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Dusty's Mom
Got it changed...thanks
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Unfortunately you can't really. They need to live alone. There's an article about it on the home page. Unfortunately pet shops will sell them in pairs but they can fight and kill each other and almost always need separating - if they haven't injured each other first. Also one can be dominant and bully the other.
www.thehamsterforum.com
Can hamsters live together?
Many people wonder if hamsters can live in pairs or groups. No hamsters should not live together. They are solitary creatures who are territorial but will form a close bond with a human owner. Join our friendly Hamster Community and ask more...
www.thehamsterforum.com
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Dusty's Mom
OH good to know, and I thought so but I was reading somewhere online today about dwarf hamsters saying siblings could live together. But I know there is A LOT online about hamsters that isn't true. From one site to another they will contradict what is said about the care of hamsters. I even saw one site today that said to use pine shavings as bedding.....!! Thanks for the link.Unfortunately you can't really. They need to live alone. There's an article about it on the home page. Unfortunately pet shops will sell them in pairs but they can fight and kill each other and almost always need separating - if they haven't injured each other first. Also one can be dominant and bully the other.
Can hamsters live together?
Many people wonder if hamsters can live in pairs or groups. No hamsters should not live together. They are solitary creatures who are territorial but will form a close bond with a human owner. Join our friendly Hamster Community and ask more...
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Unfortunately there are a lot of sites on the internet with all sorts of bad and out of date information! A lot of them will contradict as well. It's one reason this site was set up to have researched and referenced articles 
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Dusty's Mom
Well, I am so glad this site is here for that very reason. Also I was wondering about the size of the ventilation slots on the Bucastate cage.
On the lid and the sides of the cage....do they need to be meshed over? And if so how do I do that? I figure I could lay a mesh over the lid if
needed but what about the slots on the sides of the cage? The description didn't say how big they are. Dusty is pretty small,
On the lid and the sides of the cage....do they need to be meshed over? And if so how do I do that? I figure I could lay a mesh over the lid if
needed but what about the slots on the sides of the cage? The description didn't say how big they are. Dusty is pretty small,
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@Daisy has it so she might be able to give more information on that . I don’t think it’s an issue as robos are so small that even if they climbed on something they wouldn’t be able to hang from the roof. If the wheel top is almost at roof level that’s perhaps the one area but I can’t see a Robo being able to climb the outside of a wheel.
That’s a good point about the side slots - I asked about that once and I think they were too small for a hamster generally - but a Robo? They are tiny - see what Daisy says.
. I don’t think it’s an issue as robos are so small that even if they climbed on something they wouldn’t be able to hang from the roof. If the wheel top is almost at roof level that’s perhaps the one area but I can’t see a Robo being able to climb the outside of a wheel.That’s a good point about the side slots - I asked about that once and I think they were too small for a hamster generally - but a Robo? They are tiny - see what Daisy says.
The slots at the side are fine. They're less than 1cm wide, about 6mm I believe. The wider gaps in the lid would potentially be big enough for a small Robo to squeeze through, although it's unlikely they'd be able to get up that high as they're not the most agile of creatures. But like you say, it would be easy to put a sheet of mesh under or over the lid to be safe.
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6mm spacing is safe for robos. I can’t really see how a Robo could get to the top if it’s 50cm tall and you have 25cm of bedding. There are no bars to climb. The slits would be too tall to climb and reach the roof. Obviously if you had a large cork log that was only an inch from the roof at the top it would be a risk but they can be pushed down in bedding to keep things low.
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RainbowBrite
I loved seeing little Dusty! He is so cute like a little snowball.
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Ooh I’ve only just seen the video! He’s gorgeous. And a white Robo which is unusual. He doesn’t look that small on the video - my last Robo was smaller than that I think - he was teeny tiny. But then it’s hard to tell from the video. They’re usually about two inches long on average . He looks quite contented there eating. And settling in a bit. It’s lovely to watch a Robo again and their little legs!
. He looks quite contented there eating. And settling in a bit. It’s lovely to watch a Robo again and their little legs!
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Dusty's Mom
Thank you Maz, Daisy and RainbowBrite! He is such a cutie. He does have a darker area running down the middle of his back from the top of his head to the middle of his back, but he is mostly white. I didn't know that was unusual when we got him. We just know he was the cutest hamster we had ever seen. He is about 2 inches long right now. They said he was full grown at the store, but we all know how inaccurate that information can be.
Good to know the slots and the roof are probably not going to be an issue. I have been giving him 3 small slices of baby carrot a day with the same amount of cucumber. He usually eats all of that by morning. I did sprinkle some foraging mix all around this bedding, I cannot tell if he is eating any of that. I do know he gets into the sand bath and digs around some too.
I also bought the Oxbow strawberry treats, Food from the Wild natural snacks (dried carrot, pumpkin seed, peanuts, dried rose petals, sunflower seed, puffed barley, puffed wheat). And another Food from the Wild with Carrot, Marigold, rose petal and spinach and strawberry. Not sure how often to sprinkle that stuff around the cage. Or should I use a foraging box or dish or both. Thank you all again!
Good to know the slots and the roof are probably not going to be an issue. I have been giving him 3 small slices of baby carrot a day with the same amount of cucumber. He usually eats all of that by morning. I did sprinkle some foraging mix all around this bedding, I cannot tell if he is eating any of that. I do know he gets into the sand bath and digs around some too.
I also bought the Oxbow strawberry treats, Food from the Wild natural snacks (dried carrot, pumpkin seed, peanuts, dried rose petals, sunflower seed, puffed barley, puffed wheat). And another Food from the Wild with Carrot, Marigold, rose petal and spinach and strawberry. Not sure how often to sprinkle that stuff around the cage. Or should I use a foraging box or dish or both. Thank you all again!
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Gorgeous little fellow!
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RainbowBrite
I sprinkle forage around my hamsters enclosure but freeze it for one week before using just to ensure any bugs are killed. Even if he is not eating it, at least it is a different texture and scent for him.
I do not feed those kind of hamster treats but things like sunflower seeds are a nice treat now and then. I sprinkle flowers around just like the forage.
I do not feed those kind of hamster treats but things like sunflower seeds are a nice treat now and then. I sprinkle flowers around just like the forage.
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Those treats are all fine for a Robo . I tend to give a treat or “extra” a day, along with the hamster mix and a bit of veg. I think it would be better to give less veg each day though. They only need a tiny amount and the usual thing is a piece of veg no bigger than a hamster’s ear. So quite small. In practice I’d give a piece about half the size of a cubed centimetre.
He might be eating it all or he might be hoarding it and then you’d need to check for rotten food!
. I tend to give a treat or “extra” a day, along with the hamster mix and a bit of veg. I think it would be better to give less veg each day though. They only need a tiny amount and the usual thing is a piece of veg no bigger than a hamster’s ear. So quite small. In practice I’d give a piece about half the size of a cubed centimetre.He might be eating it all or he might be hoarding it and then you’d need to check for rotten food!
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Dusty's Mom
Thanks everyone for good advice on the fresh veg and freezing the forage foods. I used to freeze my bird seed when I had parrots. But I never thought to freeze the stuff I feed the gerbils and hamster. Thanks!
Also do I bake the piece of cholla wood I got from amazon? About 200 degrees for 20 minutes or do I boil it and for how long?
Cholla wood is from the Cholla cactus. It isn't listed in the list of safe woods for hamsters or the list of unsafe woods for hamsters.
Any advice?
Also do I bake the piece of cholla wood I got from amazon? About 200 degrees for 20 minutes or do I boil it and for how long?
Cholla wood is from the Cholla cactus. It isn't listed in the list of safe woods for hamsters or the list of unsafe woods for hamsters.
Any advice?
Apologies I've only just seen this! Teddy is a bit hit and miss with his timings@Emx93 on here has children and a Syrian hamster - maybe she can let you know how it works for them
he will tolerate handling but doesn't really like it so we tend not to push it. Children interact mainly by talking to him and hand feeding treats. I do find he tends to have quite a large in the day wake window though (maybe we are just lucky?) He will tolerate a little head stroke in return for a pumpkin seed. 
Honestly we tend to go by Teddy's lead. He will let us know when he wants to interact and when he doesn't. If you have the grandchildren sit next to the cage and talk to hammie then hammie will get used to their voice and smells etc.
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Dusty's Mom
Thanks so much, Emx93!
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Dusty's Mom
I am shopping for decor for Dusty's cage set up. I was wondering if Resin decor is safe to use.
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RainbowBrite
I am not sure about cholla wood. I know grapevine and java is safe. Maybe you would like to post links of items you are considering?
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