Taming Robs - any tips ?

[Joanna]

Could you provide me with a few tips of taming my Robos ??



I have 4 girls and 4 boys and I put them in same sex pairs in separate cages. One is always more brave than the other. When I put seeds in my hand, they would come to bite on my hand first (make sure my hand is completely dead...I suppose) before they would sit on my hand to pick the seeds.



How can I stop the biting ?



The two older boys had a fight with the 2 younger boys and drew blood, therefore I put the two pairs in separate cages. Could I try to put them together again ? They are 3 weeks apart from the same parents.



Thanks/Joanna

[babyboos]

You will probably not be able to put them together again sadly - hopefully they will be happy enough in their pairs and no fighting amongst brothers occurs.

[Emma]

My Robos never bite, in fact I've never been bitten by any Robos. I did (just about) manage to stop my old rescue Campbells biting just by regular handling out of the cage (he'd always bite hands in his cage) with no food and gently blowing on him when he bit, as a way of saying "no!".



However with Robos being as speedy as they are it's a good plan to keep them held over their cage, or at least a safe space. I let mine run in the bath with lots of toys, and handle them held low over that, so if they jump they can't escape. As I said none of my Robos have ever bitten but they have become slightly tamer by regular handling like that.



Robos are never going to be cuddly tame like Syrians though, and they are such interesting pets to watch if you give them the right environment that I don't mind not handling them at all really.



As babyboos said it'd be best to keep them apart now that they've been separated.

[babyboos]

I guess we are both lucky as I have never been bitten by a Roborovski either although my partner was once and they had little needle sharp teeth he said. He was seperating two fueding females and he said he could feel the one he got a hold of first gnawing on his thumb :? to try and get away. I guess I may have been lucky in the way I handle them - I always pick them up two handed where possible with my fingers pointing away from their faces - I use this mehtod with all hamsters, ferrets etc. and it is pretty successful overall.

I understand though that this wont allow you to feed them by hand - maybe more socialisation in the way Emma describes would help them to see your hands as less of a threat - the bathtub method is very good for Roborovski as it is contained - because when they get free they are pretty fast at scooting under furniture and run you ragged :twisted:

[Joanna]

Thanks for your info.



They are fine if I picked them up with two hands. They don't attack and are not territorial as the Campbells. I just hope that they all would sit and eat on my hand. :roll: Only the 2 youngest girls do that without nipping. I named these two girls Tic Tac.



I will try to bribe them with mealworms.....this always work well before...Hope to bring you good news soon.



Joanna

[babyboos]

Let us know how you get on - the little tinkers - a nip doesn't seem very appreciative of the nice seed treat they get does it :oops: :wink:

[flogging_molly]

The Robo's i have just got seem pretty friendly, i've never had them before, but they are so cute, i think i've been bitten once by Elain, but to be honest with you it just felt like a nail scratching my finger very gently. I can handle my Robo's and i do so every night they seem to be getting to know me a little better.

[babyboos]

Don't know if I would be capable of sitting with a palm full of live mealworms :? or dead for that matter :shock:

[Joanna]

I moved the boys from the plastic bin to the cage. They are crazy about the mealworms. I have the mealworms in my hand and when I open the door, they can't wait to hop into my hand and would not leave till they are done with the worms.



When they bite, I give them a "kick" with my finger and they jump right back in the cage. Sometimes they don't bite but smell my hand for the longest time !!!



I have mixed feelings about these two. They stay in my hand much longer than the rest of the Robs and are much calmer. They don't bite when I scoop them up from the wheel or cage or when they run from hand to hand . Biting only when I try to feed them with seeds in my palm or lay my hands down in the cage. It never break skin, just annoyance.

[babyboos]

Oh sounds like you really do have some little sweeties there Joanna - glad they don't break the skin - they might learn it gets them nowhere and stop eventually - I hope so. Glad it isn't putting you off holding them in the meantime. Are all the boys back together now then?

[Joanna]

No...I have not put the other 2 back yet. I don't want the other 2 to pick up their bad habit. Also they may be rehomed in another 2 weeks.



Is it normal behavour of these two boys ? These are my first batch of Robs. May be I am expecting too much from them.



If the normal expectation is that you can scoop them up any time; run from hand to hand....then they are perfectly "normal" ..they do not bite under these situation.

[babyboos]

I have over 40 Roborovski and none do this but that is not to say this is not unusual behaviour and I am just really lucky...



I hope it is something they grow out off. How are they doing now. Were the two rehomed?

[Joanna]

Now I have only one boy left ! I meant to keep two boys but one escaped and was later found drowned....I feel really awful :cry: The lone suvivor is called Marco. Each morning and evening, he will sit on my hand for a couple of minutes to enjoy the seeds that I offer him. He comes whenever I call for him. Sometimes he will smell the seeds and then look at me "What ? seeds again ! Where is my wormy ?! " ... meal worm is still his favourate.

[babyboos]

Aww that is sad news. It really does not take much water for a hamster to drown, a major reason I NEVER advocate the use of bowls of water instead of water bottles... glad little Marco is still with you and being a cheeky chappie :wink: I can just see him asking for his wormy :oops: