You can estimate the age of your hamster by observing a few things. Generally, its’ life span is 2 to 2.5 years, but its’ some species live almost 3 or 5 years.
How to Tell the Age of Your Hamster? You can determine the hamster’s age by observing its habits, physical appearance, fur, measuring the weight, and checking the diet and energy.
| Age of Hamster | Features | Requirements |
| Newborn | They will just eat and sleep. | They need extra care all the time in eating and sleeping. |
| Under one month | They will start playing and fighting with fellow pets. | Owners need to notice their activities and check health status. |
| Six months old | They are active and their habits getting mature. | They are able to search for the food on their own and get back to their area. |
| One year old | They are moving and playing all the time. | You have to save them from hurts while playing outside and require more diet as they are in the growing stage. |
| Three years old | These are lazy and do not take part in daily activities. | They are old and lazy require timely vet checkups and proper medication. |
Their life span is short, and it depends on several factors. The age of this small creature varies from species to species. The common types of hamsters are as follows Syrian, Chinese, Russian, Roborovski, and Dwarf are common types.
How to Tell the Age of Your Hamster?
Their age is not measured by a specific device or a measuring instrument. Here are 6 best methods to estimate their age.
The life span of Chinese species is about 2.5 years to 3 years, while the life span of Syrian species is just 2 to 3 years; they do not live for more than three years.
The life span of Russian species is 2 to 4 years, while the life span of Roborovski species is 3 to 3.5 years, and they do not live above 3.5 years.
The life span of the white Russian Dwarf is 1.5 to 2 years. There are stages in their age, like human beings and other animals.
Observe their Habits
Their habits are different in every stage of life. The babies are called peps, and their favorite habit is to eat and sleep. When it becomes ten days old, it becomes active and starts to play with toys. You can make these hamster toys at home.
The babies like to play and fight with other fellows. To check their age, observe the behavior and habits of your loved ones.
If your pet likes to play and compete with others in their range, then it is sure that your pet is a baby pet, and its age is around 14 to 17 days. The adult pets also play and fight with other pets to know them and to gain confidence.
If your pet sleeps for about 10 to 20 minutes during the daytime and is active but not much like to play with toys, your pet is mature. Your rodents may want to be alone and love to eat food according to mood.
When you observe all these habits and behavior of your pet, then it is confirmed that it is about 4 to 6 months old.
If its’ skin is getting old and he/she sleeps a lot during day and night, then it means it is getting old, and your hamster’s age is 3 or 3.5 years.
The eldest one becomes very lazy, and they stop playing with toys and fighting with fellows.
Physical appearance can help to estimate the age of your hamster
Its physical appearance changes with the increase in age. If the size, eyes, ears, feet, and hands are tiny, it means it is a baby, and its age is about 14 to 17 days.
When it is born, their eyes are closed, and it takes several days to open eyes and ears.
If its size is 2 to 14 inches and it likes to eat vegetables, fruits, it means it is an adult. It may have large eyes, cheek pouches, small ears shaped like a tulip. Its’ age is 4 to 6 months or one year.
The females start giving birth to babies at this age. It may have powerful senses. If you observe that it is getting lazy and forgetful, it means getting old. Your beloved may become blind and may have other eye problems or health problems and they will make noise at night.
If the white spot of eyes starts spreading and the eyes may look milky, this is also a sign of old age. Similarly, if its’s teeth are continuously growing or the teeth starts breaking, it is also a sign of old age.
Check Hamster Fur
When a newborn is born, the furs are not present on its body. The fur grows slowly on the body of a baby.
If it has soft, bristly, and shiny hair, it means that it is a baby, and it is 14 to 17 days old. The baby does not have thick skin when they are born. Their skin color is pink, and as time passes, the skin becomes better.
The fur produces on the skin of the baby within ten days. Your young may have small furs or long-haired furs, which means your it is an adult. Every species has different types of coats.
There are a few types of hair of Syrian species, such as rex, satin, Umbrous, hairless. The furs ultimately grow when it becomes mature.
The older ones become bald at the age of 3 or 4 years. If it starts losing fur or the fur becomes a little messy and tangled, it means growing older. The color of its fur may change due to old age and may turn into a silver color.
Measure the weight of the hamster
Their weight may increase or decrease as their age increases. If its weight is 20 to 25 grams, it is confirmed that you have a baby, it should be about 14 to 17 days.
These are the small approximations, and that is not too precise but to a specific limit. You have to take a margin of five to seven days after deciding a particular age limit for it.
Its weight increases with an increase in its size. Some babies are physically weak, but some of them are physically fat.
If its weight is 110 to 200 grams, then it means it is an adult. This confirms that it is about 4 to 6 months old.
You should not think that the idea is exact and start feeding and treating them like that. You have to be careful that it may vary in certain conditions. It also depends on the gender of the hamsters.
When its size and weight increases if they get a good diet and a better environment. So these conditions do not remain the same all the time. Owners need to be careful while deciding the age.
Its weight decreases due to a low diet and old age. If its weight decreases, it might mean that it is growing older, and its age is 2 or 3 years. Your older one may face health problems, so you should take care of its health.
Check the Diet
It would help if you observed its diet. If it takes small seeds and small pieces of vegetables, then it means it is about 14 to 17 days old. You may get food from its mother. The babies are not independent, and they need someone who feeds them.
If it eats everything such as pears, apples, cabbage, potato, carrots, etc., it means it is an adult, and its age is 4 to 6 months. The diet of adults are perfect, and they can eat all things.
As their age increases, the appetite decreases. You have to provide food for them accordingly. You cannot treat all of them with the same food that is different in their age.
If it does not eat solid food, then it means he or she is getting old. You will observe the change in your hamster’s eating patterns, and he or she may become picky. These changes produce due to the large size of its teeth. You should give softer food to your old living beings.
Energy
If it is small, less energetic than adults, then it means it is tiny, and it is only 15 or 17 days. Your baby will become more active when he becomes an adult. The female pets are more dynamic and playful as compared to males.
If he is very energetic and playful, it is confirmed that it is an adult and likes to play with toys and sleep a little. The adult and mature ones are powerful due to their healthy and proper diet.
If it does not have enough energy to clean himself or herself, this shows that it is 3 or 4 years. He may stop playing with toys and running on wheels. If he is behaving like this, it means that it is getting old.
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