How long do you think hamsters live? The truth will surprise you, and the life of a hamster is a lot of fun.
How long do hamsters live? Hamster Life Cycle
Hamsters don’t live long, but they do have a lot of fun!
The hamster with the longest average lifespan is the Roborovski dwarf hamster with an average lifespan of 3 to 3.5 years. On average, the lifespans of different types of hamsters are as follows, and while this is just an average, the lifespan of individual hamsters can vary widely.
- Hamster Roborovski: 3 to 3.5 years old
- Syrian Hamster: 2 to 2.5 years old
- Hamster Dwarf hamster: 2 years old
- Chinese hamster: 1.5 to 2 years old
- White Russian Dwarf Hamster Winter: 1.5 to 2 years old
So you know how long your hamster lives, but do you know what’s going on in its life?
The life cycle of a hamster is really interesting, and while you may not have had a pet since birth, it’s good to know the whole life cycle.
![Hamster Life Cycle](https://sarahdolce.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sarahdolce-hamster-life-cycle-and-funny-stories-8256-1.webp)
Birth of hamster
After a short gestation period, hamsters are born with one to twenty pups, ranging in size! Small hamsters are called puppies.
At birth, hamsters are very vulnerable as they are blind, deaf and hairless. Hamsters don’t start growing their fur until they are about five days old, and their eyes don’t start opening until they are two weeks old.
Once they open their eyes, they develop more independence in their exploration. However, they continue to be raised by their mother until they are 21 to 28 days old.
This is a critical time for the hamster to leave its mother’s care and, for Syrian hamsters, to live independently.
If Syrian hamsters are going to stay together, they always need to be left alone when they fight.
Keeping dwarf hamsters is usually fine (although you should still watch out for any fights), but it’s important to realize that while they may not be born long ago, hamsters reach sexual maturity by 4 to 6 weeks of age. .So it’s a good idea to separate boys and girls as they hit puberty.
Childhood hamster
Although hamsters reach sexual maturity between 4 and 6 weeks of age, and males mature faster than females, females should not be mated until 10 weeks of age.
Sadly, female hamsters bred earlier than this will often give birth to puppies that are still born.
Another thing to note is that female hamsters can become pregnant again within 24 hours of giving birth, so it’s best to separate them from male hamsters!
The pinnacle of a hamster’s life!
Most hamsters are born before they are a year old; although this may depend on the lifespan of the particular breed. At this age, they are usually energetic, playful and cheerful.
Shortly after their first birthday, they enter middle age. From 12 to 14 months of age, female hamsters may become sterile. Even if this doesn’t happen, if females haven’t been bred by then, it’s too late. Childbirth at this age can cause problems with the pelvis and hips.
The Golden Years of Hamsters
Just like humans, hamsters are more prone to health problems as they age. But of course, just because your hamster is old doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t seek help from a veterinarian.
There is no cure for any problem, but it is usually possible to control a hamster’s health problems and allow the hamster to live a happy life.
There is no guarantee that there will be no health problems, but it helps if the hamster is fed properly, kept in a clean environment, gets veterinary care when needed, and is generally loved!
Summary
Hamsters have a short life cycle, but they are full of fun and joy. Hope this article also provides interesting information for you.
Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or questions.