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Old 08-18-2021, 09:03 PM   #1
GiGi
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Join Date: Aug 2021
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Red face Need advice on robos

Hi! I am new to hamster central but not a new hamster mom I have had many hamsters but never owned a robo. I got him 5 days ago and only seen him twice. I even wake up in the middle of the night to see if he is out and I’ve only seen him out once my Syrian was always out when I first got him. I have him in a 75 gallon tank set up with a natural theme and plenty of chews hides and I even crowded it a bit cuz I learned robos like that. I want to start taming him and I know to be patient but I’m worried I don’t even see him out when we are sleeping. Any advice on robos and there personality would be great thank you! I’ve had a winter white before and he was always out lol thanks in advance
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Old 08-19-2021, 12:29 PM   #2
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Hi and welcome . Robos are great tunnellers! Five days isn’t long so he’s probably still hiding away a bit. On the plus side as they grow in confidence they are often out more than Syrians - during the day eg.

I had one and he was very much a look don’t touch pet. I didn’t really try hard enough to tame him at the time so he never was fully hand tame abd would always hide if I tried to get him out. But - he did learn to know and trust me snd would sit for quite long chats! Him in his cage - me outside the cage with the door open. But if I put my hand in he was off. When he was older it was easier to get him out as I had a cosy fleece cube he liked and would walk into if I put it near his house so lifted him out that way.

I felt like you did at first snd I actually reduced the depth of substrate in the end - it did no harm as he just built a mountain of it under the shelf and had a burrow in that instead.

Plenty of hidey places in the cage helps and they will move from one to another so under cover. They also don’t like feeling too exposed from the top which makes them hide away as well. Difficult to have shelves and hanging things in a tank but some larger tunnels work quite well - like the large cork logs - it’s like a kind of overhead shelter. They do also seem to really like a shelf or platform both to hide under and climb onto. Somehow they feel less nervous of going into a platform than being out in the open on a substrate. I had the sand bath on the platform so he would go up there because he LOVED his sand bath!

Just keep talking to him do he gets to know your voice - even if you don’t see him.

Also two wheels can help - a normal wheel and a flying saucer. Our Robo used both but he LOVED his saucer!

It can take two weeks for them to fully settle in a new cage so time and patience. Would love to see a photo when he emerges!

Also if you have a photo of your tank set up we can maybe suggest the odd tweak but it sounds like you’ve thought of everything.
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Old 08-19-2021, 12:32 PM   #3
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Their personalities vary - some are shy, some less so. If he’s just a baby he’s bound to be a bit scared. Robos more than any other species are scared of a “claw” coming from above as they are so tiny - (ie a hand). I know even some experienced breeders reckon the only way to get them out of the cage is scoop them up in a mug!

I wouldn’t even try to get him out of the cage for at least 3 weeks, but keep talking to him, do the tissue trick (a few sheets of toilet paper up your sleeve or down your bra for a couple of hours then tear then into strips for nesting material and out the pile in the cage somewhere- they take it to the nest and get used to your scent).

If you get to get him out too soon he may regress again. But then I was too nervy for too long trying to get ours out as he got so stressed. I got past that but had to virtually dismantle the cage to find him to get him out if he ran away).

One of the big pluses is watching them! As he grows up he might be out snd about in the cage quite a bit and they are so fast and funny! I definitely had lots of conversations with ours and he would sit snd listen. When older he also visually communicated - told me if something was wrong. Would sit and look at you then indicate his head at something then look at you again. Very pointedly trying to tell me something. Sure enough his wheel was stuck!

Last edited by Pebbles82; 08-19-2021 at 12:38 PM.
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Old 08-19-2021, 12:34 PM   #4
Ria P
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Smile Re: Need advice on robos

Hello and welcome to HC!

If you click on the Forum you'll see a section on the different hamster species including Roborovskis where you can find a number of threads.

Robos are known to be fast, often shy and burrowers. They are sometimes described as hamsters to watch rather than handle. Like with all hamsters, a lot depends on their personality. Some are very shy and prefer their own company and never become tame and easy to handle whereas others are more sociable with humans, like out of cage time and sit on people's hands without immediately trying to run off.
And anything inbetween.

5 days is a very short time and i'd give him a full two weeks to settle into his new habitat during which time i'd just talk to him, even when you can't see him, he can probably hear you.

As he starts to feel more secure and relaxed in his new habitat, he'll probably come out more. Does he not run on his wheel? You could give him two wheels and add a flying saucer. Robos usually love their wheels and use both, the upright one and a flying saucer.

As for taming. I take mine (Monty) out of his cage once or at most twice a week to handle him and let him run around in a playpen or secure area. He'll need a wheel and various toys like the long, bendy plastic tunnels to run through.

When handling a Robo be aware that they are very fast, can jump and will try to run off, so keep hands low to the ground.

He may or may not become tame. Time will tell and you will need a lot of patience.
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Old 08-19-2021, 12:35 PM   #5
Ria P
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Posted at the same time as Serendipity.
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Old 08-19-2021, 02:00 PM   #6
harmless
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Hi--I've had my hamster, Bean, who is probably a robo although I got him at a pet store that had him labeled as a Winter White--anyway, I've had him for 9 days. He's been spending more time out of the burrow and seeming less afraid, in just these last few days.

I wrote about what I've been doing to try to encourage him in my thread, My First Hamster, in Hamster Chat.
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Old 08-20-2021, 09:59 AM   #7
GiGi
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

I think I figured it out here are pictures of his cage and of course him his name is coconut
Shared album - Gina - Google Photos
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Old 08-20-2021, 10:00 AM   #8
GiGi
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Old 08-20-2021, 10:18 AM   #9
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Wow that is a lovely set up! And a little robo hiding in there somewhere! Whereabouts is his food bowl? I find their prime motivation every day is for their bit of fresh veg. So I used to put it on a separate dish further away from his nesting area to tempt him out. Adding a flying saucer could be an option as well, as well as the wheel if he gets keen on that.

From my experience it takes a bit for them to get used to a wheel. Our robo didn't use his at first for some time. I think I started putting treats in it then he used it but couldn't get the hang of it (they spin right over and fly out!) But they soon get the hang of that. Just make sure there's nothing hard or sharp to land on in the wheel area in case he flies out!
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Old 08-20-2021, 10:28 AM   #10
flowerfairy
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Default Re: Need advice on robos

Ooo what a lovely set up. I love my robo but often dont see him for days at a time.
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