# Hedgehogs and hamsters?



## nuggetbaby

I am getting my hedgehog back in a couple weeks (had to pass him off for a couple months because I wasn't living in a place where I could have him) and am wondering if hedgehogs and hamsters get along? I have 2 dwarf hamsters and it's not like they would share a cage or anything but would it be ok for some supervised play time? Should I give them a trial run or avoid it all together?


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## knitfreak

I would say no. Hamsters don't tend to like other species so much, and dwarf hammies are FAST! I don't know that you could prevent an injury or fight in time if one decided to bite or attack. Best to be on the safe side!

PS - I once held my hedgehog near to my hamsters cage so he could smell her, and he did not like it all! She was smelling and curious, but he was all bristles. They can both bite, so I didn't want to risk any real interaction.


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## Zalea

Avoid it all together. Communicable diseases can be passed between small animals, plus there's a chance that one of them would get hurt during interaction time. There is no real need to introduce them, as hedgehogs like to be alone and don't get anything but fright out of the interaction anyway. 

I wouldn't introduce them for any reason, personally. In the end it's up to you; however, it is a risk that you put both your animals in anytime you put them in a situation like that and you need to keep that in mind--one could badly hurt the other. If you do decide to introduce them, make sure you are there to supervise constantly, and that you are in intervening distance because it only takes a second for something very bad to happen.


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## hedgielover

I would suspect that the hedgehog would have one of two reactions. One he would decide that this is a good thing to eat and bite the hamster or two he would just ball up at the site of it moving. The hamster I would expect to bite or run away if the hedgehog doesn't. I know that it's not certain whether African hedgehogs eat small animals in the wild or not but we know that European hedgehogs have been known to eat small rodents and baby birds. Don't risk your hedgehog deciding that your hamster is food.


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## nuggetbaby

Alrighty, thanks for the advice. I won't chance it!


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