Roborovski - Help, what do I do to prevent a death?

[10Minutes]

Background:
I bought a female pair of Roborovskis 3 days ago, they live in the same cage.

One of them died yesterday (after being slightly less active than usual). She has no signs of wet tail or injuries on her.

The other one seemed to be in mourning for her sister yesterday as she was getting inactive too, but was back to her hyper self this morning (Eating, wheeling, grooming, running up and down to her little house).

1. I don't want to stress the remaining hamster out because she's still settling in to a new environment, etc., but at the same time I'm worried about any lingering bacteria in the bedding from the one that died.

I have done some spot cleaning (replacing the bedding in the area where the one had died).

Should I change the entire bedding and risk stressing her out, or just leave the bedding alone?


2. I read that although most hamster breeds are solitary, the Roborovskis thrive in same gender pairs. Should I wait for a while to confirm she's healthy and get her another companion again? If yes, I'm wondering if I should go back to the same shop to get a sister for her that she already grew up with... but at the same time I am worried the first one died because there was some virus/ inbred genetic problems from the original shop.

Or should I just keep her alone? I'm not sure what would make her happier.

I don't mind just keeping one. I work full time but I definitely have time to interact with her for company when I get home, and on weekends/ holidays. She sleeps in the same room as me.

Please help, I really hope the remaining one leads a long, happy, and comfortable life with me.

[Pebbles82]

Hi. Very sorry to hear one of your robos died. The other one will live quite happily alone - in fact many pairs end up needing separating when they fall out and start fighting which happens a lot. So no, don't get her another companion - because only sibling pairs can live together at the best of times.

I would suggest doing a cage clean and changing the substrate - not just in case of disease, but also to remove the scent of the other hamster. That will help her move on and accept the other hamster is gone.

Generally a full cage clean, doing everything at once, is stressful for a hamster, but sometimes it's necessary. So I would remove everything, disinfect the cage and wash any contents that are washable - eg plastic or ceramic. Any wood items would need to be baked to disinfect them, or replaced.

Johnsons petsafe disinfectant is good - but rinse well afterwards to remove the scent.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnsons-Cl...gateway&sr=8-2

Do you have somewhere to put your hamster while doing the cage? Eg a pet carrier? Or another small cage temporarily?

After cleaning and replacing all the substrate and washed items, you could maybe add the odd new toy, so it's still familiar but slightly different (even if just a new toilet toll tube!) and also scatter feed to distract her. Plus a big pile of plain white toilet paper strips so she can build a new nest.

She might need leaving alone for 2 or 3 days after the clean to settle again. I would then not clean anything for two weeks so she has the full settling in time from scratch again.

[wishfuhl]

Hello. First off, I would like to say that I am so sorry for your loss of one of your roborovski sisters. My condolences are with you

I would not get another compainion. Hamsters do very well on thier own. Many pairs actually end up falling out after a sjhort while, so it is better not to take that risk. It is even more risky if you tried to introduce two hamsters that are not siblings, as there is a greater chance that they would fight.

I would do a cage clean, which would remove the scent of the other hamster. Full cage cleanings can stress hamsters out, but in this case I feel that it is required. You can wash all of the plastic, ceramic, etc. items and replace or bake the wooden items. I would suggest moving your hamster into a travel cage if possible.

After the cleaning, I would let her settle again for a few days. Good luck and I hope everything with your remaining hamster goes well!

[10Minutes]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Hi. Very sorry to hear one of your robos died. The other one will live quite happily alone - in fact many pairs end up needing separating when they fall out and start fighting which happens a lot. So no, don't get her another companion - because only sibling pairs can live together at the best of times.

I would suggest doing a cage clean and changing the substrate - not just in case of disease, but also to remove the scent of the other hamster. That will help her move on and accept the other hamster is gone.

Generally a full cage clean, doing everything at once, is stressful for a hamster, but sometimes it's necessary. So I would remove everything, disinfect the cage and wash any contents that are washable - eg plastic or ceramic. Any wood items would need to be baked to disinfect them, or replaced.

Johnsons petsafe disinfectant is good - but rinse well afterwards to remove the scent.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Johnsons-Cl...gateway&sr=8-2

Do you have somewhere to put your hamster while doing the cage? Eg a pet carrier? Or another small cage temporarily?

After cleaning and replacing all the substrate and washed items, you could maybe add the odd new toy, so it's still familiar but slightly different (even if just a new toilet toll tube!) and also scatter feed to distract her. Plus a big pile of plain white toilet paper strips so she can build a new nest.

She might need leaving alone for 2 or 3 days after the clean to settle again. I would then not clean anything for two weeks so she has the full settling in time from scratch again.

All right, thanks. I'll take all of your suggestions! I've cleaned everything.

***Now, after cleaning***

1. She's still eating, wheeling, grooming and climbing around for brief periods, but there are times when she just sits around in open space and dozes off. The dozing off in open space part bothers me, because it was the exact same "strange behaviour" as exhibited by the one that died. Before the death of the first robo, this one used to love sleeping in her house so I'm concerned why she's curled up in a sitting-ball position and dozing off in the open now.

Edit: She does keep eating and wheeling. I hope those are good signs. She is willing to drink water, but I think she's drinking only very little.

2. I noticed some dark coloured discharge on her slide, along with a piece of poo. The poo looks slightly moist but otherwise still the right shape. I'm not sure if she just decided to pee on top of the poo and the urine messed up the poo a little (hence the slight moisture and the slight stain). Her tail doesn't look wet though I didn't actually pick her up to check (worried about stressing her). I cleaned it up with a tissue, just two very small stains.

The previous one that died didn't have wet tail, diarrhea, or signs of unusual discharge (because I picked up the corpse and examined her very carefully).

Sorry, I'm really just so worried about her, and I really really want her to make it.

[Pebbles82]

Young hamsters dozing off in various places isn't unusual really. However I would suggest adding another house as well. Leave the old one where it is. Something like a tissue box is fine for a house Maybe put a couple of treats inside it and a pile of torn up toilet paper strips next to it. It might do her good to have a new house, and if she likes it, she'll move in and build a nest.

I would keep scattering just a little bit of food each day - not a lot or the cage will end up full of food! So put food out in her dish as usual, but scatter a tiny bit on the substrate so she can forage for it.

For the cardboard house, if you can use the hole from the tissue box at the base (so it's open underneath and she can bury hoards under the nest) and cut a smaller entrance hole in one of the sides. Putting a bendy bridge tunnel over the entrance hole also helps make it darker inside.

The other thing to be aware of is the weather is really quite warm right now - it could be that she is a bit overheated if she's sitting out in the open.

There are various of ways of providing something to help them keep cool. A ceramic mug on its side makes a cool hide. If you have two ceramic mugs available, then keep one in the fridge, then swap them over now and then and put the other one in the fridge. A nice cool place for her to sit.

[10Minutes]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Young hamsters dozing off in various places isn't unusual really. However I would suggest adding another house as well. Leave the old one where it is. Something like a tissue box is fine for a house Maybe put a couple of treats inside it and a pile of torn up toilet paper strips next to it. It might do her good to have a new house, and if she likes it, she'll move in and build a nest.

I would keep scattering just a little bit of food each day - not a lot or the cage will end up full of food! So put food out in her dish as usual, but scatter a tiny bit on the substrate so she can forage for it.

For the cardboard house, if you can use the hole from the tissue box at the base (so it's open underneath and she can bury hoards under the nest) and cut a smaller entrance hole in one of the sides. Putting a bendy bridge tunnel over the entrance hole also helps make it darker inside.

The other thing to be aware of is the weather is really quite warm right now - it could be that she is a bit overheated if she's sitting out in the open.

There are various of ways of providing something to help them keep cool. A ceramic mug on its side makes a cool hide. If you have two ceramic mugs available, then keep one in the fridge, then swap them over now and then and put the other one in the fridge. A nice cool place for her to sit.

Thanks so much. I was concerned for the first one when she started sitting out in the open, but I wasn't sure if that was just part of her personality. I certainly didn't expect her to die.

Sure, I'll get her a new house. I burried the spare house with the first Robo when she died. So I'll definitely get a new tissue box now.

I think you're right, this one's probably a little overheated because she kept pushing out the bedding from her house and prefers to lie on the bare plastic. I have checked that the weather here is within the recommended range for robos, but I still think you're certainly right given all the signs, so I'll have to look into fixing it for her.

As for the ceramic mug, I'm wondering if the condensation from the chilled mug (after it starts to get warm) will seep into the substrate? Then that area will become damp (and her fur too, if she sits in it).

Should I get her a little fan? I'm not sure how that would work either because I've read that they don't like drafts.

I'll take all of your advice definitely, you've helped so much. I hope she makes it. I'm grateful to you and she'd better be grateful from the depths of her little hamster heart to you if she does. <3

[alpacassei]

Ive never had condensation from ceramic items in my cages so it should be fine! I also use ceramic plant pots and dishes to keep hammies cool in summer.

I wouldnt keep a fan pointed directly at her cage but having one in the room shouldnt hurt, I have a fan in my room (7 hamsters) and none of them are bothered by it

[Pebbles82]

I've never had a problem from a chilled ceramic mug Another option is a terracotta plant pot base to sit on (best on a shelf as they're heavy) or a teracotta plant pot on its side. In fact you can sprinkle those with cold water (which evaporates) to help it stay cool.

A fan in the room would be good, but as alpa says - not pointing directly at the cage.

[10Minutes]

Originally Posted by alpacassei

Ive never had condensation from ceramic items in my cages so it should be fine! I also use ceramic plant pots and dishes to keep hammies cool in summer.

I wouldnt keep a fan pointed directly at her cage but having one in the room shouldnt hurt, I have a fan in my room (7 hamsters) and none of them are bothered by it

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

I've never had a problem from a chilled ceramic mug Another option is a terracotta plant pot base to sit on (best on a shelf as they're heavy) or a teracotta plant pot on its side. In fact you can sprinkle those with cold water (which evaporates) to help it stay cool.

A fan in the room would be good, but as alpa says - not pointing directly at the cage.

Okay, thanks for the suggestions so much. I noticed she loves sunflower seeds (she picks them out from her food mix bowl that gets filled once a day) and every time I start to get overtly concerned about her, I pass her a sunflower seed and she opens it up to eat immediately. I know I'm spoiling her a little, but I'm just concerned and it does seem like such an easy way to check if she's still eating normally (I hope that means she's in good health).

I've given her about 5 in the past day. I'll try not to give her too much in future but for now, I'm just so worried that she has issues settling in, and what with the death of her sister, etc. I can barely sleep from all the anxiety because I can't bear to see her die before her time.

And it's finally Friday here so I'll be able to go off after work in the evening to shop for some ceramics, toys, and treats for her.

She seems fine for now so if there are no further issues, I won't update in this health thread and clog it up with what all of you probably think is the "boring daily life of a typical hamster owned by a paranoid newbie". I hope I won't need to update in this thread any longer, but I'll definitely explore the other parts of the forum. Thank you everyone, all of you have been so helpful and sweet. <33 My little Louise thanks all of you too.