Should I Get A Robo or Syrian?

[twig978]

Im a first time hamster owner and am very good at pets but i was wondering If there is anything different from Syrians. Is it ok if I only get one or will it get lonely? Do they also have a risk of diabities? Are they fun to handle and easy?

[Punkygirl0101]

Syrians are solitary animals, and need to be kept alone. So you should only get one. ;)

Syrian hamsters are not like Dwarfs when it comes to diabetes.

Some don't like being handled, it all depends on where they come from and how socialized they are.

[Robocop]

I have previously had syrians and changed to robo's and I absolutely love my Robo's, but you don't get the same connection with them you do with a syrian.

Syrians can only go solo, but Robo's can be kept in 2s,3s,4s...etc, you get the idea. They are social as long as you keep them with the same litter.

If it's your first time with hamsters, I'd definitely go with a syrian. You'll get to bond with them a lot easier, and handle them without hassle. Robo's are fast little suckers, very skittish and take longer to warm up to you, if they even do. I have 3 robo's myself and only one is cool with being in my hand.

But with a syrian, they get to know you quicker, and most hammys will let ya play with them and such. SOME though are more finicky, it's just the luck of the draw.

Go with a syrian :) And I recommends a bin cage(one of those big plastic bins with lids...they work SOOOO well with hammys)

[pinkpink33]

yes bin cages all the way! um a syrian will take much less time to like you, and many people do not have the patience to tame some of the more skittish dwarfs, like robos or campbells (russian). syrians are also slower, and some like being handled (most i believe). if you want one hamster, get a syrian, campbells (russian) dwarf or ww (siberian) dwarf. ww's are hard to find in shops.
i would also advise a male if you want to get a dwarf who likes being held, as the girls are much more independent usually (mine are anyway lol). campbells will take a while to tame if you get one from a pet store, they tend to be nippy (depending on your store). mine took 3 moths but now she's a doll, she licks if i taste of food lol!
i think robos prefer to live in groups (this is what i've heard) whilst the other dwarfs dont usually have a preference. 2 boys will usually get on better than 2 girls, who can get very terrotorial (i speak from experience lol).
most hams are pretty easy to look after, unless you have one with a health problem. a tame ham needs 30mins out to play every night minimum i think. also, a syrian will stay tame even if you go away (leaving ham with a relative/friend), whereas a dwarf will forget you.
a syrian is a good first time ham :) plus there's loads of colours to choose from, and they dont tend to nip. and syrians must always be kept alone!

[pixibubbles]

in have to agree... i;ve had syrians for years and i got my first dwarves a couple of weeksx ago. they're sweet and all that but syrians bond with you better and are easier to keep i think personally. they tend to be hardier... dont suffer from diabetes as frequently as dwarves and there are a lot more things avilable on the market (at elast in uk) for them. plus if they get sick they are easier to help.

my dwarves are still fairly skittish and nervous, whereas all my syrians have been hand tame and friendly within days. b if you have the time to spend with a ham i would say syrian... if not so much i would look at dwarves... they tend to be faiely self-sufficient and dont seem to demand or even want the same level of attention.

[pinkpink33]

robocop, have you had campbells or wws? i was just wondering about the general temperment of robos compared to these, in terms of friendlyness etc. it took 3 months to tame mitsy, but then overnight she decided i was her best bud and now quite likes being taken out of her cage for a climb about my arms and shoulders. so it was well worth it! is the same thing possible for the majority of robos? i've never kept any but would maybe geta pair one day.

[pinkpink33]

i would agree with pixi on a general level, i guess my syrian just hasnt bonded with me yet. she's not really interested in me and doesnt seem to like being handled / played with either. i've had her for 2 weeks, and i intend to keep trying with her for a good while yet. personally i think i'll always be a dwarf girl though!

[pixibubbles]

LOL
i keep thinking that i nedver got bit by syrians,,, clover on the other hand, my sweeter than sweet innocent looking chinese dwarf? VAMPIRE lol