new friend for dwarf hamster

Question
My kids got 2 dwarf hamsters from some of my boyfriend's co-workers.  One that was very friendly and one that is nasty and bites a lot.  They are (were) both males and shared a "crittertrail" type cage.  The nice one was very old and died a few weeks ago.  My little girl wants another one but we are having a hard time finding another dwarf hamster locally.  My boyfriend wants to get a larger hamster (golden or teddybear) instead of another dwarf hamster because he thinks it's larger size might make the remaining dwarf hamster less aggressive.  I'm not sure this is a good idea.  My experience with mice tells me that two rodent males living together in harmony was rare to begin with, but we do NOT want to get any females.  So my question is in two parts:  Can male hamsters usually live together in the same cage without killing each other? And can two different types of hamsters live together successfully?

Sorry for any confusion, and thanks a bunch in advance!

Lida Curcio

Answer
Hi Linda,
    Putting a Syrian (Teddy Bear or any other type) of hamster will only insure one dead dwarf hamster and one injured Syrian. After about five weeks, Syrians of the same or opposite sex are solitary and will kill any type of hamster or other rodent that you place in their cage including their own kind. Mating time is the only time that Syrians should be together and even that is tricky. There have been known to be deaths there. Do not put a Syrian with the dwarf. A Syrian would not do well in a critter cage anyway. They are too large and will get stuck in those tubes or destroy the cage.
     It is very hard to place another dwarf with your present dwarf since even dwarves will fight unknown hamsters even of their own kind. Introductions have to be made slowly. They sometimes don't work and you end up with two injured dwarves and the need for two cages anyway.
    My advice is to leave the present dwarf alone and to get a Syrian hamster for your daughter to live alone. I would not try to put two dwarves together that haven't already been together. You never put Syrians together.
Ann