Desert hamster, Robo, Roborovski dwarf hamster, Robo dwarf hamster, Dwarf hamster
The Roborovski hamster (Phodopus roborovskii) is the smallest of three species of hamster in the genus Phodopus. It lives in the deserts of Central Asia and its average lifespan is only 2-3 years. These tiny creatures are known for their speed and have been said to run up to 9.6 km (6 miles) a night.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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FossorialA fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withRoborovski hamsters are the smallest of all hamster species. They are distinguished by eyebrow-like white spots and by the lack of any dorsal stripe. Their fur is soft and has a sandy color. Currently, 10 variations of Roborovski hamsters are confirmed. Among them are: agouti, "white face", "husky", "mottled" or "pied", "platinum", "head spot", "white-from-white-faced" or "dark-eared white", "white-from-pied" or "pure white" and "red-eyed".
Roborovski hamsters are found in the basin of the lake Zaysan in Kazakhstan and regions of Tuva, Mongolia, and Xinjiang in China. They inhabit sandy deserts and areas of loose sand and sparse vegetation and are rarely found in areas of dense vegetation and solid clay substrates. Their efficient use of water makes them particularly suited to the steppe and desert regions they inhabit.
Roborovski hamsters are generally solitary animals. However, they may live in pairs while not rearing young. They dig and live in burrows with steep tunnels as deep as six feet underground. Roborovski hamsters don't hibernate during the winter months, even during extremely low temperatures. They remain underground in winter and survive in that season by stockpiling some food in warmer weather and storing it in special food chambers within their burrow system. In the wild, Roborovski hamsters are crepuscular, being most active at dawn and dusk. These hamsters are known for their speed and have been said to run an equivalent of four human marathons each night on average.
Roborovski hamsters are omnivorous; they primarily eat grains, vegetables, fruit, and plants, but they will also eat meat and insects in small quantities.
Little is known about the mating system and reproductive habits of Roborovski hamsters. The breeding season lasts between April and September. Females produce three to four litters. The litter size is between three and nine, with an average of six. The gestation period lasts 20-22 days. Young weigh 1-2 grams (0.035-0.074 oz) at birth and open their eyes by day 14. Females stop nursing their pups after 18 days from birth and they become independent at 20 days of age. Females become reproductively mature at 2 months of age and males at 2.5 months of age.
There are no major threats to Roborovski hamsters. However, they suffer from the degradation of their habitat due to increasing numbers of livestock. These animals are also threatened by increased mortality and by different chemical pollution.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the Robovski hamster total population size. This animal is common and widespread throughout its known range. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Roborovski hamsters have become increasingly popular as pets in recent years, however, they are best suited to life as merely observational creatures, with limited interaction between them and humans, due to their increased activity levels that lead to a high stress predisposition and decreased ease of handling when compared to other domestic hamster species.
On average, Roborovski hamsters will live 26 months in captivity.
Although claimed to be hypoallergenic, Roborovski hamsters have been associated with the development of asthma in previously asymptomatic owners.
In rare emergency situations, a shallow dish of warm water may be necessary to clean harmful substances from a hamster's fur; however, under normal circumstances, hamsters should never be bathed in water as, aside from being incredibly stressful, this can remove vital protective oils from their coat, which can be very dangerous and potentially fatal. Hamsters frequently groom themselves, and instead of water, a sand bath should be offered to help them stay clean and healthy.
