Small Animals Opinions Wanted :3

[GleamEyes]

Also, my Chinese lives by himself. Do the two Russian species and robos prefer to live alone or in pairs/groups? I've also heard varying opinions on this.

[cypher]

You will get very different opinions & views on just about every species of hamster & in the end it is really only by owning & spending time with them that you really learn what they're like.
I generally try not to have any expectations when I get a new ham, they are all different & have unique personalities, that's one of the things I love about them.
Russian hams in particular do seem to have a reputation for biting or nipping but after having had four I've only had one who bit me & she just took more time & patience to get used to being handled but we got there soon enough.
They aren't quite as fast as robos, even a tame robo is generally very fast & can be a bit hard to handle for that reason.
If handling & getting cuddles is really high on your list of what you want from a new pet then I would think about it some more, hams are always fun to have around & interact with but not always cuddly & if that's not in it's character even when you bond with it that isn't going to happen.

ETA Robos & Russians can live in pairs or groups but more often than not fall out & need to be separated, they are quite happy to live alone & keeping them any other way can be quite a challenge!

[GleamEyes]

I really appreciate your advice, thanks so much, I'll give it some more careful thought before I make a decision :3

[Pebbles82]

As Cypher said, Robos and Russians (but not Chinese) can live in pairs or small groups - but usually only if they are siblings that have been together since birth I think. And there are many many stories of them falling out and having to be separated - meaning you always need a spare cage or tank, just in case. It also means having, for a pair, two of everything - houses, wheels, food bowls, water bottles, and no levels in the cage. The set up is important to avoid territorial behaviour that can lead to squabbling - and they can kill each other or cause serious injury. Sometimes a larger one will bully a smaller one.

For a first time owner it's best to just have one really. Syrians must always live alone or they will fight to the kill.

Russians Campbells and Winter Whites are usually hybrids of the two as well (not pure Winter White or Pure Campbells) - unless you get them from a breeder and they are certified as a pure winter white or campbells.

Hybrids can be prone to slightly shorter lives (not always) and various illnesses, particularly diabetes, so their diet has to be carefully looked at.

[CMB]

Dwarf hamster and robo hamsters can live alone. So don't be pressured to get more than one (some pet shops try to sell more than one, by saying they should live in pairs or even groups)

My dwarf was perfectly tame and loved to be handled. Personality is part of it, but also handling when they are young also helps.

I have had quite a few Syrians (6). Most were tame, but I had one very aggressive female who I couldn't touch or even change her food and water without being attacked. I used to feed and change the water while she slept or when she was in her excercise ball.

Another female Syrian would climb on my hand then nip(gentle bite).