How to determine the age of Djungarian and Syrian hamsters

How to independently determine the age of a hamster

One of the most important points when purchasing any pet is determining its age. The store can sell an adult animal under the guise of a young one, which will reduce its lifespan for its new owner. Since the estimated lifespan of a hamster is 2 years, you need to be sure of the animal you choose. In order not to be deceived and not to get into an awkward situation, the buyer himself must be able to recognize the age of the hamster.

It is very difficult to determine the age of a Djungarian hamster with absolute accuracy, even for a good specialist, so they always speak approximately. Typically there are three age stages: young, adult and old. In no case is it recommended to buy a baby younger than one month, since at this age it is still too small and will have to be fed manually with a pipette and at frequent intervals.

How to find out how many days or years old a hamster is

Given the short lifespan, the exact age of the rodent is important. Some species features will help determine it. Let's look at how to determine the age of a Djungarian hamster, as well as Syrian and other breeds.

Dzungariki

• 12 days - the body is not completely covered with hair, the eyes are closed;
• 15 days - eyes are open, the body is completely covered with hair, including the ears;
• 30 days - the animal is actively moving, interested in adult food;
• 50 days - body weight increases, the animal is very active;
• 90 days - weight is approximately 25 - 30 grams, the end of active growth;
• 180 days - body weight may increase to 40 - 60 grams;
• 18 months - the aging process begins. The wool loses its brightness, softness and thickness. Weight can be reduced by 10 - 20%.
• 24 months - vital functions fade away, the animal sleeps more than moves.

Djungarians rarely live longer than two to two and a half years.

Syrian or golden hamster

Syrian hamster.
The main development cycles coincide with the previous type. The difference is body weight. Newborn rodents of this species can weigh 50% more than dwarfs.

At the age of 6 months, body weight is about 140 g. The fur of a young rodent is soft, thick and bright. In the third year of life it becomes rare and tough.

With good care it can live more than 4 years.

All about Syrian hamsters.

Other breeds

The general stages of development of hamsters depend little on species. The main difference is the weight of an adult animal at 6 months:

• Roborovsky hamster 25 - 40 g;
• Chinese hamster 50 g;
• Siberian hamster 50 g.

Ways to find out the age of a rodent

1. Features of behavior.

Perhaps the most prominent distinguishing feature is the behavior of the individual. If this is a young specimen, then the animal is more active, curious, climbs the bars of the cage, and runs well in a wheel. Has a good appetite. If it is an older individual, then the animal will be calmer, but still eat well. Older individuals, as a rule, sleep a lot and, accordingly, eat little.

The coat of babies is significantly different from the coat of adults: it is softer, smoother, the body is as if “feathered”. And here the distinguishing feature is the fluff on the ears, which is no longer found in older individuals.

You can roughly estimate the age of a dzhungarik and any other breed of hamster by looking at its eyes. Young individuals have eyes of the same color, shiny and not very protruding. If they are cloudy and problems are clearly visible, then such an animal will not last long.

How to determine the age of a hamster by body weight? This criterion is one of the key ones. Leading veterinarians recommend purchasing an animal at approximately 5–12 weeks of the animal’s life. Since it will no longer be overly timid in relation to the world around it, and will be able to feed on its own. During the first 4–12 months of age, the animal’s weight does not exceed 40 grams, unlike the Syrian, which is the largest breed (the weight of an adult can reach 100–120 grams). Before purchasing, it is advisable to ask to weigh the rodent.

1. General condition of the coat.

The condition of the skin can determine the age of the hamster. Babies have absolutely no hair for the first 5 days of life. Even two weeks after birth, the hamster’s body will not yet be completely “insulated”. However, already from the 15th day of life, real wool begins to appear, brighter, to match this or that breed. But as mentioned earlier, it looks more like fluff. The final hard cover is formed by the middle of the life of an adult individual. When choosing an animal and assessing its age, there should be no bald spots or bald spots on its body, and the color should be appropriate.

Rodent age in relation to humans

To make it clear to hamster owners what to expect from an animal of a given age, let’s compare it with human development.

Age tables according to human standards

From the table we can conclude that the active period of life in hamsters begins at 15 days and lasts up to 24 months.

Lifespan of a rodent

How long the animal will live largely depends on the owners themselves and appropriate care. But there are many other factors that significantly influence how many years a hamster will have to please its owners. These include:

• Genetic inheritance.
• Proper nutrition.
• Quality of care.
• Conditions of detention prior to purchase.
• Breed (variety).

Unfortunately, breeds artificially bred by humans in laboratory conditions (selection) have a shorter life expectancy and are highly susceptible to the external environment. In other words, they have low immunity, which leads to numerous diseases.

For example, if you properly balance the diet of a dzhungarik and monitor the cleanliness of his home, he will be able to live happily for up to three years. A calm environment also significantly affects the animal’s well-being.

Veterinarians recommend adopting a new animal directly from breeders. Since it is from them that you can find out all the information about the homa’s parents, as well as see the conditions of cultivation and maintenance.

How to determine the age of a hamster

Buying a hamster is a responsible matter. When purchasing, you need to know how to estimate the age of a furry pet. If you know how to determine the age of a Syrian and Djungarian hamster yourself, then sellers are unlikely to be able to sell you an old animal. It is also important that not all sellers can distinguish a young animal from an older one. But this is precisely what determines the pet’s activity, ability to mate, and its lifespan in its new owners.

Methods for estimating age

Even an experienced ratologist cannot determine the exact age of a rodent. Therefore, the methods presented in the article make it possible to determine the age of a hamster approximately, with errors. All animals can be divided into 3 categories according to age.

Hamsters less than 1 month old cannot eat on their own. The baby will have to be fed from a pipette, with intervals of 2-3 hours between feedings. If you are not sure that you will successfully cope with this task, it is best to refrain from purchasing.

Here are the signs that will help you determine your age.

Behavioral differences

Old and young animals behave differently. The elderly animal is inactive and sleeps a lot. The appetite of old people is much worse than that of young hamsters.

Sexually mature animals are active and do not suffer from lack of appetite. Males can organize “tournaments” to gain the favor of females. The females are busy arranging nests.

The young animal is very active and brings a lot of joy to children with its funny behavior to all family members. The animal's appetite is excellent. Immediately after waking up, he eats and then begins to run around the cage, actively exploring the territory. Kids love to climb the bars of the cage. From the outside it looks touching, but is fraught with injury. Hamsters are gentle animals.

Hair in the ear area

In older animals it is almost completely absent. The ears of young rodents are covered with thin light fur.

Eyes

It is easy to estimate the age of a Syrian hamster or dwarf by the appearance of its eyes. Dull, dull eyes indicate an elderly animal that will not live long. Young animals in good health have shiny eyes. Given good care, such an animal will live, adjusted for the hamster's age, for quite a long time.

Wool

The first signs of hair growth in newborn hamsters appear on days 5-6. The final formation of fur occurs at approximately 2 weeks. The presence of bald patches does not necessarily mean that the rodent is sick. Sometimes these are signs of molting and evidence that the animal is no more than 1 month old. Old people have rough fur. The fur of young hamsters is delicate and soft. Animals arrive at pet stores at one month of age and have short fur. Long hair indicates that the animal is already an adult.

Weight

You can estimate the age of a Djungarian hamster by its mass. During the first 3 months of life, the weight of the animal does not exceed 40 grams. Therefore, before purchasing a pet, you need to weigh it. The ideal age for purchase is from 1 to 3 months. It is advisable to buy rodents from 1 to 12 months.

Females actively gain weight up to 4 months of age. Only when the weight stabilizes (that is, by 4 months), the female is ready to mate and give birth to offspring.

Dark spots

Pigmented seals on the inside of the animal's thighs are a sign of an adult. These spots do not cause any harm to the health of the animal.

Lifespan

How long a hamster will live in a family depends on what kind of animal you bought, young or old. In addition to the initial age of acquisition, life expectancy is influenced by such factors.

1. View.
2. Features of genetics.
3. Living conditions before purchase and quality of care for the animal after purchase.
4. Diet quality.

With good care, the dwarf will live about 3 years. The life expectancy of Syrians is 2-3 years. Under natural conditions, rodents live almost half as long due to various dangers (colds, attacks by predators, etc.). Until the age of one month, Djungarians and Syrians do not differ in weight. Only after one month of age do Syrian hamsters begin to gain weight at a faster rate than their counterparts. The average weight of an adult animal is 115 g.

At what age is it better to buy

When choosing a hamster as a pet, it is better to choose a young animal that no longer needs mother's milk.

The best age to purchase is between 1 and 3 months. It is not worth giving away a hamster at an earlier age. For breeding work, a six-month-old hamster is purchased. You should not buy an animal older than 10 - 12 months.

If the breeder gives you the right to choose, then buy an active, energetic animal with shiny, clear eyes and thick fur.

Hairless ears, lethargic behavior, dull and rough fur are all signs of old age. If hamsters are cute as pets, you shouldn't give them up because of their short lifespan.

Do you already have a hamster at home?

Yes