How Long Do Hamsters Live? – Duration of Your Furry Friend’s Life

Having a pet in your life is one of the greatest experiences you will ever get. These pets give all their life by loving you unconditionally. Many of us have cats, dogs, parrots, etc. But there is another one who will make you fall in love. And that is a Hamster. I also had a hamster and I named him Groot because of my love towards the Avengers. The moments I shared with Groot made me wonder, How Long Do Hamsters Live?

Factors Affecting Hamster’s Life-Span

There are many factors that affect the life span of a Hamster. These can be discussed under the following heads:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Surroundings
• Species
• Genetics
• Illnesses
• Care

Why Do Hamsters Leave Us So Early?

The reason behind the hamster’s lifespan is the biological fact that they gain their full maturity in a shorter period. Usually, hamsters requires all the care from their parents for 4-6 weeks. The reason behind this is that they are born partially developed with a very little fur. And, we buy them from a pet shop when they are too small. By 6-8 weeks, the female hamsters gain their sexual maturity and the male hamsters hit their maturity at the age of 8 weeks.

A young hamster is full of energy and as it grows old, it becomes a let energetic and likely to stay in bed for a longer time. In his old age, Groot always loved to cuddle, rather than roaming here and there in the house. We use to celebrate Groot’s birthday and I still remember when he completed his 2 years, we wrote “happy birthday old man” on his birthday cake.

Hamster’s LifeSpan According To Their Types

It’s obvious with all the wild animals to live quite longer than pet animals. A European hamster, also known as Cricetus cricetus, can live for a maximum of 8 years. By research, it is stated that size is a crucial factor in hamster’s life span. The larger the size of a hamster, the larger is the lifespan.

Hamsters come with different types :
Syrian hamster– they generally have a lifespan of 3 years. These hamsters can grow between 5-7 inches. Due to climate change and loss of habitat, the number of a Syrian hamster is declining. So, it is important to preserve the lives of these hamsters.
Chinese hamster– these hamsters are extremely small and cute. Chinese hamsters look like small mouse and are very lovable. This hamster’s lifespan is around 2-3 years, enough for this baby.
Dwarf Winter White Russian Hamster– this hamster, if life in wild habitat, can change its fur in winter. But the pet hamsters lose this ability due to the artificial lighting. Dwarf winter white Russian hamster are half of the size of the Syrian hamster, grows up to 3 inches. The hamster’s lifespan is 2 years.
Roborovski Dwarf Hamster– this hamster comes with a lifespan of 3 years. Roborovski dwarf hamster is very small and cute with a lot of energy.

As your hamsters get older, you need to take extra care of them. All these cute baby needs are your love and care. So, it’s important to notice their every move and changing habits. As they get older, their moments become slow, the energy keeps on declining. They spend less time on the wheel.

Special care must be taken towards activities like more sleeping, losing weight, losing interest in treats and foods, etc. As they grow old, their eyesight started becoming dull and this may happen that they start losing their fur.

So, it is advisable that you must make everyday tasks easy for them. Make sure you keep their food and water at a shorter distance, keep surrounding as quiet and calm as possible.

How To Keep Our Hamsters Healthy?

A Hamster’s lifespan can be increased by 3-4 months just by taking extra care and keep them healthy. Hamsters are more likely to catch a cold by the people. This cold can be turned into a respiratory infection for the hamster. Cold is the most common reason for the shortness of hamster’s lifespan. The easiest way to deal with this problem and take proper care of your hamster is to wash you before caring for them. Even if you are not ill, you should wash your hands before handling your pet.

Injuries are an important part of every pet’s life. Hamster cages are made to make the hamster’s life better. But, many times it happens that they break their legs in wire wheels. These wire wheels can be more dangerous than they seem to be. So, it is advisable to get a solid surfaced cage for your hamster. Providing good chewing toys to your hamster is also a healthy practice that you can do to protect them.

Many of the hamsters have a habit of chewing the wheels of the cage. My Groot was one of them. So, I bought some good quality chewing toys for him. Diet is one of the important aspects that should be taken care of. A balanced diet plays a major in increasing your hamster’s lifespan. You should provide a fiber rich diet to your baby. I used to give lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to Groot since his childhood.

Pre-made food also a good option. You can do one thing that prepares a diet routine and according to that feed your hamster with the pre-made food and fruits & vegetables. Although they live alone among the solid wheels and bedding, it is important to keep an eye on them to make sure their proper health and safety. Good veterinary care is an essential thing to do.

These small things play a very crucial role in health and hamster life. Already they have such a short life span; above it, if any illness came, hamster lifespan becomes much less.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, many animals came to the earth with a short lifespan. And in comparison to other pets, hamster’s lifespan is much less. So, you must make your hamsters’ life a healthy and happy experience for them. You must cherish every moment you have with them. In a short period, these pets make us love them and they love us unconditionally.

When Groot left this world, I was not able to accept this fact, but we can’t go against nature. At some point in time, we have to accept this thing. The good thing is, you can extend your hamster’s lifespan with some months by providing proper food, great environment and quality care. So, make sure that you also love your hamster unconditionally as he or she loves you.