help with Robo's

[morticia]

Hi guys n gals, I dont know if you remember but i have Hugo the russian hamster already, but i have also aquired (cos i am soft and they are so dam cute) a trio of robo's. Huey, Louey and Dewi.

I have had them about two weeks now, and they have been happy and entertaining. Just like Hugo, they are spoilt, they have lots of food and treats, space and a wheel. but I am starting to get worried.

The last few days they have been fighting and two are giving one of them a bit more attention than i would like, sniffing the bum and following around. I am beginning to wonder if i have ended up with two males and a female. although shop said three males.

are robos really able to live happily together if they are all the same sex, will i wake up one morning to find a dead one? and if there is a female how long till i am over run with babies? How do i tell their sex when i cant even catch them lol.

[cypher]

Three really isn't a good number to keep together as two will often gang up on the least dominant one, if they're already fighting it's time to separate them before one gets seriously hurt.
I'd take out the one that's getting bullied & put him in a separate cage then keep a close eye on the other two in case you need to separate them too.
If you can't handle them try getting them into a glass jar so you can have a proper look to check which sex they are, the behaviour you're seeing is probably bullying but best check just in case.

[Thin Lizzy]

I'm with the dwarf whisperer on this one!
Another member has 3 dwarfs also called Huey, Luey and Dewey.
How's Hugo doing?

[racinghamster]

Bum sniffing and chasing constantly can be a sign that the one being chased is being bullied, but you need to watch (and listen) for any rear end biting or the one being chased is acting fearful/hiding, not being left alone. If this goes on and on, I would do as cypher suggests and remove the one being chased to allow him or her to settle and live alone.

Keeping a trio is difficult anyway, never mind a pair. Pet shops don`t always get sexing correct but lets presume they are all the same gender.

Keeping a pair or a small group in captivity is not a natural thing for hamsters even though their wild instincts are to meet up, breed and chase off any threats from interfering males! So whether hormones play a part or they just want their own territories is anyone`s guess. x

[morticia]

I was under the impression that robo's were the ones able to live together, and have been told so too. the last thing i have room for it 4 separate cages. The confusing thing is that they are currently happily curled up in their beds right now.


Hugo is still the same, thank you for asking Thin Lizzy, His eye still wont open and still looks horrible. The last visit to the vet resulted in his eye being checked very thoroughly with dye and stuff, there were no scratches or problems that the vet could see, so i have changed bedding to paper or tissue rather than sawdust. Next is the removal of his sandbath which will make him sad.

I will keep an eye on the robos, see what happens, will be sad if i have to separate them as the intention was to have them together. it is so funny watching them play.

[cypher]

Robos can live together but unfortunately it just doesn't always work out so well & they often fall out.
Don't be fooled by them sleeping together as they may continue to do that after fighting, if there is some fighting going on you really need to think of a way of separating them, or at least the one that appears to be bullied, I wouldn't wait too long just in case it escalates.
It must be lovely to watch them play together but they can & will live happily alone if need be.