Can Hamsters And Guinea Pigs Live Together?
Have you ever had hamsters and guinea pigs at the same time? If you had, you might know the struggle it takes to get these animals to make it even to a single night. Several factors work behind these unstable consequences.
So, can hamsters and guinea pigs live together? No, guinea pigs and hamsters can’t live together. Although both animals are rodents, they have major differences in their personality and lifestyle. As a result, keeping them together will create an imbalance for both of them and with their habits, they’ll naturally annoy each other.
We aren’t just putting in a random statement. To justify our statement, we have much more to elaborate on. The facts will include cage requirements, personalities, and playtime of these furry little creatures. Keep scrolling down!
Reasons Why Hamsters & Guinea Pigs Can’t Live Together
As mentioned earlier, guinea pigs and hamsters are polar opposites when it comes to living together. Many would think guinea pigs are harmful to little hamsters, but they are not.
We would rather break down the factors that refer to not keeping these animals together before you blame the guinea pigs. Let’s read the reasons below.
Living Territory
Surprisingly enough, guinea pigs are immensely friendly social animals. On the contrary, despite being small, hamsters are very aggressive when it comes to sharing their territory. Actually, they love to live alone.
Sleeping Schedule
Hamsters don’t sleep at night since they’re nocturnal animals. So, when guinea pigs sleep at night, the hamsters would keep them awake if left together. The same goes for the guinea pigs as they would keep the hamsters up during their day sleep time.
Playtime
The only thing these two have in common is their obsession with exercise. Although both of them love to play, their playing methods are different.
Your guinea pig might not use the hamster’s playing tools, it will use the entire cage, and the hamster won’t like it. Guinea pigs hate to sit in one place, while hamsters are so into this. Consequently, while jumping, guinea pigs might bump into your hamster.
This’ll make the hamster even more aggressive. He might jump on the pig, scratch it and create a life-death situation.
Why Is It Hard for Guinea Pigs to Live With Hamsters?
People who know guinea pigs get shocked knowing they can’t live with hamsters since they’re very social animals. But hamsters are extremely sectional and, of course, solitary.
Some hamster breeds can manage to live together, but they often fight each other until one releases the last breath. This is primarily why experts suggest not keeping guinea pigs with hamsters.
Since hamsters are territorial, they want everything separate, space, food, playtime, or sleepytime. And they mark all of these using their scent glands.
So, it was never about the guinea pigs. Hamsters can’t possibly live with any other animal. They’ll end up torturing the other animal in a way or two.
Note: some might argue that hamsters in the breed Dwarf live together well. Actually, they can live together as they have been kept together since they were babies. They recognize each other’s smell while growing up in the same size and species.
Differences Between Hamsters and Guinea Pigs
Judging the differences between two animals will leave you with a final verdict of why they can’t live together. Have a look at the table below.
| Differences | Hamsters | Guinea Pigs |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1- 10 oz. | 2-4 times Bigger & heavier (weigh around 2.6 lbs) |
| Food | 12 grams a day (dried food) | 16 grams a day(Meat) |
| Cage Size (L×W×H) | 24×12×12 | 30×36×36 |
What Happens If We Leave Guinea Pigs and Hamsters Together?
Guinea pigs and hamsters have nothing in common. Thus, it is really hard keeping them together inside a single cage. Let’s look into the consequences:
● Since their sleep schedule doesn’t match, they will interrupt each other’s sleep
● Guinea pigs need a bigger place to play. Thus, they’ll end up interrupting the hamster’s territory. This will make the hamster furious and as a result, they might get into a fight
● Guinea pigs might eat the food from the hamster as well. So, the hamster may be hungry and sick most of the time
If you’re a small rodent owner, you may be curious about hamster behavior and health concerns, such as whether or not they can fart and if they may throw up their food. At RodentsFact, we have articles on do hamsters fart and hamster throw up food that can provide insights into these questions. Our article on do hamsters fart explores the digestive system of hamsters and the likelihood of flatulence, while our article on hamster throw up food covers the reasons why hamsters may regurgitate their food and what you can do to prevent it. Additionally, if you’re wondering whether or not hamsters can live with guinea pigs, be sure to check out our article on that topic as well. By learning about these aspects of hamster care, you can provide the best living conditions for your pet.Frequently Asked Questions
Now, have a look at these FAQs for further queries on guinea pigs and hamsters.
Q: Do guinea pigs and hamsters fight?
Yes, because most of the daily requirements of guinea pigs and hamsters don’t match at all. From their personalities to their food habits, nothing is the same. Their sleeping schedule doesn’t match either. So, although guinea pigs are friendly enough, the animals fight about each and every factor.
Q: Do guinea pigs and hamsters have the same food?
No, they don’t. Guinea pigs eat meat, and they have commercial food made for them. But hamsters aren’t included in this criteria. They mostly eat dry foods. So, the food habits of hamsters and guinea pigs don’t match at all.
Q: Can guinea pigs hurt hamsters?
Yes, but that depends. If left together, both animals have the potential to hurt each other. They’ll cause stress and anxiety to each other mostly. Although the size of guinea pigs makes us assume they’ll be harming hamsters the most. But in most cases, hamsters jump on them and start a fight.
Wrapping Up!
After going through this blog you should now have a clear idea of why your hamsters and guinea pigs can’t live together. Both hamsters and guinea pigs have different playtime, sleeping schedule, and living territories. Plus, guinea pigs are more social compared to hamsters.
So, it’s quite obvious that you can’t keep these two pets together. However, if you still face trouble regarding their behaviors, you can always consult an expert.
