How to Care for Your Roborovski Hamster
Help Your Hamster Pet to Have a Long and Happy Life
Sep 21, 2009
Roborovski hamsters come in one main colour which is a pale orange brown with an undercoat of slate blue. They have bright black eyes and white eyebrows. They are very small, no more than 7cm long when fully grown. They have fur on the soles of their feet. They do not have a stripe along their backbone unlike the other dwarf hamsters. Hamster breeders refer to them as “Robos”.
Roborovski hamsters are sociable animals and can live in pairs or colonies. Care should be taken when the animals are checked for their gender, so that there will not be unwanted babies. Dwarf hamster pet owners should always watch their pets carefully for signs of fighting and be prepared to split their hamsters into separate cages if necessary.
Housing Your Pet Roborovski Hamster
All Dwarf hamsters require a small barred cage (often called mouse bars) so that they cannot escape. A good alternative is an old fish aquarium, well-cleaned and with a mesh roof fitted (Roborovskis can jump quite high!) The aquarium will need sawdust on the floor and paper bedding. There should be plenty of space for toys and activities for the hamsters. Using an aquarium allows plenty of space for your hamsters.
Other cages people consider using are the Rotostak system or similar involving tubes and living rooms. These can be awkward for young dwarf hamsters to negotiate if there are tubes leading upwards.
Some cages have recently come on the market which are built especially for hamsters, but seem to be based on plastic aquariums. These are nice and roomy for a pair of dwarf hamsters.
Feeding Your Roborovski Hamster
Roboroski hamsters eat normal hamster food mix and will also enjoy treats of small slices of vegetables such as carrot or cucumber. Never give a hamster human chocolate as it is very bad for them. Your pet will also require access to fresh water.
It is particularly important to ensure that your young Roborovski hamster is able to reach his food and water bowl when you first bring him home. Their small size can make it quite difficult for them.
Breeding Roborovski Hamsters
Breeding Roborovski hamsters is not to be recommended unless you are very used to handling hamsters. They can take a while to produce their first litter, but then litters can occur very regularly. Finding homes for all the babies is very hard work, and it can be hard to tell the sex of young hamsters – even experienced hamster breeders check several times! There are articles on Suite 101 which will give you the information you need should your hamster unexpectedly have babies.
Roborovski hamsters are very small and quick and should be handled gently. It is possible to pick them up with care and patience. There are articles on Suite 101 which explain how to tame a new hamster. Their speed and agility make them unsuitable as pets for very young children, unless parents are taking responsibility for them. It is very entertaining to watch them as they hurtle round the cage at top speed.
Roborovski hamsters make fun and unusual pets. They are full of quirky character and will reward your love and attention with hours of enjoyment.
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