Is it cruel to keep a Russian hamster by itself?

It is not cruel to keep a Russian hamster by itself. Although Russian hamsters are social creatures, they tend to be solitary animals in the wild. In the wild, these animals live in burrows, and they come out briefly at night to eat. They only interact with other hamsters during mating season. Therefore, Russian hamsters do not need to live with other hamsters to survive. However, if you want to provide your Russian hamster with companionship, you can consider getting two of the same sex.