Hedgehogs and hamsters might seem like they would make great housemates in theory but is it practical for them to live together in real life?
As hedgehogs become more popular as domesticated pets, more and more owners have begun to wonder if it’s possible for hedgehogs and hamsters to live in the same cage, room or just the same family home.
In this post, we will take a look at the views of top vets and seasoned experts to give you all the information you need regarding hedgehogs and hamsters living together.
So can hedgehogs and hamsters live together? Hedgehogs and hamsters should never live in the same cage as this can easily cause many territorial and predatory conflicts. They can possibly live in the room whilst in separate cages if certain criteria are met and both animals feel comfortable and are free from stress.
Read on to discover…
Can Hedgehogs & hamsters Live In The Same Cage?
Owners of small animals often find themselves wanting to own a variety of different pets once they become comfortable with the care process of their first pet.
This has led many hedgehog owners to consider bringing home a hamster and vice-versa.
Potential owners also want to know if hedgehogs and hamsters can live together in the same cage.
Unfortunately, this simply isn’t the case and as we mentioned above, hedgehogs and hamsters should never be housed in the same cage.
They do have some behavioural and habitat similarities that on the surface make this idea look like it could make sense, which is why this can get confusing…
One such similarity is that hedgehogs and hamsters are both nocturnal so they wouldn’t disturb each other during their active times of the day.
Another similarity is that hedgehog experts state they require a cage temperature of between 70° – 85°F to be happy and healthy and hamster experts state they require a cage temperature of between 65° – 75°F.
Looking at these temperatures given to us by veterinary experts, you can technically find a sweet spot of around 70° – 75°F and the two animals should both be comfortable.
So if hedgies and hamsters are so similar, why can’t they be housed and live together?
Let’s take a look at the main reasons why it’s not a good idea for hedgies and hamsters to live together…
Hedgehogs & Hamsters Are Territorial
Both hedgies and hamsters are well known to be territorial. Hedgehogs can get aggressive with other hedgehogs that invade their territory so this will only be intensified by a different animal such as a hamster.
Vetmed even talked about how hedgies are territorial and should be housed on their own in a recent article they published.
Hedgies love nothing more than to have their own space and love to explore and roam without having to worry about someone else in their home.
The exact same can be said for hamsters as It’s also well documented that they are territorial animals by experts such as Pet-MD.
Hamsters are also very comfortable in their own company and sharing their home with a stranger isn’t their idea of fun.
Putting these two animals in this situation can cause problems such as constant stress, anxiety, intimidation and more.
This can cause loss of appetite and serious illness if it’s left to continue.
At this point, you may be wondering if it’s a good idea to bring home another hedgehog and house two hedgies together?
We’ve actually covered this very question in a separate post that you can check out right here…
Hedgehogs May Consider Hamsters As Prey
It’s often overlooked that the hedgehog might actually look at the hamster as prey.
At first, this may seem a little crazy, however, wild hedgies can actually pray on mice, frogs, birds and even small snakes in the wild. Source:
In fact, lots of owners feed their hedgie live pinky mice as a treat.
As many hedgies become overweight easily in captivity, we’ve listed the foods we recommend you feed them in this full diet & food guide here…
It’s not unthinkable that the hamster could become a prey target for the hedgehog.
It’s really not worth risking the health or your hamster when both animals can be housed separately just as easy.
Can Hedgehogs & hamsters Live In The Same Room?
Hedgehogs and hamsters can possibly live in the same room as each other if they’re in separate cages.
This has a 50/50 chance of working at will totally depend on the personalities of each pet.
If the hedgehog can see the hamster and vice-versa this could cause some issues with stress, intimidation or territorial issues.
The best thing to do is to try this approach, it would be best to keep the cages far apart or at least where they can’t see each other.
If both pets seem fine with the situation, which can often be the case then great, no further action is needed.
If one or both of the animals looks to be showing signs of stress or intimidation such as excessive hiding or decreased appetite then further action is needed.
The hedgie might also display aggressive behaviour such as hissing which can be used as an aggressive or warning sound to other animals.
We explain all you need to know as an owner about hissing in under 5 minutes this guide here…
If this housing setup is a problem for one or both of our pets then the only thing you can do is to move one of the pets to a different room of the house.
In fact, before you bring home your second pet we recommend that you have a second room ready just in case you experience any problems.
Although many owners find this separate cage set up to be fine, it’s always best to plan ahead because it’s not fair on the pets if they’re stressed for long periods.
Where Should Hedgehogs & Hamsters Live In Your Home?
Housing your hedgehog and hamster in separate rooms of your home from day one is certainly the best option if you can do this.
While living in separate cages in the same room can work as they’re both nocturnal and won’t disturb each other’s sleep patterns, it’s far better for them to have their own living space if possible and you have the room.
We understand that this might not be easy in certain situations, such as only having your bedroom, living in a one-room apartment or just not having the space period.
The bottom line is, if you can house them separately then this is what we would recommend.
Do Hedgehogs & hamsters Get Along When In contact with Each Other?
There are always videos emerging on youtube and social media sites of different animals getting along and even playing together.
When you see these videos it can make the process seem easy and even a natural one.
You may even have seen a video of a hedgie and hamster peacefully enjoying each other’s company and get pretty excited that this kind of friendship can easily happen in your home too.
In our opinion, we would not recommend that hedgehogs and hamsters are allowed to be in contact with each other.
This would include spending time in the playpen together or both being in your arms at the same time and so on.
As we mentioned earlier in this post, both pets are naturally solitary animals who prefer their own space.
They are more than happy on their own and don’t require the presence of a friend to keep them company or make them happy.
As we also talked about earlier, your hedgehog could quite easily consider your hamster as prey and quite frankly it’s just not worth risking the stress, intimidation or injury that could follow.
Hedgehogs and hamsters are both wonderful pets and you will love every minute of owning these amazing animals, however, they are pets that should be kept apart and enjoyed separately.
Have you considered owning a rabbit? We’ve recently created a post that covers if hedgehogs and rabbits can live together and play together? You can check out our easy to follow guide…
