Dwarf family

Question
We have a pair of dwarf hamsters with three babies.  They are now 4 weeks old.  Mom and Dad were separated about 3 weeks ago, after the babies were born.  (we thought we were getting 2 females)  I know we need to separate the babies by sex now, but my question is...can we leave the female with Mom and put the two boys in the same cage with Dad?  I've read that the dwarfs are more social and Dad seems lonely (less active) than the others.

Answer
Hi Sharon,

You're right, dwarves are very social; in fact, dwarves who live together are proven to live longer and be healthier.

Yes, you can leave a female in with the mother.  They should get along fine, especially since they've never been separated.  However, if the baby has injuries and/or blood as a result of fighting with its mother, they should be separated.  (Just keep an eye on them to make sure this doesn't happen.)

As for the males, you can place 2 males in with the father.  Male dwarves are generally more accepting of new company than female dwarves, who are more aggressive.  (Also, female dwarves should only be kept in pairs, whereas with males, you can keep a trio together.)  You'll need to keep an eye on them, as well, and look for any injuries.  (Dwarf hamsters play-fight a lot, which is normal, and you'll hear a lot of squeaking, which is also normal.)

All in all, it sounds like you have an ideal situation, since all of your hamsters will have plenty of company :)

Have a great weekend!

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

Kelly