A Guide to Breeding Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters (Article)

 

Milkbun Hamstery's
Guide to Breeding 
Roborovski Dwarf Hamsters 
(Phodopus roborovskii)
 



My name is Hannah. I have been a hamster lover and enthusiast for most of my life - in December 2024, it will have been 11 years in the hamster hobby. My enthusiasm for hamsters first began when I was nine years old, and I bought my first hamster. As you may have guessed, it was indeed a Robo. A female Agouti Roborovski that I promptly called 'Cupcake'. Like they are commonly known for, Cupcake was not very cuddly. She was quite the skittish little creature, and I could hardly touch her. But I thought she was the best thing ever.

After her, I had two more female Agouti Robos, who I called 'Silk' and 'Velvet'.

From a young age, I had always been interested in the concept of selective breeding, and how that has historically manifested into domestication. Choosing offspring based the individuals' unique goals, and how drastically it affects genetic temperament, appearance, and health - it is amazing.

Like all breeders, I started off as a pet owner with only 1-2 hamsters at a time to spoil. There certainly is a transition between being a pet owner and being a breeder. The experiences, highs, and lows gives you a unique perspective on life, and a deeper understanding of the species you work with. Sometimes, it can inadvertently cause a ridge between the two groups. However, there are animal communities where both owners and breeders have a mutual respect and reliance on one another, and it is my hope that one day hamsters will become one of them.

When I was first researching breeding hamsters, it became abundantly clear that the hamster fancy has a significantly shorter history than most others. Europeans began breeding rats in the 18th century. The dawn of fancy mice has been traced back to at least 17th century Japan.

Comparatively, Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were first raised in captivity in the year 1930. As you can imagine, the capture and breeding of dwarf hamsters is even more recent. Of all of the species of hamsters (side note: We must remember that excluding the Campbell & Winter White, each of the species are so distinct and far removed that they cannot interbreed, and generally have very different personalities, social mannerisms, and environmental preferences) the Roborovski (Phodopus roborovskii) has been the most recent hamster addition to the pet trade. 


What does this say about the Robo? Well, considering that Syrians and 'Russian' dwarfs comes in a dazzling array of colors and known as 'more friendly', it means that we need more breeders to:

1. Improve and maintain docile and friendly temperaments with a lowered flight response. 

2. Improve and develop a standardized type.

3. Potentially discover new colors and coat types.



So let's get started!











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