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Old 05-29-2017, 01:13 AM   #1
jesshammie
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Default How old are pet shop hamsters?

I was just wondering, how old are pet shops hamsters when you buy them generally? No one told me how old Ru was when they sold him to me, and I'm just left a bit baffled. I know he is young, but how young is he likely to be?
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Old 05-29-2017, 01:31 AM   #2
SKB_Hamsters
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

Normally my local p@h's sells their hamster when they are around 6 to 8 weeks old.
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Old 05-29-2017, 01:32 AM   #3
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

Usually 8 weeks but it depends what pet shop it was. I have bought a pet shop hamster at 10 weeks old before.
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Old 05-29-2017, 01:54 AM   #4
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

It does vary but they mostly seem to be about 8-10 weeks whenever I've asked.
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Old 05-29-2017, 02:23 AM   #5
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

P@H told me all their hamsters are 8-10 weeks old when they come into the shop and it is the same at Squires (a loval garden centre who also sell animals). It does vary, though. At a different local pet shop they are around 7 weeks old. Of course, how old the hamster is when you bring it home will depend also on how long it has been in the shop.

Possibly, you could go back to the petshop you purchased Ru from and ask how old their hamsters usually are when sold.
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Old 05-29-2017, 02:33 AM   #6
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

I'd imagine that it varies according to the policy of the individual store but I also think that species may play a part too as a more popular species such as a Syrian is likely to sell more quickly than a Chinese or a Roborovski which seem to appeal to a slightly more limited market.

When I bought my first two Chinese from Pets at Home, they told us that they were about 8 or 9 weeks old, however I think that that they could have been a little bit older. Lady May (one of my previous Chinese) and Jessie were both purchased from a smaller pet shop chain and May was 10 weeks old and Jessie was 6.

When we got Sooty (a Hybrid) from Pets at Home they literally could not tell us anything about her, they didn't even know if she was male or female and my estimation was that she could have been as old as 12 weeks.
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Old 05-29-2017, 03:35 AM   #7
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

I'd assume anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks, I usually say 8 weeks for my hamsters just as an assumption.
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Old 05-29-2017, 04:20 AM   #8
jesshammie
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

Ok, I'll work from the premise that he's 8-9 weeks then

I'll ask them next time I pop back in - see if they know!
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Old 05-29-2017, 07:50 AM   #9
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

I can find them younger if I'm lucky. But mostly the youngest I can get is 3-4 mo old.
Dakota was a rescue so I got her at 5-6 weeks old.

Last edited by Cinnamon Bear; 05-29-2017 at 08:17 AM.
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Old 05-29-2017, 08:18 AM   #10
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Default Re: How old are pet shop hamsters?

As already said, it depends on the pet shop and how long they've been there but if it helps: I've bought 3 hamsters from p@h in the last couple of years; they told me my Chinesey Lewis was 11 weeks, my Syrian Cleo was around about 13-16 weeks & my Syrian Pip I forgot to ask about at the time but when I phoned back later I think they said about 12 weeks (I'd seen him a couple of weeks prior so they put them out younger, I guess) so it does seem to vary a lot and they don't always exactly know but around the 2-3 month mark doesn't seem an unreasonable guess.
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