Tatty & Cwtch's Thread!

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Thanks Tammy

Another thing that can affect mating and pregnancy is the weather, temperature and amount of daylight - i wouldnt have been surprised at all if Cwtch and Tatty would have left it till next year now to have babies due to the time of year, but obviously this differs again due to them being inside and in different conditions.

This was what I had been putting it down to as I honestly wasn't expecting anything until at least Spring time even with a heat regulated room, but I was just so disheartened when I was told that they would 'definitely never breed' (it was also said to me in a bit of an...um odd way. As though I was daft for trying). My robos were criticised a fair bit by this person at the show and I did feel a little upset.

I'm so so happy she is pregnant though and like you say looking back on it now is a much better time for her.

[Tammy22]

Hi Erin,

I am sorry you were made to feel upset at the show, i am sure it wasnt meant to upset you but please dont let it get you down or dishearten you from keeping / breeding robos.

For some reason there are a few breeders / exhibitors who really dislike robos and dont want them to be shown at all I have been involved with showing for about 5 years now and this is the one of the reasons everyting is taking so long with them as there is a lot of opposition to them sadly

I have also heard that there are a few people who actually believe that these new colours which have occured over the past couple of years are actually the result of hybridisation!! which is absolute rubbish as robos definaltely CANNOT hybridise with other species, but some people are deciding to believe this

As you know robos are my passion and i absolutely love them and anything to do with them and i have been involved with them for over 11 years now, but i felt the same when i first started showing as they werent even 'showable' at that time as there was no standard! Obviously this is partly due to the fact that robos are the newest hamster to be kept as pets and bred for temperament and colour / patterns etc. so it will take longer (and i know it took a lot longer with the other species) but the fact that they have opposition is not helping at all. Some judges have even stopped judging because of having to judge robos!! I just dont get it!!

Also, due to the above and because there are not many people who specialise in Robos, it is really difficult to keep the new colours going, to develop new colours and also to get new bloodlines, but i am pleased to say that over the past couple of years it has got much better and i always try to get at least one example of all of the new colours in to shows i go to so that people can see them and get used to them and hopefully they will start to get more popular

The more people there are, like yourself, who are participating in breeding and exhibiting these wonderful animals, hopefully the more popular they will get and soon people will realise that they are just as lovely as the other species!

Tammy x

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

My goodness I had no idea there were people actually opposing them! I can't imagine how anyone could dislike robos! Obviously not all of them are handleable but it's not like they are common biters or any less hygienic, I have even found that with age even my least tame robos have become so much friendlier and happier to be handled.

I was warned that there was the possibility of Tatty being disqualified at Bath and that Cwtch was only just eligible as Rob has just made the official showing standard for them but I know from reading posts by yourself and Poms that just getting the lesser known colours to be seen by people at shows helps to increase the chances of them being recognised and a standard to be made.

I certainly won't be letting myself get put off from breeding especially after learning this. I adore robos and I really want to get more of the whites out there and into shows, when I decide to breed from one of these babies late next year I will be on the look out for a suitable Head Spot to go with him/her as I know the Head Spot x Head spot combination gives you a 25% chance of getting pure whites and as small as that is it's more than worth it

[Tammy22]

Yes, officially, Red Eyed and Pied robos have been 'Recognised' by the National Hamster Council, so they are allowed to be shown in the non standard class, which is strictly for colours which don't have standards but have been officially recognised.

So really any other colour robo should technically be disqualified and not allowed to be shown, even in the non standard class, but a lot of judges don't usually bother disqualifying them, but I have had a little note on a few of my pen labels saying they shouldn't technically be allowed in! lol

Tammy x

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Haha, oh dear! I'm surprised red eyed were recognised so quickly, they haven't been around very long have they?

Photo update btw everyone ^_^
Caught this smasher of Cwtch sleeping with her massive baby bump!

[Amelioratione]

Erin I love the photos you have been posting, you're youtube videos are the main reason I was able to get back in my love of hamsters (I had a difficult time after my mom passed away in July followed by my syrian). Cwtch is lovely and I am so happy she is pregnant.

Inspired by you, I recently aquired two of my own robos. They are so much fun. I have two females. They are named Teemo and Kennen.

ps. my youtube name is Amelioratione as well so you may see me comment from time to time.

[Call me Alison]

awww cwtch is huge!!

she looks beautiful x

[Pompompoms]

I am thrilled Cwtch is going to be adding to the wonderful world of robos, and the newer colourings, the more there are, and the more shows we can spread ourselves and our robos out to the better. I have had my robos judged very differently at shows depending on who is judging. They have come right at the top, and then behind all other types or dwarf in the non standard class depending on who is looking at them.


At one show I asked a judge why a pied robo (not mine) that looked lovely was marked so low, and was told that 40 points were automatically deducted just for the colour.

That was a couple of years ago now, so hopefully things are better. I was thrilled when Billy won the Andover show this year as I think it's so hard against all the other species of dwarf.

Fingers crossed for a healthy delivery of what looks like quite a lot of little wrigglers there Erin!

[LokiWolf]

I can't wait for Cwtch to have her head spot babies, Erin. I just LOVE head spot Robos! Charlotte, my first Robo, is a head spot and I absolutely love her coloration. I've been worried about her lately as age isn't being good for her, I'm hoping she makes her second birthday though.

I wish there was more hamster shows in the US as I'd love to show my Robos. I just rescued four boy Robos who appear pretty tame so far, too bad there's no shows on the east coast.

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

More photos from this afternoon!!!