The days following the birth of the little rodent are full of emotions; you will be eager to watch the development of your new little protégé, and with a little attention, you will notice that almost every day, he evolves.
The Growth of a Hamster
In its first days of life, the little rodent evolves very quickly. You can observe the following stages:
- Birth: they have no fur, they are deaf and blind
- From the 2nd to the 3rd day: colored spots appear on their skin
- 4th day: the ears begin to develop and grow
- 8th day: the mother gives them their first solid food bites
- From the 5th to the 11th day: fur begins to appear
- From the 10th day: they open their eyes
- Around the 12th day: they begin to eat on their own, without the mother’s help
- Start of the 2nd week: they start to explore their world.
- Start of the 3rd week: baby hamster grows up and manages alone for food and grooming.
- From the 22nd to the 27th day: depending on the breeds, it is advisable to separate the mother from her offspring
If you are more generally looking to calculate the age of a hamster, you can use the table below. However, keep in mind that after 1 month, the stages and development are not as pronounced as the stages described earlier, and it is no longer possible to identify their age (and thus their human equivalent) with certainty.
Hamster’s Age | Equivalent Human Age |
---|---|
0 to 3 months | 0 to 14 years |
3 to 6 months | 14 to 18 years |
6 to 18 months | 18 to 40 years |
18 to 30 months | 40 to 65 years |
30 to 48 months | 65 to 90 years |
More than 48 months | he’s a venerable ancestor! |

When Can I Touch a Baby Hamster?
A hamster is considered a baby during the first month of its existence. You should not touch it during its first days of life; otherwise, the mother may reject it.
But be careful: if you want to have a cuddly and gentle hamster in the future, that is to say, one that is used to your smell, your voice, and your hand, establish contact. To do this, you should start to gently touch it with your fingertips, without picking it up, from the beginning of the second week.