 males living together and they re perfectly happy, infact they get on better than my girls.

[animalmagic]

Lol Syrians are small! They're so cute :) I love my boy.

Anyway, good luck getting two hamsters- keep trying.

[PetLuver21257]

Alright, thanks guys, will keep you all updated! :)