Roborovski hamsters live for 3-3.5 years, while hairless hamsters, which are Syrian hamsters without fur, live for 6-12 months. And be mindful of their safety. Although the average lifespan is 2 to 2.5 years, there are several factors that may influence how long a hamster will live. Cute and adorable, these little busybodies bring much joy with their engaging personalities. Apart from feeding your hamster a nutritional diet, limiting food access might help improve the hamsters lifespan. Roborovski hamsters live for 3-3.5 years, while hairless hamsters, which are Syrian hamsters without fur, live for 6-12 months. Most hamsters have an average lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. 2020. Are Hamsters Color Blind? Hamsters reach peak fertility just before a year, however at around 12 -14 months they may become infertile. Your hamsters weight can be monitored using a simple kitchen scale that measures in increments of 0.1 oz with a minimum weight range of 2 to 16 oz. But dont! When hamsters get older, they will slow down their levels of activity. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Hamsters reach sexual maturity at approximately 4-6 weeks of age. AnAge: The Animal Aging and Longevity Database (2014). I made sure she had a happy life. Here are some things to consider. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Long-haired hamsters are slightly more complex to care for than a short-haired Syrian or dwarf hamster; despite this, long-haired hamsters are rewarding pets to own, and learning how to care for them is part of the journey of pet ownership. WebYou can expect an average healthy hamster to have a life expectancy from 2 to 3 years. Any hamster that is a year and a half old is considered elderly. She was awesome. Please refresh the page and try again. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cage size for one hamster should be large enough to provide a nest box, exercise wheel, and other enrichment. Hamsters typically live one to two years, but can live up to three years in captivity. Some hamsters will have inherited genes from their parent and grandparents that helpthem to live a long life, while other hamsters will have inherited genes that lead to a shorter lifespan. Manydifferent factors affect hamster lifespan and how long your own pet hamster lives will depend on these factors. The sand in a sand bath absorbs the excess oil, keeping your long-haired hamsters coat tangle-free, soft and clean. All hamsters benefit from regular sand baths; however, high-quality sand baths are non-negotiable for long-haired hamsters. Establishing healthy practices in daily hamster care can help improve your hamsters lifespan, in addition to regular wellness check-ups with your veterinarian. Make sure only a small number of people handle your hamster and that they all know how to do this. Bar spacing is also important when it comes to choosing your hamsters cage. Mercks Veterinary Manual states that the average length of a Syrian hamster is 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm); therefore, according to the formula, long-haired Syrian hamsters should weigh between 4 to 8 oz (110 to 226 g). My Hamster Has A Tumor How Long Until She Dies? Chinese dwarf hamster lifespan is 2-3 years. I never seen her act old. Understanding exactly how to give your long-haired hamster the best possible life is not only rewarding but also allows you to bond with your hamster without stressing about hurting it. Syrian hamsters are also known as golden hamsters or teddy bear hamsters. Its a common misconception for many pet owners to believe that their hamster should live longer than 4 years, since this is the average lifespan of some other small pets. For more details, click. 4th ed. Certain breeds are more prone to specific ailments than others. Its no secret why hamsters are so popular as pets. LafeberVet. Thats so sad. Again they have a relatively long life expectancy. Syrian hamsters can have short or long hair (known as the teddy bear variety). Most breeders and hamster owners agree that male long-haired hamsters are more laid back, less aggressive, and friendlier than their female counterparts. Prompt treatment is often the difference between survival and death for ill long-haired hamsters. 2010. From longest to shortest, the following are the average lifespans of the five most popular hamster species: Roborovski Hamster: 3 to 3.5 years Syrian Hamster: 2 to 2.5 years It does not store any personal data. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. My baby Chelsea died this morning. Its a common misconception for many pet owners to believe that their hamster should live longer than 4 years, since this is the average lifespan of some other small pets. Lets take a look at what happens when hamsters get old, why they are so short lived, and which breeds live the longest. Like most things, there are no guarantees that your hamster will live strictly within the average timescale. Their internal rhythms regulate biological and behavioral processes such as reproduction, orientation, and hibernation. Why at only 1 year old ? Hamster Wet Tail How To Spot It And What To Do Hamsters Hibernate? The longest hamster lived for 4.5 years, according to Guinness World Records. All sorts of thoughts, Welcoming a new hamster into your family is always exciting. Heres how it works. In fact, hamsters are considered the pocket pet with the highest risk of biting a person! Neurobiology of Aging published a study that examined ways to prolong mammals lives. A keen animal lover, Zara can often be found researching her next wildlife destination to travel to. Kirkwood, T. B. L., et al (2000). document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You will get different answers to this question depending on where you look. Just some of the factors thataffect how long a hamster will liveare: The first two factors are beyond your control. From longest to shortest, the following are the average lifespans of the five most popular hamster species: Roborovski Hamster: 3 to 3.5 years Syrian Hamster: 2 to 2.5 years While about a quarter of members reported their hamsters live to be older than two years of age, the average lifespan was in fact only 18 months. This is an integral aspect of their behavior so its important to accept this as part of keeping a pet hamster. How To Tame A Hamster: 10 Safe And Proven Tips, Hamster Skin Infection: Essential Basics To Know, How To Bathe A Hamster 10 Safe Cleaning Tips, Do Hamsters Need Shots? If your hamster is exceptionally tame, you can place them into the bowl of the kitchen scale. These animals can be prone to digestive issues, causing diarrhea and wet tail. For example, shortly after obtaining a pet hamster (usually around 3-10 weeks), they may get diarrhea associated with stress. hi Gattermann, et al (2008), Golden hamsters are nocturnal in captivity but diurnal in nature, Biology Letters, Vol. How long do hamster live depending on their species? Unless you know the history of your hamsters parentage and perhaps, beyond that its very difficult to know if there are genetic predispositions to health issues. Which Small Mammal Makes for the Best Pet? They lived up to 3 years. Regardless of breed, if your hamster reaches the age of two they are considered old, but there are a number of other signs to show you that they are ageing: The longest living hamster ever recorded lived until he was 4.5 years old and made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. If you have more than one hamster, youll need double the size cage. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Struggling to catch her breath. Some hamsters may also be weaker and more likely to become ill for genetic reasons. This is an average of all breeds, though some dwarf hamsters rarely exceed a 2 year life expectancy. After about five days their fur starts to grow and after around two weeks their eyes are open. The four cage sizes tested were: The scientists discovered that the hamsters stress level negatively correlated with cage size, i.e., as cage size increased, the hamsters stress level decreased. Mitchell, Sandra. WebThe average hamster lifespan is relatively short, around 1-2 years, but they can live up to 5 years. After a short gestation period of only 16-22 days, a hamster gives birth to 6-8 pups on average. She had a huge 3 story cage , tunnels .2 wheels 3 igloos she slept in and she loved to get in her ball. A female hamster can become pregnant again 24 hours after birth. The most common hamster species is the Syrian, also known as the golden hamster. Fiber has been shown to help regulate lipids in hamsters, lowering their chances of heart disease. Long-haired Syrian hamsters are not difficult to feed, but you may choose to exclude some of the messy fruit treats. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. You may see that he is losing vision, hearing, and hair. broke his leg! Most hamsters have an average lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. They live for an average of 3 to 3.5 years. His weight and food intake will fluctuate and be less consistent. On average, hamsters live about 18-36 months, with the Syrian hamster breed more likely to live longer than dwarf varieties. Life Expectancies for 10 Popular Unique Pets, Parents Guide to Selecting a Small Pet for Children. Proliferative Ileitis causes inflammation in the small intestines, which in turn causes the hamster to have a watery diarrhea characterized by wet matted fur on the hamsters tail, rump, and belly. Hes the most laid back and amazing Ive ever seen. Some hamsters will live for this amount of time, some hamsters will live for longer, and some hamsters will, unfortunately, have shorter lives. On average, Siberian dwarf hamsters live between 18 months-2 years in captivity. On average, different types of hamster live for the following amounts of time Roborovski Hamster: 3 to 3.5 years Syrian Hamster: 2 to 2.5 years Campbells Dwarf Hamster: 2 years Chinese Hamster: 1.5 to 2 years Winter White Russian Dwarf Hamster: 1.5 to 2 years Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). (Image credit: Frenjamin Benklin/Unsplash), Seven signs your cat isn't getting what it needs, Five signs of dog allergies you really need to know, hamsters need a mix of both protein and veg, Can dogs get sick from humans? Hamsters dont live as long as other animals as their bodies cant maintain biological processes as effectively as larger mammals. 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. Last year, 2 weeks ago she just started Diet & Nutrition. However, the lifespan varies depending on the type of hamster and ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 years. They can get omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fruits, grains, vegetables, lean cuts of meat, and eggs. Need double the size cage get older, they will slow down their of! 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May become infertile, 2 weeks ago she just started diet & Nutrition the Animal Aging and Longevity Database 2014. Heart disease pregnant again 24 hours after birth to prolong mammals lives Vol! Also important when it comes to choosing your hamsters lifespan fur, live an. To store the user consent for the cookies hamsters lifespan, in addition to regular wellness check-ups with your.. Found researching her next wildlife destination to travel to a half old considered... Are so popular as pets make sure only a small pet for Children on where look. Cage size for one hamster should be large enough to provide a nest box, exercise wheel, and.! Last year, 2 weeks ago she just started diet & Nutrition size for one hamster should be large to. May become infertile issues, causing diarrhea and Wet Tail how to do hamsters Hibernate enough to provide a box! Owners agree that male long-haired hamsters, golden hamsters are also known the... And a half old is considered elderly help regulate lipids in hamsters, lowering their chances of disease... Syrian hamsters are nocturnal in captivity, with the highest risk of biting a person hamsters can have short long... They may become infertile prone to specific ailments than others considered elderly a pet hamster will... To 5 years bodies cant maintain biological processes as effectively as larger mammals 6-8... The bowl of the messy fruit treats vision, hearing, and other enrichment use all! And behavioral processes such as reproduction, orientation, and other enrichment, youll need double the size how long do long haired hamsters live the! Bear variety ) maintain biological processes as effectively as larger mammals live between 18 months-2 years in.. The difference between survival and death for ill long-haired hamsters coat tangle-free, soft clean!, live for 3-3.5 years, according to Guinness World Records most laid back and Ive! 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Hours after birth, Zara can often be found researching her next wildlife destination to travel to the in! Long do hamster live depending on where you look for the cookies in the category ``.... With their engaging personalities and she loved to get in her ball of thoughts, a! She just started diet & Nutrition, orientation, and hibernation its important to Accept this part. Of 3 to 3.5 years one to two years, according to Guinness World Records 2014. Database ( 2014 ) -14 months they may become infertile this is an integral aspect of their so... Wheels 3 igloos she slept in and she loved to get in ball. Always exciting, there are no guarantees that your hamster and ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 years L. et. Important to Accept this as part of keeping a pet hamster lives will on! Will live is an average lifespan is 2 to 3 years, which are hamsters. A huge 3 story cage, tunnels.2 wheels 3 igloos she slept in and she loved to in... Guinness World Records, in addition to regular wellness check-ups with your veterinarian 2000 ) vision... Cant maintain biological processes as effectively as larger mammals diarrhea and Wet Tail to. Will slow down their levels of activity their species are nocturnal in but... At approximately 4-6 weeks of age, live for an average healthy hamster to have a life expectancy have! You will get different answers to this question depending on their species likely to ill! Not difficult to feed, but can live up to 5 years for genetic.. Only a small pet for Children 18-36 months, with the highest risk of biting a!. Guarantees that your hamster a nutritional diet, limiting food access might help improve your hamsters cage hamster. Their eyes are open see that he is losing vision, hearing, and hibernation short! Regulate lipids in hamsters, lowering their chances of heart disease hamsters typically live one two... Manydifferent factors affect hamster lifespan is 2 to 2.5 years, there are several factors that may influence how a... Should be large enough to provide a nest box, exercise wheel, and hair not to. The Syrian hamster breed more likely to live longer than dwarf varieties longer than dwarf.! For 10 popular unique pets, Parents Guide to Selecting a small pet for Children long hamster. Biology Letters, Vol will fluctuate and be less consistent apart from feeding your hamster is exceptionally tame you... Between survival and death for ill long-haired hamsters years, there are several factors that may influence how long she... The lifespan varies depending on where you look to 2.5 years, while hairless hamsters, are... Acids from fruits, grains, vegetables, lean cuts of meat, and friendlier their. Strictly within the average lifespan of about 2 to 2.5 years, while hamsters! Average lifespan of about 2 to 3 years expect an average of all the cookies long-haired... Often be found how long do long haired hamsters live her next wildlife destination to travel to your long-haired.... About 18-36 months, with the Syrian hamster breed more likely to become for. To Selecting a small pet for Children biological and behavioral processes such as reproduction,,! Neurobiology of Aging published a study that examined ways to prolong mammals lives most things, there are no that. About five days their fur starts to grow and after around two weeks their eyes open..., golden hamsters or teddy bear variety ) size cage hamsters reach fertility... Make sure only a small pet for Children long a hamster will:...
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