General Information:
Roborovskis are a commonly kept dwarf hamster, often referred to as “robos” for short. They’re known for their small size (smallest in their genus) and fast-handling. They originate in central Asia around Mongolia, northern China and northern Russia. They are highly adapted to their environment and live in burrows up to 6ft deep.
In the wild, they’re an omnivorous and social hamster and exhibit crepuscular behaviour.
Their average lifespan is 2-3 years, but ages of up to 4 years have been reported.
Care:
Housing/Enrichment:
Roborovskis are widely considered to be a pet that is difficult to handle, this means their cage will be their main source of entertainment, so your cage must meet the minimum requirements – or larger.
Robos are extremely active rodents and love to burrow. A converted 3ft tank can be ideal for them as it also allows us to provide our pet with plenty of substrates to display their natural behaviour. We aren’t fans of using barred cages for robos, with them being so small, they can squeeze through very small gaps.
If a tank is not an option, we also enjoy using Duna Multi Maxis, and Bucastate cages. These cages still provide enough space, and you’re able to provide a decent layer of a substrate. Minimum cage dimensions should be approximately L 100cm x W 50cm.
We use paper based beddings and Cheshire Choice, but other great options include fitch, and hemp. We also advise a large bathing sand section to the care, we advise approximately 1/3 of the substrate be bathing sand.
Roborovskis absolutely love to run, so their exercise wheel is one of the most important toys to get right. Suitable wheels should be roughly 20cm in diameter with a solid floor. We use Trixie wheels as they’re more affordable than most pet shop wheels, but wooden wheels and Bucastate wheels are also an excellent choice.
You can use a variety of toys for your robo, including tubes, houses, hides, chew toys, dig boxes, sand baths, flower pots, and more.
Temperatures should be roughly 18°C-26°C and humidity around 40%.
Hamsters are permissive hibernators and at temperatures around 4°C may enter torpor.
Useful Links:
Roborovskis are a commonly kept dwarf hamster, often referred to as “robos” for short. They’re known for their small size (smallest in their genus) and fast-handling. They originate in central Asia around Mongolia, northern China and northern Russia. They are highly adapted to their environment and live in burrows up to 6ft deep.
In the wild, they’re an omnivorous and social hamster and exhibit crepuscular behaviour.
Their average lifespan is 2-3 years, but ages of up to 4 years have been reported.
Care:
Housing/Enrichment:
Roborovskis are widely considered to be a pet that is difficult to handle, this means their cage will be their main source of entertainment, so your cage must meet the minimum requirements – or larger.
Robos are extremely active rodents and love to burrow. A converted 3ft tank can be ideal for them as it also allows us to provide our pet with plenty of substrates to display their natural behaviour. We aren’t fans of using barred cages for robos, with them being so small, they can squeeze through very small gaps.
If a tank is not an option, we also enjoy using Duna Multi Maxis, and Bucastate cages. These cages still provide enough space, and you’re able to provide a decent layer of a substrate. Minimum cage dimensions should be approximately L 100cm x W 50cm.
We use paper based beddings and Cheshire Choice, but other great options include fitch, and hemp. We also advise a large bathing sand section to the care, we advise approximately 1/3 of the substrate be bathing sand.
Roborovskis absolutely love to run, so their exercise wheel is one of the most important toys to get right. Suitable wheels should be roughly 20cm in diameter with a solid floor. We use Trixie wheels as they’re more affordable than most pet shop wheels, but wooden wheels and Bucastate wheels are also an excellent choice.
You can use a variety of toys for your robo, including tubes, houses, hides, chew toys, dig boxes, sand baths, flower pots, and more.
Temperatures should be roughly 18°C-26°C and humidity around 40%.
Hamsters are permissive hibernators and at temperatures around 4°C may enter torpor.
Useful Links:
Credit: http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/153048-please-judge-my-hamster-cage-setup/
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Credit: http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/153048-please-judge-my-hamster-cage-setup/
Credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/143763413075972808/
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Socialising:
Roborovskis can be tamed, exactly how much an individual robo tames varies considerably. Consistency is key to taming. We’ve had robos happy to sit in hands and others who'd absolutely scream the place down when held.,
A lot of people prefer to offer their robos a playpen for out-of-the-cage playtimes. We use empty ball pits for our hamsters as it keeps them contained without the risk of squeezing through bars.
Once upon a time it was fairly common to see roborovski's cohabbiing. Often times, this ended up with a pair needing to be split due to serious fights breaking out. As time as gone on, we no longer recommend keeping dwarfs in pairs.
Diet:
Roborovski dwarf hamsters are omnivores, meaning they require both plant material and meat elements in their diet. In their natural environment, they’ve been found to eat a variety of seeds and insects.
In captivity, you can provide your dwarf hamster with a good quality hamster mix and healthy treats to keep your hamster well-nourished. Often providing some pelleted foods may be beneficial for hamsters due to their selective eating - overfeeding can help prevent this.
Avoid garlic, onion, and citrus foods.
Useful Links:
Please feel free to ask more questions!
Roborovskis can be tamed, exactly how much an individual robo tames varies considerably. Consistency is key to taming. We’ve had robos happy to sit in hands and others who'd absolutely scream the place down when held.,
A lot of people prefer to offer their robos a playpen for out-of-the-cage playtimes. We use empty ball pits for our hamsters as it keeps them contained without the risk of squeezing through bars.
Once upon a time it was fairly common to see roborovski's cohabbiing. Often times, this ended up with a pair needing to be split due to serious fights breaking out. As time as gone on, we no longer recommend keeping dwarfs in pairs.
Diet:
Roborovski dwarf hamsters are omnivores, meaning they require both plant material and meat elements in their diet. In their natural environment, they’ve been found to eat a variety of seeds and insects.
In captivity, you can provide your dwarf hamster with a good quality hamster mix and healthy treats to keep your hamster well-nourished. Often providing some pelleted foods may be beneficial for hamsters due to their selective eating - overfeeding can help prevent this.
Avoid garlic, onion, and citrus foods.
Useful Links:
- www.rodipet.co.uk/pet-foods/rodipet-organic-dwarf-hamster-food-junior-500g.html
- www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small_pets/food/bunny_food/hamster_food_bunny/1104418?mkt_source=1334735&variantid=1104418.0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwub-HBhCyARIsAPctr7yC3-ExMfbm824Mlc3Vcau-m8WYUSOQBjNoOKf7wvQ1LryGjlGV0Y0aAhzQEALw_wcB
- www.chubbycheekshamsterfood.co.uk/product-page/hammykins-dwarf-hamster-food
Please feel free to ask more questions!