What should be in my robos' "starter" home?

[genevieve]

I'm getting two robos in the very near future.

I have a cage about 28 x 14 inches (70 x 35 cm) for them. I also have:

• TWO fruit-shaped houses
• TWO 6-inch wheels
• TWO "hamster"-sized water bottles
• ONE 8-inch sand bath
• ONE food bowl
• TWO tubes
• Other toys

I've heard pairs get on better in a rather bare starter setup, with more things added later on. I was thinking of just putting in one bottle, both houses, and the sand bath at first. But then I heard that houses can cause fights.

So what do you guys think should go in at first?

[internet_nobody]

I would put wheels, house, sand bath, food bowl, and other toys - depending on what they are. I would leave out tubes from that list!

[KutButLykee]

I would have 2 food bowls, incase of any disagreements over who gets what pieces of food....But sound good so far..
Apart from the tubes. I have knows fights start inside tubes. Just because its such a small space, and generally two hamsters cant fit in them side by side..Haha x

[Gillzy]

People have suggested not having bowls at all and just scattering the food. I do this with Sens food (a single syrian) because I just think it's more fun to have to go foraging for noms instead of having it in a handy bowl. But for dwarves it stops any squabbling over bowls.

[genevieve]

Yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to use the bowl - I've already scattered food on the cage floor Just bought it for the sake of it. I'll definitely leave out the tubes.

I'm thinking of just a bottle, both houses and the sand bath. Then the toys after a few days once they're a bit more acclimatised. And then adding the wheels after the first cleaning. Sound okay?