Robo girls. Fighting or sad?

Toria · 07-15-2009, 07:31 PM

My 4 Robos had to be separated into pairs. M-O and Sam are stuck together like glue. They sleep, eat, drink, play and do everything together.
I had to put them into two smaller cages. When Taylor and Meredith went into the smaller cages fighting started. There was a lot of squeaking and i was getting worried because i have seen fighting like that before and seen what it lead to. (blood)
I really didn't want to separate them so i decided to try and find out what was upsetting them. Although their cage had got a little smaller it still had the same layout, just a flying saucer instead of a silent spinner. SO i got them a little silent spinner (the smaller cages are shallow) and they still were fighting. SO i watched them and realized they weren't sharing very well. Taylor was attacking Meredith. So i bought them another little silent spinner, 2 sand bowls and scattered the food on the floor. As well as 2 wheels.

The fighting has calmed down. They are now fighting a little. No squeaking, just little disagreements, not really anything unusual.

However, they don't sleep together all the time and they don't really play together. The opposite to the other two hamsters. What i want to know is that are they happy? Its strange seeing M-O and Sam attached at the hip and these guys liking there own space more. Even before they fought they weren't as close...
Is this normal behaviour for the Robo's and are they happy to live together even if they don't play together and sleep together (although they do sometimes). It's only been a week since i moved them cages and this all started. Should i just give it some time.

Sorry if this is stupid question, its just been bugging me...

**Tammy22** · 07-16-2009, 03:56 AM

Hi Toria,

it isnt a silly question at all

It is great to see that you monitor your robos well enough to notice their beahavior

Usually, if robos are getting on they will do everything together, especially sleep together, so the fact that they have different sleeping places means that there is some kind of problem. If they are trying to keep away from each other and squabbling everytime everytime they do meet, then it doesnt sound like they are getting on. It sounds like they dont really like each other very much and that they are not very happy either

They are both probabnly very stressed too if they are being forced to live so close to each other - have you noticed their fur being more greasy at all? This could show that they are more stressed - this can also make them more prone to infections too.

I think it would be wise to separate them - as they already seem to be living separate lives anyway, so i dont think it will bother them too much - they will probably both be happier, and you might be able to tame them better too

Hope this is helpful

Tammy x

Toria · 07-16-2009, 05:19 AM

They don't always fight when they meet, they have a little sniff of each other and some times they will just go their own way and others times they will sit together.
Last night i found Meredith flopped over Taylor's head fast asleep..I just checked on them now and they curled up together. Although they looked pretty angry because i accidently wok them up. They aren't greasy looking ether.
Things seem to be improving slowly. As i said it's only been a week since this all started. Plus it's sods law, but after i wrote this last night they started playing together in one of their wheels?

Should i give it a little more time, as i am seeing improvements??

**Tammy22** · 07-16-2009, 08:51 AM

Hiya,

it sounds like they might be getting over their argumentative stage

How old are they? Sometimes, as they start to reach maturity at between 4 and 5 months old they can become aggressive towards each other - sometimes pairs can be split up at this time and successfully introduced again once this period passes, so maybe that is the cause?

Just monitor them and see how it goes

Tammy x

Toria · 07-16-2009, 11:03 AM

I've only had them for about a month. Not sure how old that makes them... they were babies when i got them.
I think it may of been moving cages that upset her perhaps?

I'll just keep a very very close eye on them for now.
Thank you for your advice and help

Toria · 07-31-2009, 06:29 AM

Gah they Taylor started to attack Meredith again.
I now have a separator in the cage as Meredith got hurt last night.

They were getting along so so well. I wondering if it is change that make Taylor act up? She first started being horrid when we moved them cages and now we moved their cage to a different part of the room as we got some new furniture.

Could she be very sensitive to change, and could this cause her to act aggressively?