The Oldest Syrian Hamster?

Question

My hamster (Gizmo 2) is now 2 & a half yrs old, he still seems a fit as when we first got him, he has lived longer than my 2 previous syrian hamsters (Becky & Gizmo) who only lasted 1 & a half.

So what am wondering is what is the oldest Syrian Hamster, and how much longer can i expect this one to last?

Answer 1

The record for a Syrian hamster was 6 and a half years old. Yours may not make it, but if you continue to take good care of it, who knows? Hope to see his little face in the World Records Book! ^-^

Answer 2

i think the oldest syrian hamster was about 8 years old, but do not expect your hamster to live that long. you should be expecting him to pass on soon.

Answer 3

Syrian Hamsters are wildly popular as housepets due to their docile, inquisitive nature and small size. They are popular as "first pets" for young children, as well as being classroom animals, because of their hardiness and relative ease of care. Some pet owners find them more attractive than rats and other rodents due to their lack of visible tails. However, their lack of tolerance towards each other is seen by some as a drawback.



A young Golden Banded Hamster explores a cardboard box

A male "Teddy Bear" Hamster

Albino hamsterMost hamsters in American and British pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. Originally, Syrian Hamsters came in just one color — the mixture of brown, black, and gold which gave them their "Golden" name — but they have since developed a myriad of color mutations such as cream, white, blonde, banded, tortoiseshell, calico, and sable. Therefore, in pet stores today, Golden Hamster is only used to label the original coloration (also known as agouti). Other-colored short-hairs are banded under the label Fancy Hamster. Teddy Bear is a term used to describe the long-haired variety of the Syrian Hamster, named so for their remarkable resemblance to toy teddy bears. They are also sometimes known as "angora hamsters". The fur on a long-haired hamster is thick and fluffy, like a cotton wool, rather than the velvety feel of short-haired fur. For this reason, people who are not allergic to short-haired hamsters can be allergic to long-hairs. Male teddy bear hamsters usually have much longer fur than the female variety, culminating in a "skirt" of longer fur around their backsides. Black Bears are a recent off-shoot of teddy bear hamsters (mutation discovered in 1985), the major difference being their black-colored fur. It can be argued that black bears are just black teddy bears rather than their own breed; on the other hand, black bears were originally selectively bred for their larger size and more docile nature as well as their color. However, in current stock, this may or may not still be the case.

possibly 3 years, they are almost extinct in the wild.

Answer 4

i would say 2-3 years is about average, he may make it another year but i wouldnt expect him to go to long, sorry.

7.5 was the oldest ever on record (someone above said 6.5 but thats incorrect) although this is very rare!

Answer 5

If your hamster is fit and healthy he may live perhaps another year, however most hamsters live between 1-3 years.

The oldest syrian hamster was 6 and a half years old, however I don't think you can enter the world records book unless you have a certificate of your hamster's birth.

Seems like your hamster has a long time left - take care x