The Dzungarian hamster is a popular pet. It does not require special care, so people who spend most of the day outside the house can get such a small animal. However, the Dzungariks have a drawback - they do not live long.
How old is a hamster?
The Dzungarian hamster is a funny little animal weighing from five to forty-five grams. Under natural conditions, it lives in the steppes of Western Siberia and Central Asia. In European and Asian, less often American pet stores, dzungariks are sold as pets. Buyers, especially those buying a pet for a child, usually care how long the hamster can live with. Indeed, despite its tiny size, the animal can become a real member of the family, and its death will hurt its owners.
The life span of the Dzungarian hamster is from one and a half to three years, depending on the health and quality of the animal's keeping. Unlike the natural environment, the animal is not threatened by predators in the cage, and modern veterinary medicine can treat many diseases even in such tiny animals. Your pet will be able to live, even if not too long, compared to cats and dogs, but a happy life.
Foxes, weasels, ferrets, as well as birds of prey are natural enemies of Dzungariks in nature. But a cat can eat a hamster at home.
How to extend the life of a pet
With proper care, the Dzungarian hamster can live in captivity for up to four years. To do this, the owner needs to take care of a comfortable cage and good nutrition for his pet. Dzungariki prefer to live alone and are very jealous of their territory. Keeping two or more animals in the same cage or terrarium is stressful for your pet. If you want the hamster to live as long as possible, it is better to provide him with a separate apartment.
The hamster's cage should be spacious, as the animal is quite mobile. Equip your hamster with a mink and place the wheel where he can stretch. A sedentary lifestyle significantly reduces the term released to the animal.
Dzungarian hamsters love to taste everything. The rods of the cage should not be covered with paint.
The easiest way to feed your hamster is a special formula that is sold in pet stores. Their composition is selected in such a way as to provide the animal with the substances it needs. Include fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet of the jungarik - carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, apples, beets, corn, apricots, bananas, peaches, lettuce.
Two to three times a week, your pet should be given food rich in protein - a piece of boiled chicken, a boiled egg, or low-fat cottage cheese. Although in nature these hamsters live in the steppe, where there is very little water, install a drinking bowl in the cage and do not forget to change the water in it. By taking proper care of the animal, you will give it the longest possible life.
