hamster and gerbils

Question
i have two gerbils what fight some times but they have lived with each other forever do you have any reason why they might be fighting and is it possible to but a gerbil and hamster in a cage and have the still live happily

Answer
Hi Andrew,

Don't worry, your gerbils are probably not really fighting; they're most likely just playing.  Sometimes it gets a little rough, but they won't fight seriously (enough to draw blood).  However, if they are living in a cramped space (they should have the space of at least a 10-gallon aquarium), they are more likely to get rough, so make sure they have adequate space to run and play.

No, it is not possible to EVER put a hamster and a gerbil together in any situation, especially in a cage.  They are two very different species, and one will kill the other.  You should never let them even touch each other, actually.  Also, Syrian hamsters (the large and common kind of hamsters) cannot even be put in a cage with another Syrian without bloodshed and death, so putting a gerbil in with it will NOT work.  Syrian hamsters are to be kept by themselves, and gerbils should be kept together (with other gerbils only) in groups of 2-3 of their own sex.

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

Kelly