# Roborovski Hamsters



## kaitlynw (Oct 18, 2014)

I have read a lot of things about Roborovski hamsters, I currently own one and a lot of people are saying they should live by themselves, however others are saying they're super friendly and are fine to be kept with other hamsters of the same breed. I want to breed Roborovski hamsters but I just want to make sure it is safe to do so. Obviously I know that people do it, and no matter what there will always be a risk that they won't like each other but I just want to know if you would recommend it or not? 

I have had many hamsters in the past and know what I'm doing, however I have never had this breed before so if anyone knows anything more about them please let me know


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## Amelia66 (Feb 15, 2011)

Some of them live peacfully together although i find this more rare than them fighting. Most when they reach adolescence will begin to fight with each other, and once they start they have to be separated to avoid one killing the other [even if they seem like friends after the fight] So no i wouldn't advise it.

Also they can have large litters and you would end up with lots of hamsters needing to separate males and females to stop them all interbreeding with each other. Do you have enough cages/space for this? also extra cages for any that need to be separated due to fighting? Do you also have enough money should they start to become ill and need vets attention? things to think about seriously before you decide anything.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Please read this! If your hamsters have suffered wet tail you SHOULD NOT breed as it's hereditary and can be passed down to the babies 
http://www.petwebsite.com/hamsters/hamster_wet_tail.asp#.VEOFaTK9KK0


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

robos cant even catch wet tail blade, its also not hereditary either, it is a bacterial infection, however susceptibility to it is greater in badly bred animals. that said the op clearly does not know any where near enough about hamsters to even consider breeding!!!

to the op,
where did you get your hamsters from? what is their genetic backgrounds? what would be your goals from the breeding? how do you plan to rehome? what if you cant rehome all the babies? would you offer back up for life? what if your girl had complications during pregnancy and needed emergency surgery costing hundreds to save her? what if she died?

breeding is not as simple as 1 + 1 = 2


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I've just copied and pasted from the link I posted


Susceptibility to Wet Tail is also thought to be genetically inherited and so it is best not to breed from any hamster that has suffered from Wet Tail during its life.

Ok not dwarfs but Syrians then.


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

If you're thinking of putting a male and female hamster together, it's a bad idea. I think if you want to breed you should aspire to do it properly and become National Hamster Council registered. 

They have a minimum standard and the breeders are very responsible. Most breeders generally breed under a mentor. I don't know how to find a mentor but I think if you're very interested you should go to an NHC show and talk to the breeders there. 

A breeder should have a good knowledge of genetics and also understand what could go wrong for the female. One of the issues with Robos is they have a tendency to have neurological issues. Some of the robos don't display huge signs of these and almost act normal but if you breed two that have these issues, you potentially can have babies with bigger neurological problems. 

Also generally a litter can be as much as 14 babies at a time. You'd need to make sure you separate the girls from the boys at the right time so that the siblings don't breed. Breeding any female will reduce her life span so generally NHC breeders don't breed a female more than twice and they are all over 6 months. 

The most common problems with dwarfs is that they fight and need separation. So if you have 14 babies, you need to have the ability to house them in different cages if need be. Breeders would put 2 in one cage unle they fight and need further separation. And the cage has to be very large with 2 of everything (2 wheels, water bottles, food bowl) so there are no territorial fights.


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## NyxHamsters (Oct 29, 2014)

If you want to breed - get pedigree Robos. There are hamsters shows in various areas of England/Wales every year where you could purchase a Robo with a pedigree and no genetic issues. Robos in particular can have a 'spinning disorder', and other problems so it's important to only breed from hamsters that you know the background of. 

Robos can live successfully in groups or pairs but it should always be related groups, not just randomly introducing them, and it should be done in neutral territory as well. Some breeders keep Robos together to breed. This usually happens over a few days, or until the females show signs of pregnancy. However, it's important to remove the male before a female gives birth as she could attack him and also they can breed straight after giving birth, which is bad for the mother as females need a break between litters and ideally a maximum of two litters a year - when the female is neither too young or too old to carry and raise pups. 

Unfortunately, because you said Robos are a breed I think it shows you may want to do more research. There are no hamster breeds, they are species. Robos can also be a lot harder to re-home and any respectable breeder will have a waiting list before mating happens to ensure they can house the babies. 

Breeding any animal is serious business. In the UK, reputable breeders are registered with the National Hamster Council (NHC) and attend shows regularly, it may be best to start here instead so you can experience that side of the hamster world.


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