Do Hamsters & Chinchillas Get Along?

Hamsters have a relatively short lifespan -- the average is 2 to 3 years -- but chinchillas can live up to 20 years. This means if you own one of each type of animal consistently during a 10-year span of time, you'll own three to five hamsters but only one chinchilla. As an owner, it's important to remember that each animal has its own unique personality and no two individuals are going to be exactly alike. Personality is a major contributing factor in terms of whether or not animals will get along.

Chinchillas are social animals who typically get along well with one another and are known to travel in packs in the wild. Chinchillas are generally happy to have the companionship of another chinchilla. It's customary to get pairs of chinchillas who are the same gender to avoid accidental reproduction between your pets. Chinchillas can be territorial if you have a very dominant animal or keep your animals in cages directly next to one another. Normally the chinchillas will get over territorial behavior as they realize the other animal is not a threat.

Hamsters are not social animals. Syrian hamsters are well known to attack and kill one another if kept in the same cage. Dwarf hamsters can be kept together if they're the same gender and were raised together since adolescence. While some hamsters are less aggressive than others, adult hamsters generally don't do well in the cage with other adult hamsters and serious injury may occur if you attempt to introduce hamsters to one another.

Hamsters and chinchillas are unlikely to get along and should not be kept in the same living environment. If you decide to keep hamsters and chinchillas in the same general area or room, you'll need to use a cover to prevent the animals from seeing one another and avoid aggressive or territorial behaviors.