Here are real facts about the life-span of dwarf hamsters. The hamsters live longer in wildlife as compared to the cages. There are different types of them, and each is different from the other.

How Long do Dwarf Hamsters Live as Pets? Dwarf hamsters have a very short life span and grow older in a short time. On average, dwarf hamsters can live for 3 years as a pet.

They can grow up to 2 to 3 inches until they become adults. All these types differ in height and nature of furry skin on them.

Despite the short life span as a pet, they are excellent pets and bring great joy in life. 

How Long do Dwarf Hamsters Live as Pets?

Dwarf hamsters are delicate creatures and our favorite pocket pet nowadays. People become attached to such a cute animal.

They also want to keep them for a long time in their house. But unfortunately, when we start to become friends, they start dying. This article will discuss these pets’ average life span and how we can bring improvement in their life span.

Type of dwarf hamster	Life expectancy
Campbell dwarf hamster	1.5 to 2 years
Siberian hamster	1.5 to 2 years
Roborvoski dwarf hamster	3 to 3.5 years
Russian dwarf hamsters	2 to 3 years
Winter white dwarf hamster	2.5 to 3 years

Why do hamsters only live for 2 years?

There are many possible reasons for your pet dying early. The first and most obvious is their delicate and active nature.

They are always running and playing and can come across different threats. The predators or any companion hamster can become the reason for their death.

They like to live in solitude, and when you keep two to three of them with each other, a battle starts between them. They quarrel and kill each other.

Another reason is that they become sexually mature very soon. They take 4 to 6weeks to become fully grown. The female dwarfs are fully grown at the age of 6 to 8 weeks.

The male gets mature at an early age and is considered old at the age of 8 to 9 weeks.

When they are born, all of the types of hamster is underdeveloped. They need special care and attention until they fully grow. We can adopt them after their maturity, and at t this age, they are already progressing towards aging. These factors also lessen their life as a pet.

All of them can get diabetes at a very early age. This can cause them to become weak and decrease their lifespan. Some types of them have genes that make them vulnerable to different diseases.

Like Syrian hamsters have a gene that makes their kidney weak. The weak kidney can make them suffer from various diseases at an early age.

Some of them have a gene causing a wet tail. This disease can make them dehydrated and decrease their life as a pet. We do not have control over all these factors.

An older pet is less active and spends most of the time lying in the cage. They start skipping food and struggle to climb or run in the cage. It needs a lot of effort to care for such an aging pet.

How to increase the life of dwarf hamsters?

There are many factors and traits over which we have control. We can manipulate these traits to give our pet a healthy and long life. Here is a brief description of them.

Diet and health issues

It is essential to feed your hamster a balanced diet. These dwarf can eat anything but the proportion is very important. It should consume no more than half to full tablespoons of any food. They have a habit of storing food in their cheeks.

Follow a regular schedule to keep them healthy and alive. Give them more fiber, proteins, and omega 3 in the diet to increase their lives.

Keep them away from sweets and fruits with a high content of sugar. This will prevent the chances of high sugar levels in them.

You should also avoid overfeeding and feeding food that takes time to digest. It will keep them away from the wet tail and many other digestion problems.

Chinese dwarf hamsters can get cold quickly, so keep the cage warm for them, especially in winters because they are domesticated.

Keep them away from stress

These tiny creatures are very aggressive and can get angry even with minor inconvenience. Stress can reduce their life span drastically.

It does not only affect the mental health and behavior but also causes many illnesses to them. When they are under stress for an extended period, they become vulnerable. Keeping them in a cage in pairs can also contribute to anxiety in them.

So always keep them happy and give them toys which they like. It can reduce anxiety in them. Pay more attention to them and take them outside for a stroll. Researchers have found tremendous improvement in life expectancy when they are happy.

Exercise

These pets are very active and always keep climbing and running in a cage. You should give them exercise tools in cage-like wheel balls or any hanging bars for exercise.

This will keep them calm and energetic all the time. It will also reduce stress in them. Handle your pet and play with him to grow a healthy relationship, it will also help the hamster to lose weight.

Proper housing

The size of the cage should be according to the type and size of the hamster. Most cages that are available in the market are small. The cage should have portions and narrow tunnels in it. It helps them to run and climb. These are among the best types of pet hamsters.

Tunnels give them a feel of wild places because they live in narrow tunnels and holes in wild territories.

Cage cleanliness is another important factor in increasing the life span of them. Mostly these are very clean, and they take care of the cage’s cleanliness by themselves. 

Clean them properly because they can get many infections from them. Change their bedding at least once weekly. It further reduces the life expectancy of them.

Maintain circadian rhythm 

These tiny animals have internal clocks for every activity, like sleep feeding time and exercise. When we disturb these circadian rhythms, it can contribute to early aging in them.

Like they are more active at night and involve in burrowing activity. They need four to five treats a day. You should maintain the schedule for every activity.