Roborovski hamsters.

Question
QUESTION: I'm getting 4 roborovski hamsters and I'm going to get them all same sexed and from the same litter.
Then put them in the same cage, I'm going to get the CritterTrail X and I know that is small so I'm going to add-on either the Rotastak Super Pod or the CritterTrail Z.

So my question is, is that big enough for 4 and will they get territorial over each cage..

I don't think they will because they are really social..

But answer it anyway thanks.

ANSWER: Dear Craig,
thank you for your question.
Roborovski hamsters live as breeding pairs in the wild, with huge territories and the chance to change partners if they want to. Living with other hamsters of the same sex is not natural for them and in almost all cases, the hamsters will fight sooner or later. Being from the same litter doesn't change much. So I don't really recommend getting more than one hamster.

The CritterTrail cages are too small and all the plastic is not suitable for rodents at all, it can be deadly when chewed and swallowed. Vemtilation is also very bad inside those cages. One dwarf hamster needs a cage that is at least 30x15x15" long, wide and high, they need that much uninterrupted floor space. Smaller cages connected with each other can't replace that. You can see good hamster homes, most of the homemade here:
http://www.tierische-eigenheime.de.tl/Gehege.htm
(measurements in m/cm 1 inch=2,54 cm, 1 m=about 3 ft)
If you use an old tank it mustn't be higher than wide to ensure good ventilation and the tank should have a lid made from wire netting. wooden cages should be varnished with non-toxic acryllic paint (the kind safe for toys) three or fours times to make it pee-safe.
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Okay thanks, but I have talked to a robo specialist and he said, if you don't want babies roborovski's are best in same sex pairs of female and female, and I've taken your advice.

Do you think this is okay?

2 female robos in a 30 gallon tank, that i will design

the measurements are: 30X12X18

Is that okay..

By the way, A vet told me robo's are the best and most social animals, and some people consider it cruel to keep them on their own.

and I've know 2 male hamsters tic and tac, live happily for 4 years?

Answer
I definitely didn't mean to say that you should get a male and a female. The breeders's right of course, you would drown in hamster babies after a few weeks. But it's still not natural for them to live in pairs of the same sex and it usually doesn't work out. There are a few exceptions, hamsters do have different personalities, and often the owners don't notice the fights because they only happen late at night and don't get bloody. But that doesn't mean that both animals are not stressed by constantly running into each other and having to establish who is the dominant one.

If you do some research on wild Roborosvki hamster, you will find that they almost never are found in groups. They may gather during the winter in larger groups to keep warm, but other wise they live in pairs, with juveniles that are still dependent on their mother.

There is no really good solution for this, which is why I actually think that dwarf hamsters don't make good pets. We can't give them what they need to show their natural behaviour, unless you breed them and that will result in a flood of babies that no-one really wants. An option would be to keep two hamster of the same sex in separate cages so that they can smell each other and maybe meet each other when they have time outside the cage. That way, each has its own territory, but they can still interact with another hamster. But Roborovski hamsters are so small that they are better kept inside their cage at all times, they can squeeze through the smallest cracks. The meetings may end with a fight, too, depending on how good the hamsters get along. Neutering the male might be an option, but I have never heard of anyone who tried that and I don't know if it would really work, so I don't recommend trying it.

If you want to get the two females, keep a really close eye on them and watch for fights, even if they look harmless. The tank sounds good, if you build second levels, keep in mind that they cannot climb very well. They will climb, though, and are prone to fall - some hamster just let themselves fall when they want to come down again, no matter how high up they are.

I hope this is of some help to you
Jennifer