# Sisters together



## KsK (Aug 17, 2011)

Can you 7 week old sisters live together and be ok or would they need separated eventually?


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2011)

Housing two females together is not highly recommended, however I know that some of our respected breeders and retired breeders of hedgehogs have had mother/daughter housing in the same cage.

If you do so its important to have an ample size cage with two of all of the following to help deter any issues which could result in one attacking the other:
_
- Two Water Dishes
- Two Food Dishes
- Two Houses
- Two Solid Wheels_

*Please review the following topics for more info which will assist you in this decision:*

Housing two hedgehogs together
Housing two hedgehogs goes bad

I think its nice to have females out together for supervised playtime if they can tolerate each other otherwise since Hedgehogs are solitary creatures they don't need a companion. While it isn't unheard of that hedgehogs will form a unique bond with a fellow hedgehog, it is more common that they will end up wanting to use the same wheel at the same time or a water dish or certain house and potential fight over it because they want privacy and/or space.

Hedgehogs that live together have been known to live together fine for long periods of time and then something happens and can result in injuries and sometimes fatal results. The reality is that it is also likely to happen when all the people are sleeping and even if you weren't it only takes a few seconds to leave lasting damage/injury to a hedgehog from another.

Most people here will say its not worth the risk, however if done it is recommended they be related and have always lived together though most people I hear talk more of mother/daughter then sister/sister so perhaps someone can better enlighten you on that specific.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

KsK said:


> Can you 7 week old sisters live together and be ok or would they need separated eventually?


Usually sisters will be fine kept together but there is always a chance that at some point in time, they may decide to not get along. You will need to provide two of everything, especially wheels and beds in case they choose not to sleep together. They will also need a large cage so there is lots of space to avoid each other if they choose to.

You do have to be vigilant and watch for signs of fighting or one dominating or picking on the other and be prepared to separate.

One reason I rarely cage together is if one starts having a health issue, it isn't as obvious. If one quits eating, or slows on their food intake, it can be difficult to tell because the other is still eating. If you find abnormal poo or blood in the cage, it can take time to figure out who it's from.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

It really just depends on the girls. There are many who have successfully housed female hedgehogs together. Some seem to really love having a cage mate too. There are a few downsides to consider though.

You do need 2 of everything in the cage, and you do need a separate cage in case something goes wrong, like one needs surgery and time to heal away from another hedgehog. It can also get hard to determine who had the bloody stool when housed together.

One other downside is that hedgehogs that live with another their entire life can get really attached to their cage mate. So much so that when one dies the other soon follows. I had a mother/daughter pair and a sister pair. The loss of their cage mate was very hard on them. One quit eating after her sister died and required a lot more attention from me to get her through the loss.

Plus you really have to watch closely for any sign that they are starting to not like each other.


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## crystela (Apr 26, 2018)

Nancy said:


> Usually sisters will be fine kept together but there is always a chance that at some point in time, they may decide to not get along. You will need to provide two of everything, especially wheels and beds in case they choose not to sleep together. They will also need a large cage so there is lots of space to avoid each other if they choose to.
> 
> You do have to be vigilant and watch for signs of fighting or one dominating or picking on the other and be prepared to separate.
> 
> One reason I rarely cage together is if one starts having a health issue, it isn't as obvious. If one quits eating, or slows on their food intake, it can be difficult to tell because the other is still eating. If you find abnormal poo or blood in the cage, it can take time to figure out who it's from.


I have a question. Last night i heard my hegie crying or making a crying sound and i recently just reunited her with her sister.(I had got lola 8 months from a friend and she realized she could no longer care for the other so she let another person take the baby one which shes like 5 months but the other girl couldn't care for her so she ended up giving her to me)could her sister possibly be fight with her is that why she would be crying or is there another reason? i'm concerned because lola hasn't did this before until i got her sister olivia?


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Please check the date on a thread before posting. This one is from 2011. You need to start your own thread with your question.


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