Scottie

[Lilafernim]

What a little sweet pea! He’s gorgeous <3

[Ria P]

Some male dwarf hamsters including male Robos have a musty smell about them. So, i decided to spot clean Scottie's HH and got everything ready, bucket, bag of kaytee and removed all his movable furnishings.

Of course Scottie run straight into his tube to watch.
I turned the substrate over with one hand and sniffed. As expected, no damp patches because a Robo's pee seems to evaporate. No smelly substrate either so i left it all in.

Can't wipe the wheel today because then he would get annoyed. He was very tolerant of my hand in his home, sat there and watched, then gracefully accepted a couple of mealworms to say thank you. Quick sniffing inspection and he went back to bed.

I think i got his set up right. When i clean something he has the shelves and transparent tubes to go to so he's out of the way and somewhere enclosed but can still watch what i'm doing.

That's Scottie a little while ago

[Ria P]

I caught Scottie earlier to give him a health check and he squeaked at me but then spent the evening hovering around his cage.

Late evening i decided to get him out and into the playground. It wasn't even difficult to get him to walk into the transport ball which surprised me. No squeaking either.

He's been running around the hamster playground for the last half hour, wheeling, climbing in and out of boxes, running through tubes etc.

That's so typical Robo. Once they're out of their cage and running around a stimulating area, they are enjoying themselves.

Easiest way to get him back is to pick him up while inside the big Trixie wheel and tip him onto my lap then pick him up from there.

[ilguy]

Originally Posted by Ria P

I caught Scottie earlier to give him a health check and he squeaked at me but then spent the evening hovering around his cage.

Late evening i decided to get him out and into the playground. It wasn't even difficult to get him to walk into the transport ball which surprised me. No squeaking either.

He's been running around the hamster playground for the last half hour, wheeling, climbing in and out of boxes, running through tubes etc.

That's so typical Robo. Once they're out of their cage and running around a stimulating area, they are enjoying themselves.

Easiest way to get him back is to pick him up while inside the big Trixie wheel and tip him onto my lap then pick him up from there.

It sounds like he really got over that health check quickly! Do you scruff him for those or is he okay being picked up on his back?

[Ria P]

Originally Posted by ilguy

It sounds like he really got over that health check quickly! Do you scruff him for those or is he okay being picked up on his back?

No, i don't scruff him. Robos are easy to hold with their back against your palm and thumb across their chest. That's Scottie in this photo.

[ilguy]

Originally Posted by Ria P

No, i don't scruff him. Robos are easy to hold with their back against your palm and thumb across their chest. That's Scottie in this photo.

That's amazing, thank you for sharing! What an absolute cutie

[Ria P]

Scottie walked into his mug again for some out of cage time tonight. He definitely enjoys being out. The mug works really well. He comes forward sniffing and eventually walks into it but when he's not interested he runs off and sits in his tube watching until i take the mug out.

I'm working on trying to get him to walk into the mug from the playground to put him back in his cage. Not sure that's going to happen but i think there's a chance. He listens to his name and doesn't run away from me now which is huge progress with a Robo. Tonight he run into the tube next to me so i tipped him into my lap and picked him up.

[Ria P]

That's another thing i love about Robos. They're about during the day.

[Ria P]

Scottie enjoying a snack while out and about. The Munchies mug is his hamster taxi.

[Ria P]

Scottie run around the hamster playground again tonight. He came out in his Munchies mug hamster taxi and run back into the mug when i tried to catch him to go back home.

Funny thing is that when i put him back in his cage while still chatting to him, he comes to the front of the cage and looks at me. Just sits there and looks and listens.

I'd love to know what he's thinking when he does that.