# How I went to the shop for a cage and came back with a hamster! (word heavy & pics)



## Drakino (Jan 1, 2012)

For many various reasons that aren't really relevant to the story, I decided to get myself a hamster. After much deliberating, review reading and thinking, I decided to get a mini duna. Not having the space for two cages should a pair of dwarves not get on, and feeling guilty about potentially only buying one Russian dwarf, I decided to get a female Chinese dwarf, because reading things told me they do better alone.

Anyway, today I go over to [email protected] to make use of the "Dwarf Hamster Cage and Accessories Kit" deal they have in store. The plan was to buy the kit, come home, set it all up, and then head back over tomorrow to get the hamster. However, I get to [email protected], head to the back of the store where the small animals are, and immediately see a sign next to one of the cages. Going closer, I read that the animal in the cage was called Pip, that she was a single Robo, and was up for adoption. Peering in, she was curled up in shavings under a wooden bridge -- she was barely visible in the shadows, but she looked adorable.

Now, I was tempted. I had intended to get a Chinese, but my heart went out to this poor single Robo, and I thought she deserved a home. Deliberating, I went to pick up a mini duna, and there was a small family -- mother, father and young boy somewhere between 5 and 7 -- looking at the cages.

As I picked up my mini duna (the only one left in blue! I wasn't going to leave it there when the only other ones were pink and grey!) I overheard them talking. The boy wanted a "cute little hamster". As I watched unobtrusively, they showed great interest in Pip.

At this point I was worried. I had read up about Robos, I know they're fast little buggers and tiny to boot, and I thought that a young boy was the worst type of owner they could have. My worries increased when they picked up a Combi 1 cage.

Most of you probably know this, but I'll say it anyway. The mini duna is 55x39x27 cm (length/width/height). It's the smallest cage I'd be happy buying for _one _dwarf. The Combi 1 is 40x29x22 cm (l/w/h), and I'm pretty sure that measurement includes the random front tunnel, so the floorspace in there is tiny!

That made my mind up. Pip the hamster did not deserve to spend the rest of her life in that cage with that boy, who would probably grow bored of her or squish her or something, or she'd run away or bite him and end up on preloved or gumtree or in an adoption place within a few months. I cornered a store employee and grabbed Pip before they could!

So, I ended up travelling on the bus (my car won't start ) with a cage and it's accessories, and a tiny little hamster inside a box (with some of the bedding in), inside an animal carrier, inside a bag, preying that she wouldn't get too cold. I got home and opened up the cardboard box so she could stretch her legs in the carrier while I set up the cage, and then picked up the box with her inside and put it in the cage.

Currently the cage only has her and the box, a silent spinner (I got that online before I even bought the cage, knowing I'd need one!), a food bowl that I am going to turn into a sand bath once I get hold of some sand because it's _huge_, and two piles of bedding (paper based bedding that came with the kit and a pile of cut up loo roll). She's had some food, ignored the bedding and the water bottle, had fun tunnelling through the substrate, worked out how the wheel works, had a sleep in her box :001_wub: and, as far as I can tell, it now building a nest under the ramp  

She's currently not got a house in there, partly because she's still got her box and partly because I've read taming is easier in a barer cage. Not that she's read that, though, and the one time I put my hand in there with her in (to put in the loo roll bedding) she hid in the corner behind the wheel! I had great fun watching her run around her new home, getting used to things, and I'm going to slowly introduce toys etc when I get some, but for now she seems okay.

And I'll tell you something for nothing: she's a bugger to get pictures of! (Anyone got any name ideas? Pip doesn't suit, and it's also the name of my effective-step-sister [our parents are together but not married]).

Pics!

"Look at mah fuzzy face!"










Apparently here is a great place for a nest...










LOOK HOW SMALL! :001_wub:


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## Superash (Aug 23, 2011)

ooh she's so cute !!!! What about. Peaches, mabel, mavis, tink, poppy , muffy, or star? Your makin me want another hammy now !!!


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

aww shes lovely!


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## Acid (Aug 8, 2011)

awww lucky pip  im glad you got her over the little boy
he might have been quite responsible and gentle for all we know but robos are definately not the right pets for a young kid


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## Drakino (Jan 1, 2012)

Superash said:


> ooh she's so cute !!!! What about. Peaches, mabel, mavis, tink, poppy , muffy, or star? Your makin me want another hammy now !!!


Ha, sorry!  She's addictive and lovely, I've already found myself missing her! We (me and my housemates) went out for the evening and I kept thinking "I hope she's okay!"

Also I've found myself referring to her as "Darla" in my head, so that might end up being her name!



Acid said:


> he might have been quite responsible and gentle for all we know but robos are definately not the right pets for a young kid


While he may have been a good kid... a combi 1? Seriously? I didn't realise how small it was until I saw the box. It was their cage choice that was the last straw for me, and I saw them checking out and the woman checking them out said it was a good cage! I wish I had the self-confidence to say something  And while I couldn't've stopped them from buying every hamster there, I could've stopped them from taking her. (And to be honest, even I was shocked at how fast she could move, but I'm a firm believer in providing forever homes. I'll always do the best I can for her, and more importantly make sure the best is actually good enough.)

She's currently having great fun in her wheel. Seems to be a bit less scared of me now already, doesn't immediately run and hide if I walk near or open the lid. I had to check the water bottle was working, I'm not sure she's had anything to drink yet, but it's letting water out fine. I bought a replacement when I bought the cage, thought it had the ferplast sippy included which I've heard is rubbish, but it wasn't the sippy so I thought I'd give it a go, but yeah, if it still looks like she'd had nothing to drink tomorrow I'll change the bottle. And she's already decided she doesn't like carrot! (I was having some with dinner and saved her a little bit )


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

Oh my!!! Baby robo!!! I can't remember mine ever being that small. So cute  hope you enjoy having Pip.


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## Drakino (Jan 1, 2012)

happysaz133 said:


> Oh my!!! Baby robo!!! I can't remember mine ever being that small. So cute  hope you enjoy having Pip.


She's apparently 3 months old so I'm not sure how much of a baby she is! 

I poked the end of the water bottle this morning and it was dry, so I swapped it out for the other one I'd bought, and within minutes she was drinking away  Stupid badly designed water bottle...

And she's been renamed Darla now


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## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

Aw! The name suits her!
I agree... no matter how responsible that little boy was, the cage just wasn't big enough. Hopefully he'll lose interest in the idea of getting a hamster/some hamsters before he has a chance to get them. 

Can't wait for EVEN more pics!


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

She's cute, but imo her cage is still too small. Robos are ridiculously active, and needs a cage that's got a foot print of at least 80x50cm. This gives then plents of space to run about, as well as have a wheel and other enrichment.

These ones are the smallest I would consider:
ZooZone
Kevin 82
Micky XL
Simba Rif Multy


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2012)

Snippet said:


> She's cute, but imo her cage is still too small. Robos are ridiculously active, and needs a cage that's got a foot print of at least 80x50cm. This gives then plents of space to run about, as well as have a wheel and other enrichment.
> 
> These ones are the smallest I would consider:
> ZooZone
> ...


I agree with this


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## Whitehologram (Apr 28, 2012)

Drakino said:


> Ha, sorry!  She's addictive and lovely, I've already found myself missing her! We (me and my housemates) went out for the evening and I kept thinking "I hope she's okay!"
> 
> Also I've found myself referring to her as "Darla" in my head, so that might end up being her name!
> 
> ...


She's adorable, Love the name Darla.

I'm glad you got her and not the boy too.....Oh and Daisy (my hamster) doesn't like carrot either. I put some in with her and she hasn't touched it. She does like dandelions, peanuts, apple, and banana. I love the treat list here. I'd have never of thought about giving banana to a hamster.


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## Jemmalg (Apr 24, 2012)

Ah too cute!

But yeah, that combi 1 is toooo small - anything advertised as a "dwarf hamster cage" is always going to be too small; I hate that companies even make these "starter kits", poor hammies.

I'm glad you got her over that boy; Robos are definitely not kid-pets!


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