I have two at the moment. ^_^
They actually aren't that friendly, really. They're not mean, but more often than not they're too hyper to be held. I don't really handle either of mine. My male is a rescue and too terrified of people, and my female just doesn't like to have to be still in my hand! If you want to be able to hold them, you'll have to put in a lot of work to socialize them and still hope you get lucky. Most hamster people consider Robos to be more of a "fun to watch but not to be handled" kind of pet, like tarantulas and scorpions. I will also say that if you hold one and drop it onto the floor, you will probably never catch it.
Robos are the most likely hamster species to successfully be kept together, but even still the odds are not great. If you want to try a pair, do same-sex siblings. Always have a spare cage on standby for if/when they need to be separated. They will squabble from time to time (which will wake you up if they're in your bedroom!), but if it results in blood they need to be separated or one or both will end up dead. Some pairs will go six months or even a year before they need to be separated, so always be prepared.
Also keep in mind that Robos are super active runners and they need plenty of space and a good quality wheel. A 20 gallon tank or similar sized cage is the minimum for one, and a pair would need even more room. Barred cages are also not such a god idea unless you cover the cage with wire mesh, because they can get through the bars of almost all cages. Most Robo owners do bin cages, which are clear plastic storage tubs converted into a cage. (I use bin cages.)
I've never heard that about urination, and I can tell you from experience that if they urinate less than my other hamsters, it sure doesn't smell like it. @_@
Robos are the cutest things on the planet, though. Here are mine:
Maksim, lounging in his sand box. <3
Dasha, a marbled-pattern mutation that's new to the trade.
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