hamsters eating other hamsters

Question
Why would my hamster eat the other hamster's brain?  I am a school teacher and have two Russian Dwarfs.  They were litter mates and kept in the same cage since February of this year (after they were weened).  I am new to hamsters.  Over Labor Day holiday, I returned to school to find that one had eaten the other's brain.  I tried to sex them; they looked alike and the pictures I have seen haven't been helpful.  Also, do Russian Dwarfs need companions?  I found this behavior to be quiet disturbing.

Answer
Hi Christina,

I am sorry to hear about your situation.

Firstly, are you sure the hamster has been eaten or could it just be decomposing?

How long were the hamsters left alone for - did they have enough food and water?

Are both of the hamsters dead?

All dwarf species of hamsters can be kept together with another of their species but this is not absolutely neccesary as some hamsters do prefer to live on there own, as they will fight sometimes.

Are these hamsters in the school classroom or at home?

I would suggest that if this is a school pet a Syrian hamster might be a better choose - these hamsters can only be kept on their own - they do not need a companion and will definately fight if they are housed together.

Having one Syrian hamster in a cage in the classroom may be better as they grow larger and also can become very tame with enough handling.

Please keep me posted.

Hope i have helped.

Tammy