Hamster life expectancy

Seems like a simple answer, right?

Hamsters can make great family pets—as long as you keep a few things in mind. At birth, they are blind and deaf with no fur. At five days, they start to grow fur. At two weeks, they open their eyes. Generally, hamsters stay with their mothers until they are 21 to 28 days old. Hamsters reach sexual maturity at approximately weeks of age. Ideally, they should not be bred until they are at least weeks of age or weigh between grams.

Hamster life expectancy

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. To give your hamster a happy, healthy life, here's what to do to give them the care and attention they need. Hamster fact file There are several different breeds and varieties of hamster, varying in size and temperament. Hamsters usually live for up to two years, although some may live for longer. Here are some top hamster facts: There are 24 species of hamster and they belong to the family Cricetidae. Hamsters enjoy exploring and use their whiskers to help them sense objects in their environment. A hamster's teeth never stop growing and they have a 'self-sharpening' system where the incisors grind against each other while gnawing, which wears the teeth down. Hamsters are nocturnal , with large eyes and a retina dominated by rods - the part of the eye that can function in lower light. Not all hamsters are sociable - in the wild, Syrian hamster adults generally live on their own in their burrows. Other species, such as the Russian dwarf, naturally live in groups.

What They'll Need Cage: Hamsters need a lot of room.

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.

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? Understanding their life expectancy can help you make the commitment to care for one properly. The average life expectancy of a hamster is around years. However, there are a few key factors that influence exactly how long a hamster will live for:.

Hamster life expectancy

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.

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Creating the right home for your hamster. Hamsters do not like loud noises so try to create a quiet, peaceful space for them. These factors have made it harder to get good data on their overall health until now. The wild European hamster , a large specimen of around 35 cm, for example, can live up to 8 years! Bedding: It is important that you only use animal safe bedding, which should be placed in their house. House : Syrian hamsters need a house in their cage so that they can hide away and sleep in peace. By scooping them into a cup you can move them safely from A to B without worrying about them jumping out of your hands until both you and your hamster are more confident with handling. Having just moved into a bigger house she is currently looking at which dog and cats breed would suit her new family so she can fill her house with pets. This is how your cat really sees you, according to an expert. Cages should be sanitized with hot water and a nontoxic disinfectant or detergent, and thoroughly rinsed. Always approach your hamster slowly, make sure they are awake, alert and make eye contact before picking them up.

A hamster lifespan ranges from 1. The average lifespan of a Syrian hamster ranges from 1. The data in the table above should be considered maximum averages because the true average lifespan of a hamster has been shown by a user on the hamsterhideout forum to be just 1.

Over time Syrian hamsters adapt wonderfully to being handled and can be desensitized. For example, shortly after obtaining a pet hamster usually around weeks , they may get diarrhea associated with stress. You can find even more about looking after your pet hamster in our guide to how to take care of your hamster. This happens when they are about a year old. But be patient, go slowly with them and they will get to a point where they are happy to be handled daily and may even be waiting in their enclosure for you ready to play. Yes, being nibbled can hurt a lot but with gentle handling to begin with and time hamsters can become fabulous little furries who will sit in your hand, enjoy a stroke and thrive in your company. Did you know that? Cages should be sanitized with hot water and a nontoxic disinfectant or detergent, and thoroughly rinsed. To give your hamster a happy, healthy life, here's what to do to give them the care and attention they need. Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates on all things Petopedia. Melissa Witherell is originally from Connecticut. Do allow your pet to settle in for 24 hours before handling it for the first time. Any hamster that is a year and a half old is considered elderly.