Everyone loves having pets. Usually, people have cats, dogs as pets. Some people have hamsters as pets. These cute little creatures have a shorter lifespan. When you get one as your pet, you have to know the lifespan of these animals to help them live a long, cheerful, and healthy life.
A healthy hamster lives for 2 to 2.5 years, whereas, some like, Robrovski dwarf live up to 3 years. The life span depends on the care given to them.
The Life cycle of a hamster: When you get a pet for your yourself, know the breed to ascertain the period they will be alive. If you buy a Syrian Hamster, he will live for a maximum of 2.5 years. A Chinese or a winter white Russian dwarf will live only for 1.5 years.
Table of Contents
Newborn
To get a grip on the amount of time a hamster will live, knowing their life cycle is essential. It is normal for any animal to open their eyes and stand up as soon as they are born. Unlike other animals, the Hamsters don’t open their eyes immediately after they are born.
It will take two weeks to open their eyes. The newborn hamsters feel very cold because they don’t have their protective coat to keep them warm.
After this period, they are on their own and can live away from their mothers. If you keep them away from their mother from 21st day onwards, they develop faster and independently. Syrian hamsters have to be kept away from each other because of their wild tendency of stoushing each other, very often.
They start with a play and gradually get into a fight. These creatures, attain maturity when they are only three weeks old. If you want them to achieve maturity, steadily, keep male hamsters away from female ones.
It is adorable to look at them playing with the keyboard wire, and sniffing food with his cute protruding nose. You should be careful when he plays around on any fence. It is always advisable to buy him a charming little pet house or any toy to keep them active and enjoy a frolic life.
As they have a natural tendency to amuse themselves all the time, give him things that help him live cheerfully. Feed him properly, take care of him, and help him live his full life.
Adolescent Age
When it is four weeks, these creatures reach the adolescent stage, and are ripe for breeding! And, another surprising point is that it only takes one day for a female hamster to get pregnant again, post delivery. Allow your female pal to mate when she is more than four weeks old. It is the best time to deliver a pup and to avoid her giving birth to stillborn pups.
Old Age
You are happy that It is the first birthday of your hamster pet! But, he has attained middle age at that time. You have to remember that your pet, most probably, will live only for another year! When he reaches this stage, he is very active and would love to have even more fun.
It is a fact that a female hamster is infertile when she is 1.2 to 1.3 years old. If she hasn’t become pregnant even once in her life can’t become pregnant if she is 1.3 years of age. It would, otherwise, lead to complications.
It is sad that the cells inside your pet’s body deteriorate significantly from this point in time. The aging process is rapid making these creatures increasingly incapable of playing or being active after this stage. These creatures are created in such a way to use most of their energy during the reproductive cycle.
They thrive in a hazardous environment, and hence they live for a shorter period, spending most of their time in procreation.
When they become 1.5 to 2 years of age, they are in their declining stage. At this stage, they face many health issues, and you have to take him to a vet to help him stay healthy. Some problems are curable, while others are entirely not curable.
You have to take them to the vet, regularly to let him die peacefully. You should always help him grow in a healthy environment and give proper healthy food to let him live a healthy life.
How Many Pups Do Hamsters Give Birth To?
A female hamster gives birth to a maximum of 12 pups. Some breeds deliver 4 puppies, some others 10. It varies according to the breed they belong to. The newborn hamsters are so cute as they are pink in color when they come out of their mother’s womb. They become dark when they are three to 4 days old.
Interesting facts: Hamsters eat up their young ones when they sense their babies are in danger. The reason is they don’t want their young ones to suffer. How protective they are!
Another way they protect their baby is to have them in their cheek pouches. There is a delicate membrane in the inner layer of their mouth where they conceal their babies. It is to protect their young ones from enemies.
Taking Care of Hamsters
You can separate the male ones from female ones to enable the mommies to give some time to nurse her baby. Moreover, you can make the mother and baby feel protected by keeping them inside a cage. You can, this way, prevent the mother hamster from devouring her baby.
If left undisturbed, mothers take great care of their pups. The pups need her attention till three weeks, after which, they are separated from their mamas.
Conclusion
In short, hamsters are cute pets usually belonging to the rodent family. There are many species in hamsters. It is crucial to know the exact species of hamster to understand the life span of these creatures.
You have to take great care to provide him with a safe and clean environment. Feed him well and let them enjoy their 2-year lifespan to the maximum extent possible. You have to take him for a regular checkup with a vet to help him live a quality life.
You May Also Interested In:
- 16 Best Hamster Toys Reviews and Ultimate Guide
- 6 Best Rated Hamster Wheels Reviews and Buying Guide
- 5 Best Hamster Bedding Reviews and Buying Guide
- 5 Best Hamster Foods & Treats (Reviews and Guide)
- Are Hamsters Smart?
- Do Hamsters Have Bones?