How active is your 2 year old?

[77sammy]

I'd like some advice on older syrians re. their energy levels.

I've just adopted an older hamster and was told she was about 2 years old. I'd seen her a few times and she was always asleep (in her tiny cage) but now I've taken her home she's like a new hamster! She seems to have lots of energy - when I let her out on the first night (she was very relaxed and more than happy to play), she ran around, exploring and climbing.

She is definitely over 1 but could she really be 2 and have all this energy?

I'd love to hear from anyone with an older hamster.

[Lynternette]

We have a lovely little old hamster. He's 32 months old and has cancer. He loves to come out and play. He doesn't seem to bother with the wheel in his cage but loves
his play wheel. He potters about rather than runs. Hunt the peanut goes down well. He does everything a hamster should do but more slowly. He does sleep a lot especially if he can snuggle in my cardi.

[purple_x]

My syrian Dexter is 2 years and 7 months and he doesn't do much at all. When he comes out he just potters about for a little while then gets sleepy, as soon as I put him back in the cage he goes to bed!
He sleeps a lot more deeply now he's older too, he's hard to wake up sometimes!

[kyrilliondaemon]

Our Skip isn't a syrian, he's a roborovski and rescue so we're not 100% sure of his age but he's at least 2 and a half. Six months ago he was full of energy, up all the time, running, playing, he was one of the most energetic hams we had. Now he's slowed down a bit but still has loads of energy when he's awake, he just sleeps more than he did. He definetly shows that elder hams can be very, very active.
Even in his twilight times, after noticable slowing down, he's still really active lol

[Hammymad]

My Cookie is 25.5 months old and she is still very active (she doesn't use her wheel as much) but when she is out she loves her ball and climbing about all over me :)

[libellule]

My two year old is pretty active I think. Difficult to tell sometimes because he has always been a very docile, laid back hamster, but there are still times when he is scuttling about like crazy and looks really lively.

[Catherine Spark]

Oakie spent his second birthday scaling the bars of his cage. He would also frequently pull himself up from 1 tier to the next without using the ladder (we had fall prevention/cushioning measures in place). During out time he was more active than ever - which grew to be a problem as we simply couldn't find a way to contain him (figuratively speaking). So yes, pretty active!

[Catherine Spark]

To be fair though, Oakie did go doddery rather fast when he DID go doddery.

[Gizmodo ^_^]

Fudge was a very active man, right up until his last week bless him :(

[Sandti]

It's probably because she has been in a tiny cage all his life she is like 'Ah! SPACE!!'

[Pompompoms]

My Syrian George was full of energy when he turned two, and really it was only the last month of his life he started to slow down due to the tumor. My Robo The Cloud was also as healthy as he'd ever been at two, and still very much in his prime. I think if they're still really healthy often age is just a number :)

[DwarfHam]

i think your hamster just needed a bigger cage :)
My first hamster was active for 2 and a half year :P

[77sammy]

Great to hear all the older hams are still pretty active. All of those replies put a smile on my face as it's good to hear they are still enjoying life. Lots of hams residing with HC people live well past the age that is generally regarded as 'normal' and it's obvious why!

[Hotch]

Smoky has always been very active, around his bars, wheel and tubes. Loves his ball. The last few days he's struggling, Shaky on his feet, tired alot, had to move his water and food next to him. He's 2.5 now.