How long do Syrian hamsters live at home?

Buying a domestic rodent, each owner wonders how long his new pet will live. It is believed that hamsters do not live long - a couple of years. In fact, everything is not so simple. This is only a minimum for these animals. Life expectancy is affected by genetics, housing conditions and even a species of hamster. Let's try to figure out how long the Syrian hamster can live at home.

In the wild, the age of Syrian hamsters rarely reaches two years, but at home content it is possible to observe long-hamsters. The maximum life expectancy at home is seven years. To make a little pet a record holder for longevity, you need to really try. The main factors that will increase the life of a rodent - the absence of stress, healthy eating, vigorous activity.

As a rule, in nature, hamsters have a hard time. They are prey of predatory animals, birds and reptiles, so they spend their entire lives in stress, burrowing deeper into the hole. And wild rodents cannot boast of healthy nutrition. Therefore, their lifespan is very unenviable.

A caged hamster is used to getting ready-made food; it does not need to hide from anyone. The Syrian hamster is considered one of the most domesticated.

Many individuals even love to communicate with a person the main thing is not to raise your voice.

Every owner wants his fluffy pet to live as long as possible, but rarely do owners manage to enjoy a four-legged friend for more than three years. To increase the life expectancy of the Syrian hamster, observe the necessary conditions for the content.

It is very important that every day the hamster runs a sufficiently large distance. Activity is a direct factor affecting the duration of life. Therefore it is necessary before acquiring a pet to get a spacious cage. Some people mistakenly believe that in a small cage the rodent will be comfortable and cozy, but this is not so, in a cramped dwelling, the baby, on the contrary, will feel stiff.

In order for a hamster to throw out its energy somewhere, it is important to install various game complexes in its dwelling. It can be multi-storey houses, swings, hammocks. Especially hamsters attract running wheels. Often all attributes are already in the cage. By the way, the cell itself is desirable to choose with several levels.

To diversify the life of a new pet, daily it is recommended to get it out of the cage and let it run about the room. Just do not forget in advance to temporarily expel the other four-legged family members who may hunt a hamster, and warn the household to look at their feet and not openly open the door.

So that the furry pet is not lost and does not become a victim of domestic predators, it can be planted in a special walking ball. Before acquiring this attribute, first check how tightly it closes so that the hamster does not accidentally crawl out and get caught in the teeth of the cat.

By the way, if you still got a rodent couple, then be prepared for their uncontrolled reproduction. Little hamsters can become a victim of their own parents, they can die, or they can grow and flood the entire cage. If same-sex individuals were paired, then they are unlikely to become friends.

Most likely, they are waiting for daily "disassembly", and soon one of them will be left without a tail. therefore it is strongly recommended to take only one hamster, and if for some reason they turned out to be two, then sit down both in different cells and not collide with each other.

Never make loud sounds in the presence of a hamster. He can die of fear from only one cotton. Dangerous sounds include homemade crackers, fireworks, the explosion of which comes from the street, very loud music, and even just the cry of people in the room. Regularly clean up the cage of the animal, change the filler, wash the drinkers and feeders, remove the rotten food. Try not to touch his reserves, because he put a lot of effort to stock up on the winter with enough power.

To maintain healthy teeth in nature, hamsters gnaw branches. To fill this gap at home, the feeder should be periodically equipped with sprigs and dried roots. With the same purpose it is recommended to put a chalky stone in a cage. By the way, this measure helps not only to grind the teeth of a hamster, but also protects the wearer's fingers from its sharp teeth.

Hamsters react rather poorly to vitamin deficiencies, especially small animals need additional substances during stress, illness, during the seasonal molting, when changing housing conditions and conditions. These animals are prone to weight gain and the development of diabetes, so it is important not to overdo it with feeding. It is recommended to feed the hamster with specialized pet food, 2-3 teaspoons a day is enough.

The optimal menu for a pet consists of grains, fruits and vegetables. From fruit, give preference to apples, pears, peaches, bananas. Vegetables fit zucchini, radishes, turnips, carrots. Try to avoid when feeding the hamster cabbage and onions. Do not forget the nuts, especially the Syrian hamsters like walnuts and peanuts, but the almonds are better to exclude from the diet pet, as it contains elements harmful to the health of the rodent in its skin.

Sometimes you can treat a hamster protein foods. Boiled eggs, chicken breast and low-fat cottage cheese will benefit if you offer their animal a little more than a couple of times a week. Check the stocks of the hamster and dispose of products that quickly deteriorate, otherwise the rodent may be poisoned. It is believed that thanks to cheek bags hamsters can live for a long time without food and water. In reality, this period is limited to a maximum of four days.

Some owners use hay as a filler. In this case, do not be surprised if the pet began to chew it. You can buy a special piece for grinding teeth in a hamster. As a delicacy you can treat the animal with special grain sticks, but before buying, be sure to check the expiration date.

Syrian hamsters do not have a strong immunity and therefore quickly become a victim of various diseases. If the disease is seen in time, then it can be cured. The main diseases of Syrian hamsters are presented below.

• Fractures, dislocations, bruises. The activity of these creatures often turns into health problems for them. The animal may fall from the second floor of the cage, get stuck under the wheel or in the bars of the cage when trying to escape.All these actions lead to injuries that can be cured by a veterinarian. To avoid serious fractures, carefully watch the hamster while he is on the range. Do not leave the animal on high objects.
• Cold. To prevent the animal from catching the infection, do not leave the cage in a draft. The disease is manifested by sneezing, chills, pet passivity. Do not self-medicate and do not look for advice on the Internet, show the animal to the vet - he will not be mistaken with the choice of medication and dosage.
• Stress. This condition can provoke any disease, as well as be an independent disease. Hamsters are rather cowardly animals and are highly susceptible to stress. For example, a sharp cotton can lead not only to a panic attack, but also to the death of the animal. A change in the situation, the appearance of a cat or dog in the house, careless games of a person, the cry of the household can cause stress in the pet.
• Problems with teeth. Long incisors or poor condition of the oral cavity causes discomfort, becomes the cause of poor appetite and general malaise. The mineral stone must be constantly present in the cage, it will minimize the risk of dental problems.

Do not make a diagnosis on your own or over the Internet. Contact your veterinarian internally if the Syrian hamster has the following symptoms:

• general weakness;
• sneezing;
• loose stools;
• poor appetite;
• lethargy;
• chills;
• drowsiness;
• falling out coat.

For information on how many Syrian hamsters live, see the next video.