Dwarf hamsters or Russian dwarf hamster are hamster species that make excellent pets for both children and adults.
They are one of two major types of hamsters; Syrian hamsters and dwarf hamsters.
Unlike the Syrian hamster, they are sociable and can live well with others of their species.
Their ability to live peacefully with the other animals depends on whether they were correctly introduced to them from the early stages or not.
Compared to larger rodents, they are easier to look after. So what is the Robo hamster lifespan?
Get to know Robo hamster lifespan
There are different dwarf hamster breeds, but their lifespan is generally up to three years.
Various factors could shorten their lifespan, but there are also practices you could look into to make them live longer.
The Robo dwarf hamster lifespan is about 3-3.5 years when kept in captivity. Those in the wild will lead a shorter life because of environmental hardship and predators.
This hamster is the smallest dwarf hamster species and has the most extended lifespan compared to all other dwarf hamsters.
For your hamster to live a more extended life, ensure you provide an excellent diet.
Try and find a safe and comfortable cage, address potential health issues quickly, and meet their exercise needs.
And matters on their diet ensure you explore the do’s and don’ts of what a hamster can eat, probably start of with finding out can hamsters eat grapes.
Health concerns with dwarf hamsters
Hamsters can go through various health issues that could either end their lives or develop into more critical health issues for the longest time.
To prevent those health issues, ensure that your hamster receives proper care.
Firstly, you need to acknowledge that dwarf hamsters, too, can catch a common cold.
Hence, when you are under the weather yourself, do not get too close to your pet.
Please wash your hands anytime you want to feed them, change their water or clean their cage.
When you are not feeling well, ask a friend to do it for you to protect the pet.
Dwarf hamsters can also fall victim to various stomach and intestinal health issues.
Conditions such as “wet tail in hamsters” and Tyzzer’s disease occur in these pets.
These illnesses are characterized by diarrhea, hunching of the spine, dampness, or fecal matter around the tail.
Therefore, when you notice these symptoms, take your pet to the hamster to treat any dehydration and administer antibiotics.
Robo hamster life span and diet
Just like human beings, a proper diet is essential when it comes to the health of hamsters.
They need fresh foods to supplement pellets and other dry foods to ensure that the pet consumes all the necessary nutrients to boost the Robo hamster lifespan.
You can give those carrots, leafy greens, lettuce, spinach, and apples to ensure they have plenty of iron in their system for fresh fruits and vegetables.
You can also invest in vitamin supplements for hamsters and other products to provide minerals and other nutrients vital to the hamster.
Vitamins supplements are not mandatory because, for the most part, vegetables and specific pellets will work just fine.
When it comes to seed mixes, ensure they eat all the different seeds varieties. Some hamsters could get picky.
They would eat the seeds they like and leave out the rest, and this will have them missing out on the essential nutrients.
If you notice this behavior in your hamster, try mixing the seeds with other vegetables or change their diet completely.
Robo dwarfs are usually considered omnivorous.
So other than vegetables and fruits, they eat insects and meat too. The daily intake of this hamster depends on its body weight.
The young hamsters need a greater diet compared to the adult hamsters. As a dwarf hamster owner, ensure their diet is rich in proteins too.
Proteins for them could be grasshoppers, insects, and mealworms.
To increase your hamster’s lifespan, do not feed them apple seeds, chocolates, and the green part of the tomato as it is toxic for hamsters.
Also avoid the acidic citrus fruits, aubergine, garlic, onion, peppers, etc and meat with higher fat.
Dwarf hamster exercise
When you can affirm that their diet is perfect, start focusing on some fun hamster exercises.
Robo hamster lifespan depends on exercises, too, just like humans do. Firstly, ensure that its enclosure is big enough for them to run around in.
You could also invest in toys such as exercise wheels and chew toys to stimulate them to get up and move around instead of remaining seated for more extended periods.
Another form of exercise is filling their cage deeper with litter to have something to burrow into, as that is their nature.
A dwarf hamster can live up to 5 years with proper exercise and diet.
With all the available toys for hamsters, you should watch out for injuries.
The hamster cages are designed to improve the pet’s life, but they often break their legs in wire wheels.
You need to realize that the wire wheels can be more dangerous than they appear to be.
To better your hamster’s life, ensure that you get a solid surfaced cage.
Taking care of older dwarf hamsters
When your dwarf hamster gets older, they will require extra care.
Pay attention to their every move and change in habits.
When they get older, their movements become slow, their energy will decrease every day, and you will notice they spend less time on the wheel.
In such times, it would be best to focus on activities such as sleeping and resting more.
They will begin to lose weight and interest in foods and treats.
Their eyesight will become dull, and they will start to lose their fur.
Ensure that you make their daily tasks easy by keeping their food and water a shorter distance from them.
Try and also keep their surroundings calm and quiet to enhance their rest.
Choosing the right hamster
You can increase a dwarf hamster’s lifespan from the moment you choose them from the shop.
Since they have a shorter lifespan, you want to buy a younger one so you will be able to maximize the time you get to spend with them.
Another tip is to buy them in pairs because they are social pets. Keeping them in a pair also plays a part in making them live longer.
When buying the hamster from the shop, ensure it has clear eyes, be alert and active, and has skin free from scabs and bald spots.
Ensure you buy from a reliable pet shop where you get to look into the history of the hamster first.