hamster hissing

Question
I have two female teddy bear hamsters, almost a year old. One of them I got a couple days ago from a friend. They hiss at each other alot, though they've never seen each other. Any advice?

Answer
Hi Chelsea,

Teddy bear hamsters, or Syrian hamsters, are solitary animals.  Make sure they're always in separate cages, and if you can, keep them on opposite sides of the room.  This should help.  However, female hamsters release a strong scent often, and they'll still smell each other.  If you've just finished handling one hamster, wash your hands before you handle the other hamster.  Just try to keep them apart; although they may still hiss at each other, there's not much else you can do.

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

Kelly