Hamsters age expectancy

Seems hamsters age expectancy 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.

How old is my hamster? If you've ever found yourself asking this question, this hamster age calculator will answer all of your queries. Hamster life expectancy is much lower than humans, cats and even dogs, as it is, in general, between 2 and 3 years. Have you ever wondered how old the oldest hamster is? The oldest hamster ever to live in captivity was 4. An old hamster age differs based on their type, e.

Hamsters age expectancy

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. Gestation periods are quite short, at days. By about 14 months of age, hamsters are no longer able to breed. On average, hamsters live about months, with the Syrian hamster breed more likely to live longer than dwarf varieties. Any hamster that is a year and a half old is considered elderly. Like many other animals, domesticated hamsters live longer than their wild cousins.

This rodent is twice the size of a common golden hamsters age expectancy. She also has over 5 years experience working with vets, wildlife experts and animal behaviourists in her comms roles for various animal charities. How do you give your hamster its best life.

Published: 23 Jun Last Updated: 23 Jun The average lifespan of pet hamsters was 1. Hamsters are popular pets worldwide, often being the first pet that a child will own as their own. Despite this popularity, there has been very little research into the health issues of these beloved rodents kept as pets to date. Often purchased by parents as short-commitment pets, hamsters are brought to the vets less frequently than other companion animals such as cats and dogs. These factors have made it harder to get good data on their overall health until now. Previously, owners and vets largely had to rely on personal experience, small research studies and anecdotal reports.

The hamster life cycle may not be very long, but they do have lives which are full of fun! The longest lived hamster on average is the Roborovski dwarf hamster. They live for an average of 3 to 3. Roborovski Hamster: 3 to 3. Though these are only averages, the life span of individual hamsters can vary quite considerably. So, you know approximately how long your hamster is likely to live, but do you know what will happen during its life? After a short gestation period , hamsters are born in varying sizes of litter from one up to as many of twenty babies!

Hamsters age 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. The longest hamster lived for 4.

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If their cage is not big enough they can become distressed. Previously, owners and vets largely had to rely on personal experience, small research studies and anecdotal reports. Creating the right home for your hamster. If the hamster becomes slower and does not want to exercise as much as before, it may be reaching old age. Web Site. Search Term. Certain foods such as iceberg lettuce, peanuts and citrus fruits should also be avoided to keep your hamster healthy. People also viewed See all. Hamsters that live in a domestic environment, continuously monitored and pampered, have an average lifespan of between 1. In the wild, hamsters are targeted by predators including owls and foxes. Vet reveals six reasons why and what to do about it. Syrian hamsters commonly suffer from heart disease, amyloidosis, and pneumonia.

Last Updated on: 22nd July , pm. Before getting a pet hamster, you must find out how long different species live.

This rodent is twice the size of a common golden hamster. You will also find out what the lifespan of a hamster is. Parents can now help their children with realistic expectations of how long their hamster may live and what are the most common conditions to look out for to protect the health of these delightful little creatures. Hamsters that live in a domestic environment, continuously monitored and pampered, have an average lifespan of between 1. Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? Most pet hamsters only tend to live between 1. Hamsters not only need exercise to stay healthy, but happy too. This research will help vet students, veterinary team members, and owners to work together to ensure better care and hopefully improve the welfare of many future generations of these precious pets. The European hamster, for example, can live for up to 8 years. Visit our rat cage calculator for helpful tips on how to build the best home for you furry friend! Hamsters reach peak fertility just before a year, however at around 12 months they may become infertile. The hamster age calculator will automatically find the corresponding value in human years. Share this