Hamsters are popular, pint-sized pets—and just as with any other pet, providing them with lots of love and proper care is key to a long, healthy life. We spoke with two veterinarians about the average hamster lifespan and hamster care tips to promote longevity.
How Long Do Hamsters Live?
Generally, hamsters can live up to 2–3 years, which is a fairly typical age range for small rodents, says Susan Tyson, VMD, MS, veterinarian and owner at Avian & Exotic Philly Vet Medical Surgical Clinic, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Small animals typically have shorter lifespans than larger animals, she adds—a horse, by comparison, can live 20–30 years.
In the wild, hamsters live in burrows, or brush-filled environments like tunnels and other cooler areas, which can help protect them from natural predators. “Living in a safe environment with an adequate diet and care, a domestic hamster is likely to live longer than one in the wild,” Dr. Tyson says.
“There are several factors that can influence the longevity of captive hamsters, including nutrition, husbandry, and genetics,” says Walter Merker, DVM, exotic animal veterinarian at Orange Grove Animal Hospital, in Tucson, Arizona.
Additionally, these naturally curious animals can experience serious injuries from relatively minor accidents due to their small size. They’re also prone to bacterial and fungal pathogens, as well as heart disease and cancer later in life, he adds.
5 Pet Hamster Species
There are 24 recognized species of hamsters. Dr. Tyson shares the five pet hamster species in the United States and their average life expectancy:
Syrian hamster, aka “Teddy Bear hamster”: 2–4 years
Russian Dwarf hamster, aka “Winter White Dwarf hamster”: 2 years
Dwarf Roborovski hamster: 3 years
Campbell’s Dwarf Russian hamster: 2 years
Chinese hamster: 3 years
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