Roborovski dwarf hamsters are fun-loving, fast, and adorable miniature creatures that usually grow to be four to six centimeters in length. They love to eat and sleep but are really active too. They have a reputation for being much more lively than other hamster species. In addition, their average lifespan is slightly longer at around three years with the occasional fellow reaching four years.[1] If you’re considering a Robo dwarf hamster as a pet, then you should first learn the best ways to care for one.
Preparing and Maintaining Your Hamster’s Habitat
1
Purchase a suitable habitat. The minimum cage requirement is 450 square inches, but you should always go bigger. You should set up a home for your hamster before buying one. You can use a wire cage as long as it has a solid bottom to protect your hamster’s feet and the mesh is small enough that your hamster can’t escape or get stuck. You can also use a 20-gallon aquarium—just make sure it has a wire mesh cover to allow ventilation.[2]
2
Place bedding into the habitat. Roborovski hamsters love to burrow, hide, and dig, so make sure you put plenty of bedding into the habitat. A layer of about three inches will be fine. A generous layer of four to five inches will certainly be appreciated.
Long cotton fibers or bedding that can wrap around a hamster's leg can tangle around the leg and become deeply embedded. This cuts the circulation off to the limb and has very serious consequences.
3
Include a litter tray. Small plastic trays with a hood are available. They are designed to fit in the corner of a hamster cage. You put special hamster litter inside, which helps to neutralize odors. Most hamsters will use these quite happily instead of soiling their cages. This is optional. [7]
4
Provide food and water. Your hamster will thrive on a steady diet of high quality hamster food and greens. Hamster food alone or just one type of food lacks variety and nutrition. Keep in mind that some hamster foods like Vitakraft lack in protein, so you should feed hamsters eggs, and food that has protein in it. You can also provide seed mixes with pellets, grains, seeds, and dried vegetables.[9] However, do not provide seed mixes alone since your hamster can eat selectively around the tasty bits, which leads to an imbalanced diet.
5
Place toys and an exercise wheel in the habitat. Choose a wheel with a solid outer tread plate since wired wheels can injure your hamster’s feet. When the hamster is in the wheel make sure his back is straight and that he does not have to bend his back backwards in order to fit in under the central axle as this leads to back problems.[13] Allow your hamster to exercise in the wheel daily, but remove it from the habitat when you aren’t supervising to prevent the chance of injury.
6
Consider purchasing enrichment items for outside the habitat. Roborovski hamsters are naturally curious little animals, and they relish the chance to leave their enclosures to explore what lies beyond their habitats.
7
Buy bathing materials. Robo hamsters also love rolling around in a container full of bathing sand. Purchase chinchilla sand (not chinchilla dust, which is very harmful). Select a long dish or bowl (preferably plastic) and fill it up before allowing your hamster to roll around in it. Roborovski hamsters enjoy a sand bath, but water will stress them out, so do not try to give your hamster a water bath.[15]
8
Buy two of everything if you plan to buy a pair of hamsters. If you are going to purchase two Roborovski hamsters and keep them together, you will need two of everything (water bottles, nesting boxes, hideouts, toys, etc.). This will reduce risks of fighting. You must also avoid the use of upper levels, platforms, and extra cages connected with tubes in the habitat as it will cause territorial issues and fights.
9
Clean the habitat once a week. Once a week, remove everything from the habitat and clean it using hot water. You can use a little vinegar on smelly areas, but ensure that you rinse the areas thoroughly after using it.[16] Fill the cage with fresh bedding as you put it back together.