Hamster life expectancy

Hamsters can make great family pets—as long as you keep hamster life expectancy few things in mind. At birth, they are blind and deaf with no fur. At five days, they start to grow fur.

Hamsters make wonderful pets, especially for children, but the downside to having these furry friends as playmates is that they have quite a short life expectancy. Most pet hamsters only tend to live between 1. Surprisingly wild hamsters can live for longer. The European hamster, for example, can live for up to 8 years. However they have a shorter average life expectancy than pet hamsters as their young are often killed by predators. Fortunately they have a very high reproduction rate, which helps them survive. Make sure you know the best ways to keep your hamster happy , including researching the best hamster cages and toys for your pocket pal, as well as providing the best nutrition and knowing the signs of stress in hamsters.

Hamster life expectancy

Seems like a simple answer, right? Not all hamsters were created equal. The life expectancy may differ from species to species. These are only averages, but you'll notice that the lifespan of a hamster is a lot lower than that of other pets. The oldest hamster in the Guinness Book of World Records made it to a stunning 4. Did you know that? Of course you can ensure that your rodent leads a fulfilled, healthy and relatively long life. How do you make that happen? Unlike guinea pigs, hamsters are omnivores: they also need to eat animal proteins. High-quality hamster food provides this food source.

There is hamster life expectancy huge range available for Syrian hamsters from rope toys to ladders, but you can also have fun creating toys from cardboard for them to play with and chew.

Hamsters are fun animals and can make good first pets for children, provided you understand what they need to be healthy and happy. Find out more about them on this page, and then why not take a look at all the hamsters we have available for rehoming? Why not have a read of our full Hamster fact file? Find out everything you need to know about keeping hamsters as pets in our series of handy guides to hamsters, including their:. You can find even more about looking after your pet hamster in our guide to how to take care of your hamster. Making sure your hamster has a suitable place to live is the first step to keeping your pet healthy and happy.

Usually a hamster will live for about years at most. This is the average lifespan, and there are many examples that have outlived 3 years, or never reached a year. The average lifespan varies for each hamster breed. The longest lived hamster breed is the Roborovski Dwarf up to 4 years , while the shortest is the Chinese Dwarf a little under 2 years. Of course, there are hamsters who can outlive the average, like cases of Syrian hammies living for years in captivity. Still, there are some very crucial factors influencing how long and even how well your hamster friend is going to live. Some of them you can control, some are out of your hands. So keep in mind that the inherited traits — like breed , genetics, illness — will outweigh the elements you can control. Otherwise he might have lived a much shorter life. When you go to the pet store and see all the available hammies, you will probably have to choose between a Syrian and a Dwarf type.

Hamster life expectancy

Why is it important to find out how long hamsters live before buying one? In most cases, your pet will be completely reliant on you for its care. Of course, this applies to all pets and is as true for hamsters as it is for cats, dogs or any other animal you choose to keep. Many different factors affect hamster lifespan and how long your own pet hamster lives will depend on these factors. That said, it is possible to give a rough idea of how long your hamster is likely to live, based on the average hamster lifespan. Of course, this is just an average. Some hamsters will live for this amount of time, some hamsters will live for longer, and some hamsters will, unfortunately, have shorter lives.

Ian tonge

Menu search. Email Address. If your hamster is a little too jumpy to pick up safely, we recommend using a plastic cup to get you started. After a short gestation period of only days, a hamster gives birth to pups on average. Of course you can ensure that your rodent leads a fulfilled, healthy and relatively long life. Hamsters need a lot of space to run and play. However, diarrhea can occur at any age. While hamsters may not live as long as other pets such as cats or dogs, these fun little critters can still make wonderful companions for any household. The pups are born deaf, blind and hairless. How long can a hamster live? They are, however, one of the few animals born with teeth. If you want to know how to care for a hamster and ways to help your hamster live longer these are the factors you need to consider:.

Hamsters make wonderful pets. They are cute, friendly, low maintenance, and inexpensive. For those considering getting a hamster, one common question that arises is what is the average life expectancy of a hamster?

It should not feel bloated or bony. References Brown, Susan. Accept All Cookies. Certain foods such as iceberg lettuce, peanuts and citrus fruits should also be avoided to keep your hamster healthy. Differential Diagnosis in Hamsters. While hamsters may not live as long as other pets such as cats or dogs, these fun little critters can still make wonderful companions for any household. Many people are nervous when handling hamsters due to the fear of being bitten. Hamsters living in the wild have life chances that vary greatly. Although little, these cute mammals with a little time and patience can be taught their name, pick up routines easily, litter train themselves and will even do some simple tricks if taught gradually. The ideal temperature for a hamster is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the ideal humidity is about 40 percent. This means providing them with a variety of toys that are safe for them, but also keep them physically and mentally stimulated. Here are our tips for making sure your hamster has the diet they need to stay happy and healthy.