My new Robo - whats going on?Is this normal? Help for new owner please - Page 2

Pebbles82 · 07-19-2019, 12:27 PM

It looks really nice! I am sure she will be very happy in there. She has plenty of hidey places - the shelf, the bendy bridge, the coconut and the house, and plenty of substrate. It is probably mostly not being quite settled in yet. However it may still feel a bit exposed from above possible. I got a large cork log tunnel for our robos cage - something like that would give kind of overhead cover as it's tall and nice long tunnel to run through and something to climb over. He really liked it and used to scratch bits off the inside (either for his nest or to sharpen his claws, not sure which).

The only other thing I would mention is to be careful with the ladder to the shelf. There is a gap where it connects to the shelf and dwarf hammies can sometimes get a foot trapped. You might be able to find a way round that, to get rid of the little gap.

If not - and you fancy the idea of the large cork log - I had mine part under a shelf so it made a ramp up to it instead of a ladder. So it was mainly across the middle of the cage, but one end was wedged just under the shelf instead of a ladder.

It's this one. It shows a guinea pig on it! Because they are quite high - but it doesnt matter

https://www.rodipet.co.uk/accessorie...-diameter.html

Pebbles82 · 07-19-2019, 12:29 PM

Basically she hasn't decided where to nest yet and because the base is see through it may look strange her being like that. But it seems to be what robos do - they just dive under the substrate! She might make a couple of burrows/nests when she decides where - I'd have thought under the shelf might be one choice or near the wheel. Maybe that's why she's sleeping under the coconut because it's near the wheel.

Sancerree · 07-20-2019, 03:05 AM

I just had a breakthrough with Kora and wanted to share it!

I set the alarm for 3 am together with my partner because we wanted to see If she is active during night and whenever everything is okay. As we woke up she was on the wheel but seeing us she went to dig herself under the bedding. But while she was on the wheel we notice the wheel was a bit wobbly (?) perhaps not screwed onto the bars properly so I'm happy we discovered that and can make it now safer for her. We only noticed it when she was running on it!

And this morning when I got up she seemed to still be very active, she was kicking the bedding around, into 2 of her hideouts (maybe she is creating a nest finally?) while she was doing it I took loads of small seeds on my hand and placed it near her in the cage and she first touched my hand with her whiskers, smelled me and then she walked up onto my hand! She was sitting on my hand with her full body while munching seeds! After a while, I tried to slowly raise my thumb to pet her, but she was at the bottom part of my hand so it didn't really work and she run off. But still I'm so happy!

She also kicked a lot of bedding into her potty, which she now sleeps under I believe. But definitely looks like she is getting more comfortable, maybe it just has to be the right time of the day for her to take treats from me

Sancerree · 07-20-2019, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

It looks really nice! I am sure she will be very happy in there. She has plenty of hidey places - the shelf, the bendy bridge, the coconut and the house, and plenty of substrate. It is probably mostly not being quite settled in yet. However it may still feel a bit exposed from above possible. I got a large cork log tunnel for our robos cage - something like that would give kind of overhead cover as it's tall and nice long tunnel to run through and something to climb over. He really liked it and used to scratch bits off the inside (either for his nest or to sharpen his claws, not sure which).

The only other thing I would mention is to be careful with the ladder to the shelf. There is a gap where it connects to the shelf and dwarf hammies can sometimes get a foot trapped. You might be able to find a way round that, to get rid of the little gap.

If not - and you fancy the idea of the large cork log - I had mine part under a shelf so it made a ramp up to it instead of a ladder. So it was mainly across the middle of the cage, but one end was wedged just under the shelf instead of a ladder.

It's this one. It shows a guinea pig on it! Because they are quite high - but it doesnt matter

https://www.rodipet.co.uk/accessorie...-diameter.html

Thank you for the recommendation! I will look for something of this kind and perhaps change things around in some time, to not freak her out more. But it does sound good.

LunaTheHamster1 · 07-20-2019, 03:56 AM

woohoo congratulations - it;s lovely when something like that happens. it can just makes your day when something so small trusts you.

10Minutes · 07-20-2019, 06:55 AM

I love your set-up! You say you are a new owner, but you really have done your homework on preparing such a lovely home for her, it looks nice and comfortable. I was worried about my Robo not drinking either, so even though she has 24 hours access to the bottle, I manually feed my Robo water from the bottle every evening as a safety precaution.

I'm glad for you, it's so lovely when they start to trust you. I'm new to this too, and my Robo is going through a slight setback (she used to be tame enough for me to stroke at least, but now I don't know why she doesn't even want my hand anywhere near her), so I must say I am pretty envious of you. Do keep us updated on her antics!

flowerfairy · 07-20-2019, 01:47 PM

What a great looking cage, what make is it?

I love the way you have set it up and what a cuuuute hamster!!!

Sancerree · 07-21-2019, 04:57 AM

Thank you guys for your kind comments and advice.

The link to the cage is here:

https://www.littlepetwarehouse.co.uk...0lV1y6xXI_U2Jc

I believe they also sell it on Amazon. It is a nice cage, but it has 2 big minuses. Firstly - the doors/gate are very easily openable (climbing hamster would easily pop them open) so extra security measure is required. Any kind of clips or plastic tie will do. I use plastic tie on the lower door when I go out, but Kora doesn't seem to be interested in climbing so far.
The second minus is that one bar on the top is a little bit wider (I think its 1 cm on the top of the top) and again I think a small climbing hamster could possibly squeeze out. Again luckily Kora is not interested in climbing whatsoever for now.

Taking both of those risks into consideration before I bought the cage I also have a prepared 'emergency' bin cage, in case If she would attempt escape/ or something else unforeseen would happen. Also, the company produces a couple of 'Gerbilarium cages' I think this is the only suitable one for hamster (since other have too many levels/ would be too big of the drop fro hamster in case of the fall) but when they sent us a cage they sent us a wrong shelf - twice! On the third time, they sent us all possible shelves to the cages they do and finally, there was a right one among them. Very annoying!

Because of that reasons as well I am worried that when I come home she might not be in the cage, therefore I have to look for her in the bedding for multiple minutes and sometimes, unfortunately, wake her up, both in the morning and evening.

What I also consider the great cage is this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Living-Worl...c=1&th=1&psc=1
Unfortunately, it's very expensive.

Sancerree · 07-21-2019, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10Minutes

I love your set-up! You say you are a new owner, but you really have done your homework on preparing such a lovely home for her, it looks nice and comfortable. I was worried about my Robo not drinking either, so even though she has 24 hours access to the bottle, I manually feed my Robo water from the bottle every evening as a safety precaution.

I'm glad for you, it's so lovely when they start to trust you. I'm new to this too, and my Robo is going through a slight setback (she used to be tame enough for me to stroke at least, but now I don't know why she doesn't even want my hand anywhere near her), so I must say I am pretty envious of you. Do keep us updated on her antics!

I love to hear advice/experience from fellow new Robo owner! Thank you for sharing. I do think with them there is a lot of ups and downs, unfortunately, they are very specific breed and we have to respect that.

In the morning I was very happy, but at night there was a bit of a downside I guess.

Kora slept pretty much all day and around 11 pm we decided to 'look for her' in the bedding and try to do some taming in the bathroom. We don't have a bathtub but I prepared a blanket on the floor, took some of her toys, tunnels etc. from the cage, treats and a water bottle. We took her there while she was in one of her hideouts since she didn't seem interested in taking treats from hand this time. In the bathroom, while she was still sitting in her hideout I tried to give her a bit of water bottle but that evidently scared her and she runs out. Our bathroom is rather small but she didn't stay in the designated area for her play but decided to run around nervously. I feel like it was a horrible mistake from my side to not let her leave hideout first when she feels like it... So what would happen since then she would run around so fast we couldn't catch her, she would ignore all treats or like special treats (fresh veggies) and in general seem very stressed. Then she would stop and clean herself like nothing is happening, and then continue running. She runs on my legs and arms as well, and unfortunately when I tried to catch her she run up my arm and I'm assuming there wasn't enough grip since I had a short sleeve on and she fell onto the blanket on the floor. It wasn't super high fall but for such a small creature it definitely was a lot and honestly, it broke my heart and made me feel so bad that something could happen to her. She didn't show any signs that anything is wrong and continued running around. Then at some point, she stopped near my boyfriend and sat on the memory foam shower matt (must have been super soft for her feet) and he tried to give her water bottle again, and she took it and drank quite a lot - must really have been thirsty. After that, he tried to pet her while she was sitting, and she let him for quite a bit. I tried to pet her too but when she got to my side of the bathroom she would just try to run along the door and try to run up on them and wouldn't let me pet her (she hates me now

). Then we took her back to the cage and she went to do a sploot in her tunnel, must have been exhausted from all this running. I set alarm for 3 am again to see if for sure she is alright and she was awake near her wheel and seemed okay. In the morning we couldn't find her in the bedding again, but finally she revealed and seemed fine as well.

I'm a bit confused now and I think that I must have been very lucky that morning that she sat on my hand and was eating seeds - because probably she was hungry and maybe didn't have much in pouches so that's why she did it. In other times she doesn't seem to be interested by seeds/treats. And perhaps I need to let her be for a couple of days before attempting another bathroom taming (If at all..)

10Minutes · 07-21-2019, 09:06 AM

Perhaps you can find a way to seal up the 1 cm gap at the top if you are worried about it, and also do secure the cage at all times.

My Robo hasn't been keen on climbing the bars of her cage for two weeks, but she has recently started climbing the very bottom rows of the bars, mainly as a convenient way for her to shimmy from her toys on the left to her toys on the right. She usually ends up on top of her wheel, balances herself precariously there with one foot hanging from the bar and falls asleep like that.

So never say never, Kora just might learn to start climbing bars after she has settled in. Mine doesn't seem interested in climbing up yet (and I hope she never does, because I prefer to convince myself that she loves her home so much that she never wants to leave, lol) but she does like climbing sideways now.

I'm sure you must have felt so bad when she fell, and I'm glad she's fine. There's no reason to beat yourself up anymore about it, it happens. Just be thankful she is well and be really careful to try and avoid any more falls!

My Robo has her moods too, we've just gotta take it slowly and hope that one day they will open up their little hearts to us. Just don't get frustrated if she doesn't, I've read about some scientists saying that Robos are notoriously untameable. There's no harm trying, nevertheless, I'll certainly continue trying. All hamsters really have their own personalities and it is possible that ours may take to us.