Hamster Owners - What is the LONGEST you've had a hamster live and what contributes to GOOD health?

Question

We have had three hamsters - A Syrian named Speedy - Believe it our not our first hamster lived over 3 years!

A Robo - Named Buddy - Buddy lived 2 1/2 years.

Our current hamster - A Dalmation - Poppy - Happy and Healthy - 4 months old currently.

I think what contributed to the good health of our Syrian and Robo was they both were very well cared for. I am a maniac when it comes to clean and always straightened their cages every 2 days (replacing their bedding where they go potty, etc.) and doing a good cleaning once a week. Regularly change their water - actually our current hamster has two water bottles - yes, over-kill, I just like to know they have fresh water. Good diet - mixture of hamster food and fruits and vegetables. Though, I have always been a little concerned about the sugar in fruit, so I limit fruit to maybe every 3-4 days and give carrots every two days. Poppy LOVES carrots (actually all my hamsters have), just gobble them up. I find the baby carrots work best. I chop them up and put them in water bottle tops.

I had asked a question about vitamin supplements (I have never used them) and I guess I won't start now. I got the impression from most the experts here they aren't necessary as hamsters get all of what they need in a varied diet. And since I have had two previous hamsters live a good long life, I'm fairly confident, it's not necessary. I just wish hamsters had a little longer life expectancy. =(

Other things that I have found that have contributed to good health: Definitely, the all important hamster wheel and varied cage. Physical health and movement is important, exercise outside the cage in an exercise ball and playtime. I also think LOVING your hamster and spending time with them contributes to a happy hamster that meets or exceeds it's life expectancy. =)

Answer 1

I had 3 hamsters, and Ernie lived the longest, he was about 3 when he died. I didn't do anything special.. I kept his cage clean, gave him hamster food and some vegetables every once in a while and let him run around sometimes... I was just a kid, but he seemed happy enough : )

Answer 2

My hamster is about 3 or 4 years old. She's active and healthy.

Answer 3

My favorite hamster Chester, how i miss him!, lived to be about two years old. we got him as a baby in a pet store where he was living alone in a dirty, cracked aquarium in the bird room! how could a hamster sleep in all that noise?! but the pet store employee let us hold him and he crawled up my arm and into my sleeve and fell asleep, and the best part......... he was FREE!!! i got an adorable baby hamster who was very loving for free! i spent about three weeks socializing him until he became the perfect hamster. he was cuddly and would race over to the cage door when ever i walked into the room. he had the cutest face and the softest brown fur. he wasnt very smart and did not really get the concept of a wheel or a hamster ball, but i loved him anyway. he died one night and all that night i stayed up crying while he laid in his cage, eyes half closed. this hamster who was as good as a rat, dying. :( he lived a nice happy life and i found that the key was a healthy diet, weekly cage cleanings and lots of love. hamsters need to be loved every day to be truly happy.

my oldest living hamster was actually Jorge who lived to be nearly 4 years old. he actually started out as my friends hamster, whom i inspired to dive into the world of hamsters, but unfortunately he was busy doing other things and left his father to do all the work. that poor hamster was probably taken once or twice out of its cage while it lived there. the father cleaned the cage and fed him, he wanted to keep the poor thing alive. the father hated caring for his son's hamster and its not like he hadnt done it before, i mean my friend hasnt really had a good history with animals (releasing gerbils into the wild, keeping mice in tub o ware containers at school, losing interest in hermit crabs, etc.) well i offered to take Jorge off of the father's hands and he replied "God, yes!" as soon as he was in my care i held him everyday and he seemed much happier  

Answer 4

My dwarf hamster lived a little longer than two years.