Hello

[Maximus]

Hi!
I haven't posted for years. My darling cambell Max died and I couldn't quite bring myself to come on. Four years later I would like to introduce the absolutely BOOOOOOTIFUL Honey and Mustard. They are sisters and about 9 weeks old now. They are my first robos and I adore them!

[Gimleyand Meeko]

Hello, welcome back to HC! I am sorry for Max her sounds awesome and your robos are soooo cute! Hope to see you around

[Maximus]

I got excited and just posted. Maybe you'd all like to know a bit about them?!
They are SO similar to tell the difference but Honey is slightly lighter in colour and has a little tear on her left ear. Mainly it's easier to tell by their behaviour - Mustard is brave and much more confident while Honey takes a bit more time. They spent a whole day hidden in the tube of their cage and a couple more settling in. Then there were a few scuffles which terrified me (I have the other cage actually set up in my bedroom XD) and if they had to be split I would re-house Mustard because I think she would cope better with the change. Anyway; nothing violent, just a bit of chasing and squeaking and I hoped it was just part of settling in and battles over territory. 2ish weeks in and things have settled. They no longer spend the night cuddled together, they have their favourite places but have a midday nap together and have started doing their secret handshake again (on the back legs sniff sniff sniff nose to nose then sniff sniff sniff along the body and then one will lay on their back but that changes which one so I'm happy it isn't dominance) and then they lay down on top of each other. There are like 6 different houses/hidey places as well as grass logs and tunnels, I have two water bottles but they both use both and I am scatter feeding so no food bowl to argue over. Honey likes staying at the bottom where it's darker and she can dig into the substrate but Mustard has recently taken the penthouse log cabin. Honey doesn't seem to like sleeping in things :S she just beds down in the corner. She's piled up some bedding and it quite happy, even though I have her her own little flower pot (Honeypot - for Honey!!). Mustard is the weirdest little ham ever though - she collects all her bedding and then spends hours kicking it all out her bed like she's sleeping the floor before happily curling up on the floor haha.
Couple of days in I started offering a sunflower seed or a pumpkin seed or whatever held in my fingers, Mustard got used to that, Honey was a little slower and we've gradually gotten around to me sprinkled a few broken nuts or seeds on my palm and laying it flat and they both hop on my hand to nibble them all up. I love it when they sit on my hand, makes me so happy haha. Mustard will now wander on to my flat palm without any treat offerings but then she seems a bit disappointed so she'll get a worm. I'm starting. To try and lift my hand but they both just get scared and dive off. My idea is that I will get them used to being lifted but I'll just raise my hand and then put it back down and then reward them. We seem to be making progress all the time so I THINK it's working. Honey thinks my partner's thumb is terribly tasty and loves to nibble it (not bite, nibble - you know).
I'm not sure what the cage is that they have but its the biggest hamster cage I've ever seen, so I am satisfied they have plenty of space.
They are being fed burgess dwarf mix but I pick out all the hamster sticks because they're just made of molasses and little tums don't need that. Then I add in a handful of porridge oats (to the whole bag) and some extra meal worms. Treats so far have been mostly sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or worms but we also have monkey nuts and pistachios (which I break up into tiny chunks - they don't need a nut as big as their own face) but they have also enjoyed dandelion leaves, thought spinach was rubbish, had a crack at cucumber and took a wee on some carrot.
Anyway, advice etc. And ideas greatly appreciated!!! First robos so I'm not a robo expert but have had a few Syrians and max the marvellous cambell

[Gimleyand Meeko]

I have had three robos- One LOVED honey sticks and the other apple I haven't had a robo that goes mad for mealworms YET though

[Maximus]

Well, they don't mind a meal worm, they prefer seeds. Honey likes to eat people too. It's not malicious biting, perfectly calm but it's almost like she really thinks hands are food for her

[Gimleyand Meeko]

Do you before playing use scented soap as that can annoy them and make them bite, before playing rub your hands in their substrate that will calm them as it is a familiar smell

[Maximus]

I guess I smell of all sorts. I'll try the substrate rubbing - sounds sensible to me!

[Gimleyand Meeko]

Make sure to take a little substrate out of the cage don't just do it in the cage