Since hamsters are so simple to care for, they’re a popular household pet.
However, they’re also vulnerable to a variety of health problems. One of the most common causes of death in hamsters is paralysis.
So, why do hamsters die so easily? Hamsters are often called “short-lived” pets because their average lifespan is only about two years.
In fact, hamsters have one of the lowest animal lifespans, and they don’t live nearly as long as other small mammals such as guinea pigs or mice.
Hamsters also have a high infant mortality rate.
In fact, about 20-30% of baby hamsters die before they’re even born. Furthermore, their immune systems are underdeveloped and they’re often susceptible to disease and parasites.
Finally, they can only store enough fat for 4-5 days, so they are susceptible to starvation.
For these reasons, hamsters are probably not the best pets if you’re looking for a lifelong companion.
Why Do Hamsters Die So Easily?
Contents
Bad Genes
Hamsters can live up to 2 years in captivity, but in the wild they live only 1-2 years.
This is because hamsters have bad genes. Their bodies have poor immunity to diseases.
Moreover, their small brains and bodies can’t handle the stress and pressure that comes with being in the wild. Hamsters also struggle to reproduce in the wild because they only have 2-3 litters per year.
However, humans can breed hamsters in captivity and raise them easily. Hamsters usually die young because they can’t grow strong enough or survive long enough in the wild.
Cushing’s Disease
Hamsters have a disease called Cushing’s disease that’s caused by excessive grain consumption.
Unfortunately, this disease often kills hamsters very quickly, sometimes within hours. The only way to prevent this disease is to feed hamsters grain-free food.
Tumors
Hamsters are interesting animals to watch and easy to take care of.
Unfortunately, their short life span is a major drawback. Hamsters can live for up to 2-3 years in the wild, but only for 1 year in captivity.
A major factor that makes hamster’s life span so short is tumors. Hamsters are prone to developing tumors, which gradually impair their quality of life.
Hamsters that develop tumors often die quickly. Many hamsters die within just 4-6 months of being diagnosed with cancer.
While it’s sad to see a hamster die, it helps us learn more about tumors, which will hopefully lead to better treatments.
Respiratory Issues
Hamsters suffer from respiratory issues just like humans do.
Unfortunately, respiratory issues are fatal for hamsters. Studies have shown that hamsters die days after developing respiratory issues, such as pneumonia or acute bronchitis.
While respiratory issues can be easily treated in humans, they lead to death in hamsters.
Hamsters’ respiratory issues make it important to provide them with a clean environment that is free from dust and other respiratory hazards.
Depression
Hamsters are popular pets and are often kept for their ability to run on the wheel.
However, keeping hamsters as pets can be dangerous.
Hamsters can get bored easily, so they often refuse to eat their food and refuse to run on the exercise wheel.
If hamsters stop exercising, they can become obese, which can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes and arthritis. Furthermore, hamsters can die so easily.
If hamsters don’t get enough sleep, they can develop a form of depression called “hamster depression.”
This can cause hamsters to stop eating and drinking water, which can quickly lead to death. For these reasons, it’s important that hamsters are kept well and healthy.
Incorrect Temperatures
Hamsters are cute and cuddly pets.
However, they need lots of care and attention. For example, hamsters need temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 degrees Celcius) to survive.
If the weather outside gets higher or lower than this, hamsters often die. This is because their bodies can’t regulate their heat well.
They also can’t regulate their water uptake, so it’s important that you give your hamster plenty of water every day.
It’s also important that you keep the temperature of your hamster’s cage between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, as high or low temperatures can kill your hamster as well.
Hamsters need plenty of care and attention to survive.
Poor Diet
Hamsters have short lifespans.
They typically live for only 1 or 2 years. One of the reasons why hamsters die so easily is because of their poor diet.
Hamsters that eat a poor diet tend to have weak immune systems. This makes it harder for them to fight infections and diseases.
Furthermore, poor diet can lead to obesity and other health issues. Therefore, it’s important to feed hamsters a healthy diet.
Hamsters can get all their nutritional needs from vegetables and grains. However, it’s important to avoid feeding them too much sugar or protein.
Hamsters also need fresh, clean water every day. Finally, hamsters need exercise to stay healthy.
Hamsters that don’t get much exercise are more likely to develop health problems and die quicker.
Hamster Mites
Hamsters are cute and fun to watch, but they are very fragile.
Hamsters need lots of care and attention to survive. Unfortunately, hamsters have many enemies, including cats and dogs.
Furthermore, hamsters can also die from bacteria and viruses. However, the biggest threat to hamsters is infestations of hamster mites.
Mites feed off hamster blood, causing anemia. When hamsters become anemic, they quickly die of dehydration.
In fact, if hamsters don’t get treatment, they can die in as little as a week. Fortunately, there are easy ways to prevent and get rid of hamster mites.
For example, you can regularly check your pets for mites and get rid of any you see. Also, you can give your hamster a bath once a week to kill mites in the water.
Finally, you can clean the cage once a week to get rid of mites on the hamster’s bedding and toys. Overall, hamsters are very fragile and vulnerable to diseases, mites, and parasites.
However, with a little care, hamsters can live long and prosper.
Fright
Hamsters are well known for their cute looks and cuddly nature.
However, a hamster’s cuteness often blinds people to its true nature. In fact, hamsters can be very aggressive and territorial.
This means that if two hamsters are put in the same cage, they will fight with each other until one dies. Furthermore, hamsters often die due to fright.
If a hamster is startled, it will jump out of its cage and injure itself. This usually happens at night when hamsters are startled by their own reflection in a mirror or their shadow.
Finally, hamsters can die due to improper diet or unhealthy living conditions. To top it all off, hamsters can also die due to halitosis.
Hamsters can emit a foul smell from their mouths, especially when they’re in pain or sick. For these reasons, hamsters are much better as pets than as habbits.
What Is The Average Age Of The Hamsters?
Hamsters are very cute animals, but they can also be a serious nuisance.
They bite and chew on things, sometimes destroying property. They also spread diseases, such as salmonella.
However, not all hamsters are dangerous. In fact, domesticated hamsters are perfectly safe to have as pets.
While hamsters are cute when they are young, they eventually grow to be quite large. On average, hamsters live for 3 to 4 years.
What Are The Reasons Due To Which Hamsters Die So Easily?
Cancer
Hamsters are cute little rodents that are quite popular as pets.
They’re also quite lazy and often sleep 15 hours a day. However, hamsters have one major flaw: they’re susceptible to cancer.
Unlike humans, hamsters can’t detect cancer early, so by the time they notice something is wrong, it’s already too late.
Sadly, cancer is a death sentence for hamsters, as they can’t survive chemotherapy.
Most hamsters don’t live longer than 2 years due to cancer.
Pneumonia
Hamsters have an average lifespan of 2 to 3 years due to pneumonia.
Hamsters die of pneumonia because they breathe through their mouths and noses, which get clogged up with mucus most of the time.
This causes hamsters to choke on mucus and die of suffocation.
Additionally, hamsters that breathe through their noses tend to get sick more often.
Hamsters that breathe through their noses are also more likely to die from diseases that spread through the air, such as influenza and pneumonia.
Overall, bronchitis and pneumonia are deadly for hamsters.
Wet Tail Disease
Hamsters are cute and cuddly pets.
Unfortunately, hamsters can die so easily. In fact, hamsters have a very high mortality rate due to wet tail disease.
Wet tail disease is caused by a fungus that infects the hamster’s tail. If the hamster’s tail is not clean, the fungus can spread to the hamster’s body.
If the fungus spreads to the hamster’s body, the hamster dies. Wet tail disease can be easily prevented by cleaning the hamster’s tail regularly.
Overall, wet tail disease is a big problem for hamster owners.
Heart Diseases
Hamsters may be cute, but they are dangerous pets.
Hamsters die easily of heart diseases. This is mainly due to a hamster’s diet.
Hamsters need to eat a lot of vitamin C to stay healthy. Unfortunately, their diet is not full of vitamin C.
Hamsters also need a lot of sleep to stay healthy. Unfortunately, most hamsters do not have enough sleep (Hamsters).
Hamsters also die easily due to hypoglycaemia. Basically, hamsters have a low blood sugar level, causing them to become weak and eventually die (Hamsters).
Old Age and Stress
Hamsters are cute and fluffy creatures that many of us love to keep as pets.
They’re also common pets, so it’s easy to find them in pet stores as well as online. However, hamsters are very delicate animals that can be dead in just a few days if proper care is not taken.
First of all, hamsters are nocturnal animals who sleep during the day and are awake at night and need to be fed at night as well.
They are highly susceptible to stress, which often happens when their living conditions are not appropriate for them.
They can easily become dehydrated and die of exhaustion and malnutrition if they don’t get enough water to drink.
They also need a lot of exercise, as hamsters are natural climbers and jumpers, so they need a lot of space to run around.
Finally, old hamsters also get easily stressed and depressed due to old age, and this can cause them to die quickly.
Overall, hamsters need a lot of care; otherwise, they can die quickly due to old age and stress.
Other Infections and Injuries
Hamsters have short lifespans compared to other small mammals.
They usually live between 1 and 3 years in the wild and up to 6 years in captivity.
Hamsters in the wild are preyed on by hawks and foxes, and are often injured by other animals and falling trees.
In captivity, they fall ill easily and are often injured by other animals and falling objects.
Due to these dangers, most hamsters die before they reach adulthood.
How To Make Hamsters Live Longer
Keep An Eye On Illnesses
Hamsters are adorable creatures who are lots of fun to keep as pets.
However, their lifespan is quite short. The average lifespan of a hamster is around 2-3 years.
However, you can increase this lifespan by keeping an eye out for illnesses and treating them as soon as possible.
For example, a hamster that eats its own poop or has dark urine is likely suffering from an illness called trichobezoar.
You should also keep an eye out for strange behavior like not eating. If left untreated, these illnesses can cause the animals to die early.
Minimize Stress Levels
Hamsters are one of the most popular small pets in the world.
They’re cute, easy to handle, and fun to have around. However, hamsters can be a lot of work.
They require a lot of attention and care, and can quickly get stressed out by over-handling. It’s important to minimize stress levels to make hamsters live longer.
One way to do this is to pet them only once or twice a day and make them rest for at least 45 minutes in between.
Another method is to feed them only once or twice a day, and feed them only a small amount of food at a time.
Hamsters also need a lot of time out of their cages to reduce stress. If they’re kept in a cage all the time, they can get depressed and may develop behavioral problems.
Keeping them out of their cages for at least an hour a day is extremely important. Overall, it’s important to minimize stress levels to make hamsters live longer.
Provide Physical Enrichment
Hamsters like to run around and have exercise and play time in their cages.
Hamsters also need toys. A hamster wheel is a good option for a hamster because it makes the cage more interesting and allows the hamster to burn calories.
A hamster also needs tunnels and tunnels to hide in, and simple plastic toys they can chew on. These toys also make it more fun for the hamster and make it less bored.
Hamsters also need things to climb on and chew on, such as wooden chew sticks and cardboard tubes.
Hamsters also need fresh food and water in their cages, and they need clean bedding.
Hamsters also love to climb. Therefore, the cage should be tall enough for them to climb comfortably.
Provide a Healthy Diet
Hamsters need to eat a healthy diet to live a long and happy life.
Hamsters need plenty of food, water, and exercise to stay healthy. Without a healthy diet, hamsters can get sick or even die.
Hamsters also need to be fed the correct amounts, as too much food can lead to obesity and cavities. Hamsters also require clean water to drink, as dirty water can lead to illness.
Finally, hamsters need plenty of exercise to stay healthy. Without exercise, hamsters can become fat and bored.
A hamster wheel keeps hamsters active and happy. Overall, a healthy diet helps keep hamsters happy and healthy.
Do Hamsters Get Heart Disease?
Another reason of early mortality in pet rodents is heart diseases.
Pets especially rodents are prone to heart conditions including cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure.
The condition arises when there occurs damage to the heart muscles leading to irregular heartbeats and loss of blood flow in the body causing poor circulation and poor oxygenation of tissues in the body.
The disease is very common in small furry animals like mice, rats, guinea pigs, gerbils, etc.
Overbreeding is a major contributor to this problem, although respectable breeders are very careful about this during breeding process.
Since these small animals reproduce very quickly, they suffer severe genetic damage which leads to diseases like heart problems and other serious health problems too.
Feeding a commercially prepared diet can also contribute to this problem since many commercial pet foods contain unhealthy ingredients which can damage the heart as well as other organs of the body and lead to death too.
Therefore it is important to feed your pet a healthy and natural diet without any additives or preservatives as healthy ingredients are necessary for maintaining a good heart.
Also Read: Why Is Hamster Peeing In Ball?
Conclusion
Hamsters are adorable little creatures that make great pets for kids and adults alike. They are fun and entertaining to watch and they are easy to take care at home as well.
Unfortunately, they have a short life span compared to some other animals, usually living between one and three years of age on average before dying of old age or disease.
Even if you are not playing with your hamster, it is still important to monitor its activity to make sure that it is active and healthy at all times.
Because they are nocturnal, hamsters sleep during the day and are active at night; this does mean that you don’t have to worry about the cage being lit up all the time.
However, hamsters have a very short attention span so this means that you have to make sure their food is always fresh and the toys are interesting to them; otherwise they will get bored quickly and stop playing altogether.
As a result, getting a hamster can be hard work but rewarding at the same time.
To enhance his life and prevent a sudden death, it is advisable to get a hamster that is a dwarf or Syrian breed as they are generally healthy.
A mixbreed may also work as long as you find a good breeder who only breeds with the healthiest animals.
