This article answers the question “why do hamsters eat each other” and looks into possible scenarios that typically turn these lovely pets into cannibalistic savages.
We also explore whether reports of mother hamsters eating their babies are a myth and potential reasons that could force them into that behavior.
Finally, we delve into practical steps every hamster owner can employ to ensure the safety of their little pet rodents in shared breeder tanks or cages.
Now let’s dive straight in.
Table of Contents
Why Do Hamsters Eat Each Other?
Why do hamsters eat each other? Hamsters eat each other to establish territorial superiority in shared cages or in instances when food is scarce. Stressed new mothers overwhelmed with a large number of babies may eat a few to lessen their load or cannibalize stillborns to deter predator attention as a survival instinct.
The thought of hamsters hurting each other may sound insane but do these little rodents go to the extent of eating each other when the going gets tough? The answer is an overwhelming yes. Hamsters are omnivores that thrive on plant and insect-based diets but they can turn cannibalistic when their survival instincts kick in.
For instance, these little guys are common prey among large animals in the wild due to their small size and weak vision. The scent of a dead baby hamster may attract predators, putting the life of the mother and her newborns at risk.
To safeguard the lives of everyone, the mother hammy quickly eats the dead baby to get rid of the scent.
Here are the top reasons why hamsters eat each other.
Territorial Superiority
Hamsters often cannibalize to establish territorial superiority. Putting a few of these pocket rodents in the largest cages available with more than enough floor space, food, and water may still not be enough to prevent them from eating each other.
Syrian hamsters are infamous for their cannibalistic tendencies against fellow Syrians and physically weaker breeds such as Dwarfs. A Dwarf, Roborovski, or Chinese hammy just has to look at a Syrian the wrong way and he could pounce on him.
Putting multiple Syrian hamsters in a common cage can also lead to disastrous results as each one fights to become king of the castle. The result is one or more dead hamsters from cannibalism.
Scarce Food and Water
Hamsters forage for food and water independently in the wild and thus, instances of cannibalism due to food supplies may be rare. However, the same cannot be said for these pocket rodents when domesticated.
Their natural survival instincts always reign supreme. When food and water are scarce, they won’t hesitate to cannibalize on cage mates to survive. This is why you have to provide enough food and water when going on a vacation without your hamsters.
After all, a reduced hamster population in a shared cage will be better off on the scarce resources the owner provides. Do not be surprised with cannibalism incidents in even gentle breeds such as Dwarf hamsters when the going gets tough in terms of food and water resources.
Hamsters have probably perfected this survival trait over the course of centuries to ensure they do not go into extinction during tough times.
Cage Rage
Hamsters thrive in cage or tank environments with favorable conditions such as sufficient floor space, perfect temperature, and access to multiple toys as well as consistent food and water supply. The absence of these factors can lead to significant stress in the rodents causing Cage Rage.
Cage Rage is a psychological disorder that triggers aggressive behavior even in traditionally gentle breeds such as Dwarf hamsters. Common signs of Cage Rage in hamsters include restlessness and cannibalism.
Improved conditions in the cage often eliminate the popular psychological disorder but sadly, you could lose one or more hamsters to cannibalism in the meantime. Also, the condition can occur even in independently housed hamsters.
Pocket rodents in separate cages may exhibit signs such as biting cage wires and even attacking humans during bouts of Cage Rage. Attempts at feeding or even picking them up can result in bloody bites.
In extreme instances, they may even charge at new toys when the condition is in full force.
Diet
We all love a bit of variety in our diets and hamsters are no different. While many of us opt for monotonous diets such as commercial pellets for feeding these little guys, the situation couldn’t be more frustrating for them.
Hamsters in the wild have always enjoyed a varied diet comprising of grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and insects. Cannibalism induced by monotonous diets is minimal in those settings.
Boring diets can put hamsters under significant stress, leading them to eat each other.
Genetics
Syrian hamsters are born with a cannibalistic gene that kicks in from time to time. These aggressive breeds may feed on other hamsters in a shared cage even when all other conditions are perfect.
From floor space to excellent cage temperature as well as good food and water supply, all attempts at providing the best cage environment to eliminate aggression can still prove futile with Syrian hamsters. Sometimes, they just need to manifest their natural tendency to eat other hamsters, and there’s often no way to stop them.
How To Stop Hamsters From Eating Each Other
Now that we know that hamsters do eat each other, how do we discourage the savage behavior of these cute little creatures?
Independent Cages or Tanks Prevent Cannibalism
Putting no more than one hamster in a cage is the only guarantee against cannibalism. This is especially critical when raising Syrians, a breed that is known for their tendency to fight for territorial dominance.
Cannibalism is almost impossible when Chinese, Dwarf, and Roborovski hamsters are raised in independent cages. If your hamster has given birth but cannot afford to purchase separate cages for each newborn, consider giving them up for adoption.
Delaying this decision may lead to more pregnancies as the pocket rodents become sexually mature at only 3 weeks old.
Abundant Food and Water Supply
It is not impossible to prevent hamsters in shared cages from eating each other as long as they have adequate food and water supply. However, make sure to choose Roborovskis or Dwarf breeds as they show the least signs of aggression.
Always provide enough food to feed every member of the cage and then some. Keep in mind that hamsters love to hoard food in their cheeks for later consumption. So portions supplied to the food bowl should take that into account.
Provide treats from time to time to bring some excitement in the lives of your pet rodents. However, offer healthy treats such as fruits and vegetables instead of sweets like marshmallows.
Varied and Balanced Diets
Hamsters hate monotonous diets of grains or pellets. Providing well-balanced meals comprising of commercial feed as well as fruits and vegetables can make them happier. Happy hamsters are less likely to display aggressive behaviors such as fighting.
This may eliminate cannibalistic traits to ensure the safety of physically weaker cage mates. Providing well-balanced diets can also enhance growth and well-being while boosting the immune systems of hamsters to fight against diseases and infections.
Conducive Cage Environments
Hamsters in conducive cage environments are less likely to eat each other. If you’re forced to house two or more of these little guys in the same cage, make sure conditions are perfect from day one.
The cage temperature should range from 65-75F and there should be enough floor space for each hamster to move up and down freely. The cage should also be fitted with good quantities of litter to enhance burrowing.
The presence of several exercise wheels and hamster toys can also promote physical activity among members of the cage.
Why Do Hamsters Eat Their Babies?
Cannibalism is also rife among female hamsters that have just given birth. Here are a few reasons why mothers may eat their newborn babies.
Lack of Sufficient Resources
Hamsters are caring mothers that desire to give their newborns the best of everything. However, some situations such as lack of adequate food, water, and floor space in the cage can force their hand.
They typically eat the weakest ones among the newborns so the strongest can live on the scarce resources. When the starvation continues and the mother hamster gets to her weakest point, she may eat the remaining babies to survive.
Threats From Males
Threats from male hamsters can force females to inadvertently eat their babies. While females instinctively care for and nurture their young ones, the same cannot be said for males. Male hamsters only focus on gaining the female’s attention for mating.
Female hamsters are usually forced to hide their babies out of plain view and sometimes they choose to stuff them in their cheek pouches. Unfortunately, some babies die from suffocation while others get eaten by their mothers when they tire of the hiding attempts.
In other instances, males are also successful in killing and eating babies in order to gain the female’s attention.
Stress
Stress is a leading cause of cannibalism among hamsters that have just given birth. The birthing process can take a huge toll on the mental health of the mother, causing her to kill and eat the newborns.
Sometimes, hamsters may also eat some of the babies after giving birth to an unexpectedly large litter. The thought of caring for such a huge number can be overwhelming for the new mother. Coupled with unsavory cage conditions and scarce resources, the mother hamster may just resort to cannibalizing her babies.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Hamsters require nutritious diets, especially throughout the pregnancy and nursing period. When they’re fed boring diets lacking essential nutrients such as Vitamin B3, cannibalism becomes apparent.
Change in Scent
Never touch newborn hamster babies even if they seem to be in distress. Mother hamsters touch and leave their scents on the newborns as a form of identification due to their terrible sight.
Physical contact with a newborn hamster can alter its scent and increase the chances of rejection by the mother. The ostracized baby often ends up being cannibalized by the mother.
To Protect Other Babies
Hamsters may eat a dead newborn or a stillborn baby to protect the others. These creatures are caring mothers who may go to the ends of the world to preserve the lives of their babies.
In the wild, predators such as Foxes track hamsters via several methods including the scents of dead babies. Eating their stillborns or dead babies helps get rid of the scent so they can survive pursuits from various predators.
Unfortunately, this trait is common even in domestic hamsters despite the lack of predators in the home environment.
What Hamster Breeds Are Cannibalistic?
Under harsh circumstances, all hamster breeds can be cannibalistic. However, Syrians and Dwarf hamsters are infamous for eating each other. Roborovskis may also turn cannibalistic against each other when in cage environments with scarce food and water.
Under dire circumstances such as lack of space, hamsters kill the younger ones first to protect the older members. This is a common trait among all breeds without exceptions.
The only explanation is that the younger ones are physically weaker and put up the least resistance compared to the older rodents.
Safest Breeds to Cage Together
Robrovski hamsters are the safest breeds to put in the same cage. We recommend housing them independently but some situations may call for two or more in the same cage.
Roborovskis can be a good option if you intend to house more than one hamster in a single breeder tank or cage. Just make sure the floor space is enough to accommodate each hamster comfortably.
Can Hamsters Eat a Dead Hamster?
Hamsters cannibalize the dead bodies of other hamsters after killing them. This may be due to fights over territorial disputes or as a means to survive during harsh cage conditions such as food shortages.
Do Hamsters Fight to the Death?
Syrian hamsters fight to the death when sharing a cage. These creatures love to reign supreme in each breeder tank or cage and may see others as threats that need to be extinguished. They fight until one of them drops dead or a human interferes.
Syrians may also fight to kill and eat the dead bodies of weaker breeds such as Chinese hamsters.
Conclusion
Hamsters may eat each other either to establish territorial dominance or as a means of survival when resources are scarce in a cage environment. These little guys may also show cannibalistic traits during Cage Rage or when stressed.
Mother hamsters commonly eat their babies when overwhelmed with the litter size or as a means to preserve scarce resources for stronger babies. They may also eat stillborns or dead babies to extinguish any carcass scents that can be exploited by predators to track their location.
Always put hamsters in separate cages to eliminate incidents of physical fights that can result in them eating each other. Creating the right conditions in shared cages may also minimize cannibalism.