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Old 09-30-2017, 02:03 PM   #1
Snowbuckets
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Unhappy The most timid and tiny bean

Hello!

I had my eye on this tiny roborovski called Chunk who has been in the adoption tanks for months, and I told myself if he diddnt have a forever home by the end of this working week I'd rescue the little sausage myself.. Well guess what. Morty now has a brother. (that he's never going to meet oh god no)

But the poor guy has been in tiny pet shop tanks his whole life (roughly 5 or 6 months old now, he diddnt even have a sand bath!) he's so timid and just hides under his wheel - of course I'm not gonna bother him for a good week or so, but I was wondering if there was anything at all I could do to ease the transition? If he ends up not being sociable at all that's totally fine, I just want him to be happy!

He hasn't slept very much and I'm pretty sure he hasn't touched his food or water in 48 hours, he must be so scared

So, robo experts, hit me up with the deets on making this scared ping pong ball a happy ping pong ball, any and all information will be useful (preferred treats, toys, etc etc)

Also, he has a little wheel and a saucer but he seems to go flying with both (less so on the saucer, but centrifugal force is definitely not his friend), I've made the landing soft but my heart pounds everytime I hear the tiny thud!

I don't want anyone to think I've bitten off more than I can chew, being new to hamsters and all, I've had skittish speedy animals before just never a robo!
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Old 09-30-2017, 09:57 PM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

Well done for taking the little guy on.
It is a huge change for him so not surprising that he's so nervous but try not to worry too much, he should settle with time, he may not become fully confident & interactive (or he might surprise you, only time will tell!) but he should become more at ease in his cage once he's had time to settle in.
What cage do you have him in?
Probably best to at least start small so he doesn't get overwhelmed by space, provide plenty of hideouts, things like cardboard tubes or boxes, egg boxes, coconut hides are all good & nice deep substrate for burrowing & digging in along with a good house he'll feel safe in.
I would just take time talking to him for now so he can get used to your presence without being too scared by it.
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Old 09-30-2017, 10:05 PM   #3
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

Good on you taking him home, all you can do is let him settle, it will be such a difference for him but with your encouragement, praise and love, he'll hopefully become more confident and braver.
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Old 10-01-2017, 03:01 AM   #4
Snowbuckets
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

He's in a Duna Multy at the min! I caught him at 5am eating a couple of treats I left out for him, and he doesn't completely freak when I get close to the cage anymore so that's a plus! Just a little worried he isn't drinking yet
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Old 10-01-2017, 03:43 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

As you say he'll take time to settle in. You could try an 8" wodent wheel. Won't be easy to fly out of that. Petplanet sell them.

This is the link for the junior 8" one (pics show the bigger one)

https://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_...446&pg_id=2767

I'd recommend lots of overhead cover floor toys so he doesn't feel too exposed. Fill up the floor space with toys he can dive in and under or climb over when he gets more confident. So lots of little hidey places - toilet roll tubes, a tissue box eg. I like these large cork logs. They have a nice natural texture and are lightweight so don't sink in the substrate. Something to run through and climb over. Some would be too long to fit in a Duna Multy. The rodipet ones are a set length but they're not cheap as the postage is about £8! Amazon sell cork bark pieces which are a decent size and you could arrange them to make ramps or a hide.

Some of them might even be curved enough to make a tunnel for a robo. Would recommend freezing any cork for a week before use though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cork-Tunnel...tunnel+rodipet

The wheel is new and exciting so he probably can't curb himself.
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Old 10-01-2017, 04:30 AM   #6
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

He should be fine in the duna multy & it sounds as though he's beginning to settle a bit already.
I forgot to say about the wheel, sorry! As long as he has a soft landing I would just give him time to get used to it, I've found quite a lot of my dwarf hams have done the flying off thing with both saucers & upright wheels to begin with but they usually get the hang of it soon enough & stop doing it.
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:31 AM   #7
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

Aw, happy ending for a wee little ham. So here's what I know:

I found with my rescue robo Hector that he preferred a smaller space. He lived in a mini duna. I tried to upgrade him to a duna multy but he didn't take to it. That's not to say Chunk won't though. It can take about 2-3 weeks for them to settle after such a big upheaval.

I think they do like lots of cover though, that makes a big difference. Loo rolls are great for that & the joy is that as robos are so wee all those other cute hidey houses that are too small for a lot of other hams are good for Robos too

It can be hard with robos to tell if they're eating or drinking because they're so small the water bottle level doesn't move much and the bowl doesn't go down too much. When Hec was settling in, I'd put some of his favourite bits (like sunflower seeds) dotted around so I could see he'd been out and taken them.

I wouldn't worry too much about the wheel. As you say, a soft landing is a good idea but it doesn't take long for them to figure out how to drive! Hector had a bit of mad patch with each new wheel but quickly got to grips with them and could control them fine.

Some robos like being handled, some will walk over your hands or be stroked & others don't like any of that but will get used to your hand in the cage. They're not a sitting still sort of a ham though so if you do try any hand taking, when he's ready, do it with your hand low in the tank or in a taming plastic tub. But I love a robo, or furry goldfish as I like to call them. Hours of entertainment! You'll get along just fine.
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Old 10-01-2017, 07:58 AM   #8
Snowbuckets
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

I do have a spare medium plastic hamster home, so if he hates the space in a few weeks he does have somewhere to go! I got the multy from Gumtree for 4 quid (bargain!) so I won't feel to bad about not using it, it never really occurred to me that he might actually prefer smaller spaces, all my previous small furries couldn't wait to be in their palaces

My mum has absolutely fallen in love with the little guy though, and if he really doesn't take to being at my house after a few months my parents said they'd love to take him and pop him in my old room (super quiet!)
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Old 10-01-2017, 08:48 AM   #9
Pebbles82
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Default Re: The most timid and tiny bean

I'm sure he will settle in soon I also think the Duna Multy is a good choice, and it can take longer than 2 or 3 weeks to settle sometimes. After that, if he seems nervy, you can always fill one end with deep substrate to make the floor area a bit smaller and that has the added bonus of giving him somewhere to dig tunnels and mess about with the substrate Changing to another cage can stress them as well, so maybe just add some floor toys and see how he goes. Deeper substrate always goes down well so they can burrow.

In time he will get used to all the domestic noises going on and will become familiar with your presence and scent, so that will help calm him as well. For now you can just talk to him through the cage so he gets used to you a bit.
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