In the wild the Roborovski Hamsters are sociable living in groups.

They live in a straight burrow within the sand dunes which can extend from between 50cm to 150cm in length and the entrance is usually covered in soft sand.

They sleep during the day, waking only for short periods. They are nocturnal and awake at dusk, being active at night. Their sight is poor but their sense of smell and hearing are very acute and they rely heavily on these senses to recognise each other and their environment.

In Captivity

In captivity the Roborovski Hamster is a sociable pet and is best kept with others of its own kind as to keep them singly is thought to shorten its lifespan and make them agitated. They can be kept in single sex or mixed sex pairs or groups if breeding is intended.

Due to their small size Roborovski Hamsters are able to squeeze through the bars of many commercial hamster cages.

Roborovski Hamsters are extremely fast, active and agile and therefore require a large cage with plenty of space and toys to amuse them in order to prevent behavioural problems developing.

The Roborovski Hamster is nocturnal but is often active for short periods during the day.