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Roborovski Dwarf Hamster

Roborovski Dwarf Hamster Breed Profile

Origin Gobi Desert, northern China, Mongolia
Genus Asiatic dwarf hamsters
Scientific name Phodopus roborovskii
Size 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm)
Color Sand colors; white spot over the eyes; no dorsal stripe
Lifespan 1.5 to 2.5 years
Personality Doesn’t like climbing, very active, fast, demanding, picky
How to keep them Separately

Roborovski Dwarf Hamster Photo: Dario Vuksanovic/Shutterstock

Characteristics

Roborovski dwarf hamsters are the smallest dwarf hamsters - but they’re also the fastest! They are very curious and active, and spend all day running and flitting about their cages. These little rodents run so far in one night that it would be like a human running four marathons. That’s 4 x 26.21 miles (42.195 km) = 104.87 miles (168.78 km). Roborovski dwarf hamsters also have a nickname - “Robos”. It’s a little easier to say after all! Although these little pets are incredibly cute, they don’t like being petted. Their characters are shy and reserved, and not very tame. Hamster fans respect this and simply love watching their little friends go about their business.

Roborovski Dwarf Hamster Photo: Dario Vuksanovic/Shutterstock


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History

Robos were discovered in 1894 by two scientists - Wsewolod Iwanowitsch Roborowski and Pjotr Kusmitsch Koslow - and named after one of them.

The Smallest Hamster in the World

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the Roborovski dwarf hamster has officially been the smallest hamster species in the world since 2003.

Loner or Group Animal?

Even if you sometimes read the opposite: Roborovski dwarf hamsters are solitary animals and should not be kept in groups! Only very experienced hamster breeders sometimes manage to get them to fall in line, e.g. if family members of the same gender live together for a short time. Anyone that isn’t an expert shouldn’t get involved for the good of the animals.

Needs

Roborovski dwarf hamsters are not very good at climbing. So the cage shouldn’t be very high and should have plenty of floor space. This means your hamster can really wear itself out running around. They should be kept on sand as that’s the ground they live on in the wild. The general rule: at least 1/3 of the cage’s floor should be sand. But it, of course, depends on the individual hamster.

Colors

Robos come in a range of colors: agouti, cinnamon, cream, husky, head spot, black-eyed white, mottled or dominant spot. They are often sand-colored. There are white markings above their eyes that look like raised eyebrows. Their fur is also white around the nose, base of the ears, belly, tail and legs. Robos don’t have a dorsal stripe.


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Anatomy

Robos only grow to 1.5 to 2 inches (4-5 cm) long and weigh 0.7 to one ounce (20-30 grams). They have narrow faces. Their ears are big and round.

Fun Facts

Robos have furry feet as the ground in their natural habitat is mostly sand or smooth rock and hair gives them good grip without slipping.


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