Now, let's come to some positive and negative aspects of the shorter lifespan of hamsters. Human beings are naturally emotional to some extent. Therefore, before keeping hamsters as pet, you should know the fact that they wouldn't live with you for many years. Especially, when you are bringing hamsters in your home for kids, you should either let them know this fact, so that they wouldn't develop much emotional attachment with them, or you should opt for some other pet. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for your kids to cope with the trauma and all that when your pet hamster would die.
Again that would be a positive thing as well, like, when your kids get attached with hamster and it would die, they may get a lesson of life this way. They start thinking in this manner that every beginning has an ending and everyone who has come to earth would die one day sooner or later.
Let us move towards the reasons that cause earlier deaths of hamsters. There can be various calamities that can cause early deaths in hamsters such as any kind of infection, disease, improper care provided at homes, and so on. You must make sure that if you are going to keep hamsters as your pet, you must be very protective and caring towards them. You have to clean their cages on weekly basis. You have to be very careful with the food and water you give to hamsters. You should not give them more feed than required. Last but not the least, you should avoid giving them any kind of stress as much as possible because they are very sensitive to stress and any sort of depression can affect their health adversely. This cannot prolong their lives but it may help them live a little longer and a better life.
These are the few factors that inclusively answer the question, "How long do hamsters live?" Now it is up to you whether you bring hamsters home for your kids or not, but if you do so, you have to be extra careful toward them. It is not only about you, ask your kids as well to treat them well, so that they can spend a good life till they are with you. Hamsters can prove really good teachers to your kids in many ways. So, have them for once in your home.