# An unexpected addition - advice on Robo care



## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

I popped into [email protected] this evening to buy some more gerbil food. All three kids were in tow so we had to complete the mandatory tour of the animals. Peeking into the adoption section the top tiny tank caught my attention. The sign next to it read 'Dobby - moved to the adoption section because my cage mates bullied me.' Stealing a glance inside I caught a glimpse of the sweetest little robo hammie I've ever seen. I'd always said that there was no more room at the inn animal wise and I'm waiting on the arrival of a litter of gerbil pups any day. This little fella just looked so alone in a tiny tank with nothing in the way of stimulation. Against my better judgement I allowed the [email protected] cynical selling tactics to prevail and persuaded the OH to let me bring 'Dobby' home.

Dobby is now getting used to his new abode - a nice 2 ft aquarium with a wheel and things to chew and hide inside a million miles away from his [email protected] prison. Actually his home is a temporarily spare gerbil tank with the gerbil toys etc I have had to remove from the gerbil breeding tank. I'll sort Dobby out in time with his own stuff but his current accomodation is a means to an end since I hadn't even intended on getting another rodent!

Dobby is the first robo I've owned although I did keep russian dwarfs many years ago. I know that Robo's are the smallest and fastest of the hamster family. The woman in the shop told me that Dobby would need to be handled daily a) to keep him tame and b) to stop him getting depressed seen as he had to be removed from his cage mates. I was under the impression that Robo's weren't particularly handleable due to their speed and size, is this correct? If not how should I go about first gaining his trust and then handling him? If he is only lonely would it ever be possible to introduce him to another hammie or do they have to be together from a young age? Also what sort of things should I consider kitting out his cage with to keep him entertained?

Sorry for all the questions but I honestly didn't expect to become a Hammie mummy today and I just want to do right by the little fella. Any advice really on caring for these little critters would be muchly appreciated :thumbup:


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## Mum2Alfie (Jan 4, 2010)

:001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1:

You dont want him really!!!!!!

You want to send him to me!!!!!!

As soon as I read the name "Dobby" I said to my OH that with a name like that, yeah I would have brought him too!!!!

He is so beautiful!!! The colours are sooo pretty!!! 

You guys find the most prettiest animals!!!! :frown: :lol:


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

HarryHamster2 said:


> :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1: :001_tt1:
> 
> You dont want him really!!!!!!
> 
> ...


I love his colours too! I'd never seen a robo with a completely white face before so I googled it when we brought Dobby home and apparently he is a Husky 

Does anyone have any advice on roborovski care or what toys etc would be suitable???


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## Mum2Alfie (Jan 4, 2010)

Sorry hun, have no idea never had one before. 

I so wanna steal him!

Tell you what, why dont I just take the burden off you of finding out. Then you dont have to worry!!! :lol: :lol:


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

HarryHamster2 said:


> Sorry hun, have no idea never had one before.
> 
> I so wanna steal him!
> 
> Tell you what, why dont I just take the burden off you of finding out. Then you dont have to worry!!! :lol: :lol:


:lol: Whilst I was trying to convince the OH that we should take Dobby home another girl spied him and was trying to do the same thing to her fella! I hissed at the OH that if they got him first I'd kill him. Needless to say OH hot footed it over to the assistant and we claimed the Dobster for ourselves. I'm not letting him go now! :lol::lol::lol:


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## Chinquary (Mar 5, 2009)

Oh he is adorable! I love the huskys. =]

Male robos shouldn't be kept with others because they fight.

They are hard to handle, but it's nice to give them company. I've got mine just about trained to come to the bars when I squeak. What I do is get a meal worm (they LOVE these) and poke it through the bars while squeaking. The smell will draw them out and they'll take it out of your hand. At first, you may need to just drop it in in front of them so they get use to you though. =]


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