questions on robos

Question
Hi,im thinking of getting a robo some time next year...although i have
kept a hamster before...i was very young then and my parents would
take care of it. Its my first time taking care of a hamster
independentlyand im wandering if a robo makes a good beginner and
what kind of cage to use  

Answer
Dear Elizabeth,
thank you for your question.
Robo dwarfs are tiny and can't be handled. They may get tame enough to take food out of your hand, but mostly they are for watching. Time outside their cage is not such a good idea, since they are skittish and may get lost somehwhere in the room, they also usually prefer to stay inside their cage.

If you are okay with having a pet that's not for handling (but very interesting to watch), then a Roborovski is not that hard to take care of. You would need a tank, at least 100x50x50cm (1cm=2,54inches) - hamsters all love to run and dig and they do need all that room despite being so small. Wire cages are not suitable because the hamster fits through the bars of most cages and plastic cages like Critter Trail are way too small and badly ventilated. Also, several small connected cages cannot replace the uninterrupted floor space of a big cage/tank.

A tank also has the advantage that you can add a very thick layer of bedding without any falling out even when the hamster pushes it all to one side or throws it around while digging. A sandbath with chinchilla sand (not normal sand, which is too coarse) is important for the hamster's fur to prevent it from getting too greasy.

Most hamster foods contain too many big seeds for Robos. A good food for them would contain mostly small seeds (like in canary and parakeet food) with some grains, very few sunflower seeds and nuts. They mustn't have any sugar, honey or fruit because they are susceptible to diabetes and other disease. It's also not part of their natural diet. Animal protein in the form of insects (mealworms, crickets, locusts, silkworms - alive or dead/dried) is important and should be offered daily.

I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer