Getting 2 new hamsters..

Question
I was looking at an add for 2 hamster - 1 male, 1 female - this is what I know about them - "one is a male common hamster, he is brown with white spots all over and a female silk and satin hamster she is a light brown colour"...

She has had them in the same cage for almost a year now - and they dont fight - I have been reading all your other posts and you say that is bad to keep them in the same cage.

Should I just take one (as I dont want two cages)... or do you think they would be fine together because thats the way they have been their whole life?

Also - if they havent mated yet will they ever?  I dont want babies

Answer
If you keep a male with a female, there is no way to prevent mating from happening, even if they have mated before. Even in the off chance that they have enough space not to fight with each other over territory, there is still a good chance they will mate and produce babies. Not only I, but basically every hamster book or guide will tell you to never keep 2 syrians together. The owner obviously does not know much about hamsters by listing them as "common" and "satin", they don't even know the breed of hamster they own, which is a syrian I would guess. They may have dwarfs, which are not "common" but would explain why they live together. Even if they get along now, as they age they may become more territorial (as well kept hamsters can live up to 3 years) and require 2 different cages later in life.  If the owner will not break up the pair, I would suggest just heading down to the pet store to pick the perfect one for you.