2 hamsters

Question
I have a small long haired female hamster. I feel guilty about taking her from her
from her sisters.I went back and had the female hamster in the box at the
checkout stand and the lady at petco said if I get another hamster they could
turn canibalistic!? Is this true?

Answer
Hi Zac,

I'm assuming, since you said your hamster is long-haired, that you have a Syrian hamster (aka "Teddy Bear," "Black Bear," "Golden," or "Fancy" hamster).  Syrian hamsters are solitary creatures, both in the wild and as domesticated pets.  Once they reach adulthood (6-8 weeks old), their solitary nature kicks in.  So, you should only keep one Syrian per cage.  If 2 Syrians are in one cage, the more dominant hamster will kill the other one.  Don't worry about your hamster being alone - trust me, she prefers it that way :)

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask :)

Kelly