A List of Common Pets' Life Expectancy, From Shortest to Longest

The average life span of a hamster is two to three years. Factors like species, diet, exercise, and quality of care directly contribute to how long a hamster may live.

Guinea pigs live for four to seven years on average. They need to be well attended to, as common infections can be deadly — especially respiratory illnesses.

When kept in a healthy environment, goldfish can live for five to 10 years. It is important that they swim in fresh water as they can react badly after a change in chlorine levels or to heavy metals in the water.

Budgies, or parakeets, are a common species of parrot that people have as pets. On average, these species live for five to 15 years.

On average, dogs live for seven to 14 years. There are a lot of factors when it comes to determining a dog's life span, including breed, as some breeds are more prone to disease than others.

Rabbits or bunnies live for eight to 14 years on average. They are prone to unique problems like overgrown teeth and loss of appetite over the years.

Indoor-only cats have an average lifespan of 10 to 20 years. On the other hand, cats that only live outdoors have an average lifespan of two to five years. Keeping cats indoors can actually increase their lifespan, as they are less likely to encounter predators or toxins.

Turtles or tortoises can live for 40 to 50 years, as they have very slow metabolisms. However, they often do not get sufficient care in captivity in order to live full lives.