New robo hamster owner

[Bellasmama]

Good morning, I have been reading threads here and finding a lot of good information, but figured I would make a post of my own to get some information myself

We are new owners of an 8 week old roborovski dwarf hamster. I only have owned a Syrian hamster, so this is new for me.
We got her from a family just looking to "get rid of her" it seems. I don't think she has ever been handled so she is not tamed. She came in a small bin, with bedding, a saucer wheel, a hollow log and a water bottle and food dish.
First problem I noticed was she LOVES to burrow. So she would accidentally bury her food dish daily, so I would have to find it to fill. So I built her a platform using toilet paper rolls and a very thick piece of cardboard. Then I noticed her bowl was WAY too tall for her, and she didn't like climbing into it to get her food, so I got her a smaller one and she started eating more. The water bottle was duct taped to the side of the bin, and the first morning we woke up to it having fallen off, so I built a holder with popsicle sticks.
My husband then built her a bigger bin cage (still at the minimum size, so I plan to add to it eventually) so I added a raised cardboard house and filled it with bedding so she could burrow into it and it wouldn't take away from floor space.

Now comes my issues...
She just does not seem to understand the saucer wheel. Should I get her a different style? Or are some just not into wheels?
We have had her for two weeks now (got her at 6 weeks) the first day she was super curious and watched us through the logs holes. We left her alone except for talking calmly through the bin to her. After a few days I started putting my hand into the cage to let her get used to my smell, and held the kids hands in the cage once she started investigating my hand alone, and she seemed happy to sniff them out too. I took her out a few times into the place I have designated a playpen, and after the second time she was running across our hands.

Then moved her into her new bin, the old bin was dark tinted, the new bin is clear. When we put her in she ran around investigating everything, digging new burrows, it was super cute to watch. But since Then, it is like she is scared of us. She has 2 hidey holes (under her platform and the raised house) that she will hide in and sleep in. I've given her tissue who my scent that she has stuffed into both places, but in the old bin, she would watch us, and let us put our hands near the bin and would sniff curiously. Now she hides immediately. She was also starting to take treats from our hands, and will not do that any more.
It's been about 4 days in the new bin, could it be just the stress of the move, and that we have to give her time and start over? Should I start bringing her to the playpen space again to start taming her? Or wait a while?

Also the set up in the picture is slightly different. We took the bridge out as she was pulling rocks off and I was scared ahe would eat the glue, and wanted to put the wheel back in to see if she was able to use yet.

[Bellasmama]

Also, I should ask. Is it too late to get a secoñd robo? Do they prefer to live in groups? Or is one ok on her own?

[sushi_78]

Congratulations on the new hamster. Roborovskis are charming creatures.

The platform was a good idea. Robos usually love burrowing and I'd recommend giving her at least 6 inches of bedding if you can. I think being able to dig their own burrows helps them feel more secure too. Another way of having deep bedding is to divide the cage into a deep side and a shallow side, usually using bendy bridges. I'll attach a picture of my Robo's cage showing what I mean.

I don't think it's uncommon for Robos to become more timid when moved to bigger cages. It happened to mine too. I would give her a few more days to settle in, then continue the taming. It might just take longer in the bigger bin. You could try covering the sides of the bin cage with dark paper if you think she liked the tinted bin more. I think my hamster was a bit similar, in that she didn't like a large glass tank but was happy in a plastic opaque-based cage of the same size.

I'd recommend getting her an upright wheel. Flying saucers are bonus wheels to be used alongside a normal upright wheel. Hamsters run more naturally on upright wheels so those should always be provided.

[Bellasmama]

Originally Posted by sushi_78

Congratulations on the new hamster. Roborovskis are charming creatures.

The platform was a good idea. Robos usually love burrowing and I'd recommend giving her at least 6 inches of bedding if you can. I think being able to dig their own burrows helps them feel more secure too. Another way of having deep bedding is to divide the cage into a deep side and a shallow side, usually using bendy bridges. I'll attach a picture of my Robo's cage showing what I mean.

I don't think it's uncommon for Robos to become more timid when moved to bigger cages. It happened to mine too. I would give her a few more days to settle in, then continue the taming. It might just take longer in the bigger bin. You could try covering the sides of the bin cage with dark paper if you think she liked the tinted bin more. I think my hamster was a bit similar, in that she didn't like a large glass tank but was happy in a plastic opaque-based cage of the same size.

I'd recommend getting her an upright wheel. Flying saucers are bonus wheels to be used alongside a normal upright wheel. Hamsters run more naturally on upright wheels so those should always be provided.

Thanks for the quick response! I like the way yours is laid out! I might have to try something like that, maybe using her "house" as the deep bedding side and fill it to the base of the house (which is a full toilet paper roll high)

We plan on adding tunnels and more space eventually, would you think a wheel that attaches to the outside of the cage via tunnel would work, so I can make sure as much floor space as possible is available for her? Also will it stress her out if I change things around on her again by adding the extra bedding to burrow in one side? Should I wait, or will that make the process have to start all over Again?

[Bellasmama]

Also I've attached a picture of her bin and how it currently looks.

[sushi_78]

Originally Posted by Bellasmama

Thanks for the quick response! I like the way yours is laid out! I might have to try something like that, maybe using her "house" as the deep bedding side and fill it to the base of the house (which is a full toilet paper roll high)

We plan on adding tunnels and more space eventually, would you think a wheel that attaches to the outside of the cage via tunnel would work, so I can make sure as much floor space as possible is available for her? Also will it stress her out if I change things around on her again by adding the extra bedding to burrow in one side? Should I wait, or will that make the process have to start all over Again?

I can't really visualise a wheel attached via tube, but I suppose it would work as long as the wheel is big enough (6.5 inches or bigger) An upright wheel doesn't take up a lot of floor space though, and my hamster runs under and hides behind her wheel even when she isn't using it so it isn't wasted floor space.

I would avoid changing things around too much just yet. Give it another week or two until she's more settled. Adding a few more handfuls of bedding should be fine though.

I love that cardboard house with the front veranda. You could attach the water bottle to the side of the bin with Velcro, which would stop it sinking into the bedding.

[Bellasmama]

The wheel looks like this.
Although I suppose if I don't have the saucer in there the wheel would actually take up less space, so I probably won't worry about it too much, I think the biggest issue with a wheel on the ground is she buries it so it's useless by the next day 🤣 which is why I was looking at wheels I can add to the outside.
And Thanks! The little house was super fun to make. She likes her little nose out the window (which is why I added bars. I was worried she would try to climb out)

The water bottle being in the holder seems to work for now. It has legs that extend out the front and sides so it cannot be moved or fall over, and it's the one things she seems to not bury.


Nevermind the wheel picture. It womt let me attach it

[sushi_78]

Later on you could attach a larger bin, or a larger cage with tubes (something like a Criceti 15 or a Duna Fun Large) that would allow you to use two wheels. For I'd remove the saucer and just use an upright wheel. Perhaps you could put the wheel on a platform so it doesn't get buried?

[Ria P]

Our Robo lives in a fish tank and i make bin cages. Deep substrate, a good wheel without a spindle and a wide running surface and sand are most important to a Robo because they are energetic, sand loving burrowers. Our Robo had a flying saucer wheel as an additional wheel but he didn't like it. He loves his upright wheel which sits in his sandpit. I use Ferplast guinea pig houses, minus the front panel, submerged into the substrate as supports for the sand/wheel combo and the ceramic mushroom. Heavy items need to be supported so the hamster can burrow underneath without anything falling on top of him.
I can't see how a wheel on the outside would work but i can't visualise it. I have connected bin cages with a tube to give my hybrid dwarf hamsters a larger habitat and they do use both cages so that would also be a possibility for your Robo.

[Engel]

Hello and congrats on your hammy. I love robos. They're amazing little creatures.

I use an upright wheel for mine. The 7" one from p@h.

Burrowing isn't a big deal and very enjoyable for them. I scatter feed mine. No bowl. So that can solve that issue.

I also don't use watch bottles. I use a water bowl but if she buries the food bowl that'll be difficult. Free standing bottle holder?

What size is the bin? You said that you're getting a bigger one? What dimensions? The minimum is 80x50cm unbroken continuous floor space rather than broken up in different sections.

Id recommend the zoozone 2. It's a guinea pig tank but just mesh the lid and voila. Perfect robo home