# Found a hamster...



## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

So, I work in the vets in [email protected], and over the last few weeks wed been thinking that we had a mouse living in the surgery... until we discovered yesterday that our mouse is actually a [email protected] escapee! 
Hes been nicknamed Alejandro (after the song that was playing on the radio when we caught him!) and is quite possibly the most ridiculously tiny hamster Ive ever clapped eyes on  (a roborovski we reckon???). I think hes literally about the same size as one of my rats heads! Incredibly cute though :001_wub:

So Im after a bit of advice really from all the hammie experts out there, as I know practically nothing about hamsters and I want to make sure that we do the best for him 
The girls from the shop gave us a cage for him, which I think is a mini duna, but Ive no idea if this is suitable? To me it looks tiny as Im used to having giant cages that are as tall as me for my rats! And are wood shavings okay as a substrate??

What kind of food is best? I know that most of the commercial rat foods you can buy are pretty pants, which is why I dont use them, but I dont know if the same is true for hamster foods? 

Is he okay on his own? Are robos solitary creatures or do they prefer company? Obviously he was on his own when we found him, but for all we know there is a whole community of feral hamsters living wild in the shop!  (And Im sure hed be happier having the run of the entire building, but unfortunately, for hygienes sake, we cant have him running about in the surgery (sorry Alejandro!)). 
Thinking about it, we dont even know that he is indeed, a he  nobodys looked!

What else do I need to know? Does he need time out of the cage? I dont fancy the idea of freeranging him (hes a darn sight quicker than my rats!) but I feel bad for him only having his little cage to explore?

I may try to convince the guys at work to let me rehome him (or bring him home myself) as I'm not convinced the surgery is the best place for him. He won't get much attention as we're always so busy, and for 14 out of 24 hours there's no one there at all... I don't know, what do you guys think?

Um, I think that's it for now, thanks for reading!


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

If its a tiny quick hammy then it will be a roborovskii.

People say they are sociable, but I have found they aren't really!! I would keep your hammy solitary. They tend to sleep during the day.

Mini Duna is fine for a robo! I had one for my russian.... beware they break easily cos I had one that a cat knocked off and it broke!!

They do need out time.... [email protected] have those hamster playpens, you could put him in that, but they need to be watched at all times!!

Mine eat plain hamster food, and stuff like carrots, and greens such as kale, and spinach. Don't feed too many treats as they full of sugar!!

I think you should bring him home with you


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Ooh, thanks for the reply! 

Yep, he's definitely very small and very quick! I was quite proud of myself for managing to catch him 

We've already discovered that the cage is a bit 'fragile' . The shop staff gave it to us as it had a small crack in it (meaning they couldn't sell it), and the mesh at the top doesn't seem to sit quite right...

I'm sooo tempted to bring him home (he's so sweet!) but I don't know if I'd have time for him really. I like to have the rats out as much as possible when I'm home, so I don't know that I'd be able to give him much out-of-cage time. Ooh, I don't know! The heart says yes, but stupid old practicality is getting in the way!


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

They don't need loadsa out time, just maybe an hour a day! Take him home... you know you want to!


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

My Roborovski lives in an Habritrail loft with a bedroom extension and he seems happy enough. He has always lived on his own and he doesn't really bother about coming out much, he's happy enough on his wheel and running around the cage. He does come out in his exercise ball though when I clean him out. He used to be in a Cambridge cage but I was scared of him getting out after some people on here said theirs had escaped. The habitrail Mini cages are fine too as you can add a couple of them together so they have a bedroom cage and a play cage. 

Yes I agree - take him home.:thumbup:


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

I should have known better than to ask advice here - you're all going to tell me to bring him home aren't you?!?? :lol: Bad influences! Although I could clear a space on top of my bookcase for his cage...

Another thing I meant to ask - apparently he attempted to run in his wheel yesterday morning, but couldn't move it! Is there a more lightweight one we could get for him?


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Well mine goes on the wheel that came in the habitrail but you can also get a mini silent spinner which is fine for dwarf hamsters - my chinese hamster used to love it.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks for that


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## vet-2-b (Sep 25, 2008)

awww bring him home lol my sis had 2 chinease dwarfs and they were so fast I think she was the only one that could catch them :L thats so wierd im listening to Alejandro now ... freaky  lol


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

I rescued a robo from the [email protected] adoption section and am totally smitten  Dobby lives in a savic rody but I read that the mini dunas are equally suited to dwarf hammies.

I'd reccommend getting a small exercise ball as Dobby goes in hers once a day in order to stretch her legs and have a change of scenery - she loves it  The mini silent spinner wheels are good although Dobby got a bit carried away in hers last night and ended up doing the loop the loops  I had to stop it spinning and poor Dobby lay at the bottom looking a tad dazed and confused. She quickly recovered though and doesn't seem any the worse for her 'roller coaster' ride although I will be keeping a close eye on her when using the wheel in future.

AS for your predicament - defo bring the hammie home! 










Dobby


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Oh my gawd, Dobby is gorgeous! :001_wub:

So to recap, thats now 4 votes for 'bring him home' and no votes for any other option...


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

5 votes for bring him home now, of course you have to have him, you know you want to. He will be fine on his own and it would be extremely hard if not impossible to add him to a group of other robos now. There is a sticky for hamster treats which has lots of different treat foods but apart from that they just need regular hamster food. You can maybe get a hamster playball to give him some out of cage time as robos are so small they can get through tiny cracks and holes very very easily. Cant wait to see his pics, assuming you bring him home that is.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks for the info!  Well I'm back in work tomorrow so I might see how the girls feel about me taking him home...

I just want to make sure, are woodshavings okay as a substrate for hamsters? I'm naturally wary of the stuff after having rats!


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## CharleyRogan (Feb 20, 2009)

Yeah shavings are fine but try not to get Pine as the oils aren't very good for hamsters.


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

magpie said:


> Thanks for the info!  Well I'm back in work tomorrow so I might see how the girls feel about me taking him home...
> 
> I just want to make sure, are woodshavings okay as a substrate for hamsters? I'm naturally wary of the stuff after having rats!


I use aubiose hemp based horse bedding for all my small animals. It's economical as it is sold in huge bails so lasts for ages and produces zero dust.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Baby British said:


> I use aubiose hemp based horse bedding for all my small animals. It's economical as it is sold in huge bails so lasts for ages and produces zero dust.


How big are the bales? I've heard good stuff about aubiose before, but I'm not sure if I'd have room to store it...
Do you buy it online?


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

magpie said:


> How big are the bales? I've heard good stuff about aubiose before, but I'm not sure if I'd have room to store it...
> Do you buy it online?


I have a CCF store locally that sells it although I'm sure it would be available on line. The bales are about 3 ft in height and maybe 1 1/2 width. For £8 odd for that amount I make room for it as I couldn't afford bedding for all my animals if I were forced to buy the ordinary small bales at an extortionate price in contrast.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

Alejandro is coming home with me tomorrow


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

Yay! :thumbup:

I think you should definitely post some pics of the little 'Houdini' when he comes home


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Excellent!! Well done you for taking him in..


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

magpie said:


> Alejandro is coming home with me tomorrow


 Seriously? I never saw that one comingSinging::lol:


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## myzoo (Jan 13, 2010)

good decision deciding to bring him home and a BIG WELL DONE for catching him dwarfs are so fast and tiny iam totally shocked you caught him i really hope he settles in well did you know you can get mini hamster balls for dwarfs to exercse also a good place to exercise him is in an empty bath put empty loo rolls boxes ect in he will love it but youll av to supervise him which iam sure you already know i feed my dwarfs harry hamster food and lots of greens like chinese leaf lettuice broccoli peas baby spinach carrots oh alsorts well anyways good luck with him and cant wait for pics once he is settled


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Seriously? I never saw that one comingSinging::lol:


I know, I surprised myself too! 

Assuming I manage to get him to sit still for the camera, then pics will certainly be provided for your viewing pleasure 
And thanks for the tip myzoo - the bath is a great idea! I can just put a towel or blanket down so it's not slippy and voila! Instant playpen :thumbup:


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## myzoo (Jan 13, 2010)

magpie said:


> I know, I surprised myself too!
> 
> Assuming I manage to get him to sit still for the camera, then pics will certainly be provided for your viewing pleasure
> And thanks for the tip myzoo - the bath is a great idea! I can just put a towel or blanket down so it's not slippy and voila! Instant playpen :thumbup:


:thumbup: yes a towel also kind on little feet. i just noticed your user name magpie how funny magpies find shiney things and u found a shiney new hamster lol good luck with him/her hope u manage to get photos cant wait to see him/her bet its a cutie pie


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

So..... how's the new arrival settling in? Any pics you'd like to share with us?  :thumbup:


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

He was so funny on the drive home! The cage was on the passenger seat next to me, and he kept popping out of his little igloo and looking at me as if to say 'so, where we going then?'! 

I think he liked the sound of the engine too - when he was living wild in the surgery he'd made a nest behind the tumble dryer, so he seems to be used to lots of noise! 

Mostly I've left him alone to settle in to his new surroundings, but I did indeed manage to get a photo 

Alejandro :001_wub:


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

magpie said:


> He was so funny on the drive home! The cage was on the passenger seat next to me, and he kept popping out of his little igloo and looking at me as if to say 'so, where we going then?'!
> 
> I think he liked the sound of the engine too - when he was living wild in the surgery he'd made a nest behind the tumble dryer, so he seems to be used to lots of noise!
> 
> ...


Awwwwwwww too cute! :001_wub: What a truly lucky find he is


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Awwwww hes gorgeous and what a lucky little boy to have been found by you.


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## magpie (Jan 3, 2009)

He is lubbly, isn't he?! 
I still can't get over how small he is... he's just a dot compared to the rats!


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

Tis what I love about robo's - what they lack in size they make up for in cute!


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## myzoo (Jan 13, 2010)

awwww! how cute is he what a tiny little thing he is. i think he liked it behind the dryer because it was nice and warm i wounder how he survived what he ate ect what a lucky little boy he is and so adorable too


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