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Old 12-30-2018, 09:04 PM   #1
Hamsterzz12
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Default Bar spacing too big for robos?

I’m hoping to get 2 Roborovski hamsters at some point in the next couple of months. I currently have this hamster cage from a previous Syrian hamster:
https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/small...r_cages/284288
The bar spacing is 0.9cm and I’m really worried the Robo Hamsters will escape, especially since there’s no rescues where I live so I’ll most likely be getting young ones. I’ve alsp read that high cages are dangerous for robos so would this cage be too high?
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Old 12-30-2018, 09:57 PM   #2
cypher
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

The bar spacing might be a little big if you had really young babies for an adult or almost fully grown robo it would be ok except for the gaps at the corners & top, high cages can be dangerous for dwarf hamsters, I don't think robos tend to bar climb as much as the other dwarf species but they can & some will so there is a big risk of falls unless you set the cage up very carefully.
If you want a barred cage I think the Savic Mickey 2xl is the safest option, narrow bars & a good height.
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Old 12-31-2018, 02:02 AM   #3
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

The bars are pretty narrow and stiff on the Alaska so it would have to be a very determined tiny baby robo to escape. I’d be more worried about the height, robos are terrible climbers and could get injured if they fell from high up. And the height will make the cage feel very open, baby robos are very shy and easily scared so they might feel safer in a tank style cage like the Duna Multy, Kerry Terrarium, ZooZone (lid needs meshing), or a bin cage.
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Old 12-31-2018, 02:15 AM   #4
buttercuplols
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Default

I have the Maxi Duna Multi for my dwarf and it seems like a great fit for her and the bar spacing is about the same but with my layout she can't reach that high anyway. I am biased as a major lover of tank style cages though!

Have you considered a DIY bin cage as a cheaper option?

Last edited by Fluffagrams; 12-31-2018 at 07:42 AM. Reason: Consecutive posts
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Old 12-31-2018, 04:47 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

I have the Savic Mickey 2XL for our robo - 7mm bar spacing and it's good - not too high. But it is expensive new - I already owned it. I originally went with a tank style due to the concern about bars and robos, but couldn't get on with it and much prefer him being in a cage and he seems to like it a lot too - the cage has front access which i find easier. It depends what you prefer or are used to. For a baby robo though I would go with 7mm bar spacing. What you could do is start the robo off in a smaller cage/tank until he's grown a bit and then move him up to the Alaska but it would need setting up carefully due to fall risks - probably with a full level.

If you have another cage you could start him off in. Otherwise, how about selling the Alaska and getting a Barney cage from Zooplus - it has 7mm bar spacing and is a great size. It is the same height as the Alaska so would also need a full level.

Otherwise the maxi duna multy isn't too tall and although it's top access has a huge lid so better than access from a tank. But for the cost of that you could get a Savic Mickey 2XL!

I find that size (80 x 50) good for a robo but ideally would have him in a 100 cm cage so the Barney might be an option. Unfortunately there isn't a 100cm cage with a big front door that also has small bar spacing.

Edit - if you're getting two you'd be better with a lower cage than one with a full level to avoid territorial issues. So I'd say the best options would be maxi duna multy (or zoozone 2 with meshed lid which is cheaper but lid is fiddly to open I believe), or savic mickey 2xl or a bin cage. And I wouldn't start them in a small cage and upgrade but put them straight into the one they will be saying in.

Assume you know about set up for pairs or they can fall out and end up needing separating (the fights can be serious).
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Old 12-31-2018, 09:22 AM   #6
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

Quote:
Originally Posted by buttercuplols View Post
Have you considered a DIY bin cage as a cheaper option?
I’ll definitely make a bin cage if the one I already have isn’t suitable, I love the idea of bin cages but I’m not too good at DIY projects
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Old 12-31-2018, 09:25 AM   #7
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Serendipity7000 View Post
I have the Savic Mickey 2XL for our robo - 7mm bar spacing and it's good - not too high. But it is expensive new - I already owned it. I originally went with a tank style due to the concern about bars and robos, but couldn't get on with it and much prefer him being in a cage and he seems to like it a lot too - the cage has front access which i find easier. It depends what you prefer or are used to. For a baby robo though I would go with 7mm bar spacing. What you could do is start the robo off in a smaller cage/tank until he's grown a bit and then move him up to the Alaska but it would need setting up carefully due to fall risks - probably with a full level.

If you have another cage you could start him off in. Otherwise, how about selling the Alaska and getting a Barney cage from Zooplus - it has 7mm bar spacing and is a great size. It is the same height as the Alaska so would also need a full level.

Otherwise the maxi duna multy isn't too tall and although it's top access has a huge lid so better than access from a tank. But for the cost of that you could get a Savic Mickey 2XL!

I find that size (80 x 50) good for a robo but ideally would have him in a 100 cm cage so the Barney might be an option. Unfortunately there isn't a 100cm cage with a big front door that also has small bar spacing.

Edit - if you're getting two you'd be better with a lower cage than one with a full level to avoid territorial issues. So I'd say the best options would be maxi duna multy (or zoozone 2 with meshed lid which is cheaper but lid is fiddly to open I believe), or savic mickey 2xl or a bin cage. And I wouldn't start them in a small cage and upgrade but put them straight into the one they will be saying in.

Assume you know about set up for pairs or they can fall out and end up needing separating (the fights can be serious).
Thank you for the advice! I’m going to get two of everything (wheel, food bowl, water bottle, etc) and lots of places to hide in the cage to avoid fall outs. Is there anything else I could do other than getting them from the same litter that would help?
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Old 12-31-2018, 10:17 AM   #8
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

Not really apart from ensuring places have multiple exits and that one can’t trap the other anywhere. Scatter feeding can help instead of using bowls. Also no levels/shelves. None of that will guarantee that a pair stays together though.

It is risky getting two especially if you’ve not had robos before, it’s not really advised and not exactly worth it even for more experienced owners. Robos can be difficult to read and you need to know exactly when to separate if needed, often bad fights happen out of the blue and very often when you’re not watching. They do just fine on their own, same sex pairs are not natural and are more dangerous. If you do get two and they fall out you’ll need two large cages anyway and the chance of fighting as they mature is pretty high.
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Old 12-31-2018, 11:59 AM   #9
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Bar spacing too big for robos?

As mango and mimi says, the main thing is that houses have more than one entrance (something like a cardboard box house with holes cut in can solve that). No shelves or levels. Also any tubes and tunnels need to be big enough to fit both so one doesn't guard the entrance and block the other one in. Two of everything also

I think if you want a pair and have done your research then you could try it but you do need to be prepared to possibly have to separate them at some point and have two separate cages. They need to be separated at the slightest sign of squabbling or bullying.

Some pairs do live together for a long time - it's rare for a pair to live together for life without needing separating.

Pairs need to be same sex siblings from the same litter and to have already been living together when you get them - that's essential.

I really wanted to get a pair of robos also - it was a litter that needed rehoming. I spent ages trying to work out the best cage and the set up and which wheels and houses to get etc. In the end the decision was made for me as there was only one left! He lives quite happily on his own.

If you're not that experienced with hamsters then getting one might be best. If your heart is set on having a pair then read all you can about keeping pairs. The issue is that hamsters are by nature territorial. A sibling pair can live together happily unless they are in a situation which makes one of them claim some territory and turn on the other one (eg a shelf can do that). Also as they get older and hormones kick in this can happen. I have even read that taking one out of the cage on its own for a short time can make the other one territorial and not accept the hamster when it goes back in the cage. So best to always take them both out together and never separately.

I would still have liked to try and keep a pair - but you do need to have a spare cage for a quick exit for one of them.

This website has a lot of information on keeping roborovskis and housing for them Also I have seen a tip that having one wheel syrian sized and a smaller wheel is good. They can both run together more easily in the larger wheel. And a third wheel or saucer is recommended sometimes as well.

Oak Farm Roborovskis
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