Opinions on Robo's living together

chase · 02-12-2009, 07:14 AM

I am a breeder of Roborovski hamsters and normally home single sex siblings in pairs. I have also homed some singly. Just wondered what any Roborovski keeper/breeders opinions were on keeping this breed together. I have siblings living together fine but only in pairs. I just took back a 6 month old male that I bred that was bullying its brother & another Robo the lady introduced to them.
Wonder whether it was because she introduced the third unrelated hamster to the brothers I homed to her. I personally don't advise anyone to introduce unrelated Robo's or to keep more than a pair together. What do you guys think.

I am really happy to take this little guy back & thats no problem at all as really love robo's & great to see him.

internet_nobody · 02-12-2009, 08:14 AM

I think pairs is my favourite group size, but would rather put them in a trio rather than have one single. I've been lucky never to have a ham be picked on in a trio, but have had one a bit left out when the others shared a wheel etc, but I think him "looking sad" was me anthropomorphising a bit! I have had a few quads that worked, but haven't attempted any larger groupings.

I don't like them living alone, they never seem as active so I always endevour to pair up any young (under 12 months) singles that come to me, but I would never advise anyone who bought their first robo to go out and buy a partner. You need to have had a few pairs and got to know how they behave before trying an intro so you can easily spot a distressed hammy.

Bunsey · 02-12-2009, 03:11 PM

i think the woman's robo colony probably went wrong because of the intro of the 3rd one, especially if she just stuffed him in there without a proper intro. The pair would've probably been fine. I had a lot of failures with introducing pairs between the ages of around 4m - 1yr. All my over 2yr intros have worked, as have all the intros where both are under 3m. I've only ever had one young to old intro work, although most people say that this is usually successful. In all but one of my cases, the young one grew up and beat the adult one at around aged 5-6m.

If i had a lone robo, personally i would always TRY to pair him/her with others as they always seem much happier in pairs.

chase · 02-13-2009, 03:38 AM

Thats great thanks Bunsey & Internet Nobody for that. I did wonder if it was because of the other unrelated Robo being put in with the Brothers. I was beginning to really blame myself for homing them in a pair.

I do also realise they are all individual and some may fight anyway.
Its still great to have the little guy back with me but he is the first one so far that has ever come back to me due to fighting.

aladdin310 · 02-13-2009, 01:19 PM

I managed to keep a group of four girls (mum & three daughters) together without any problems, as well as another pair of males (two brothers). I had another pair of father & son but had to separate them, but both managed to live quite happily on their own

Tazmanic · 03-03-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by internet_nobody

I think pairs is my favourite group size, but would rather put them in a trio rather than have one single. I've been lucky never to have a ham be picked on in a trio, but have had one a bit left out when the others shared a wheel etc, but I think him "looking sad" was me anthropomorphising a bit! I have had a few quads that worked, but haven't attempted any larger groupings.

I don't like them living alone, they never seem as active so I always endevour to pair up any young (under 12 months) singles that come to me, but I would never advise anyone who bought their first robo to go out and buy a partner. You need to have had a few pairs and got to know how they behave before trying an intro so you can easily spot a distressed hammy.

My Hams bubble n squeak , did start to fight but i think it was because the cage that i had them in wasnt very big and now they are in a Micky Max and they have a penthouse that they both now sleep in, they are the best of friends now and love lying on top of eachother, when i went to buy mine there was loads of them sleeping together, should you not have more than two living together then?