1 Think of this as being like the skin of the avocado. Although not strictly a part of the adrenal glands themselves, the primary function of this layer is to enclose and protect each of the adrenals.  The Cortex. You might compare this layer to the flesh of an avocado.
The average lifespan for a hammy is about 2-3 years and they are very sweet!! The average life span for a hamster in general is about 2-4 years, but different breeds live differents spans. Teddy bears: 2-3 yrs. Syrian: 1 1/2- 3 yrs. Cambells, russians & other dwarfs: 1-3 yrs.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest hamster lived for 7 years. A dwarf lab mouse at the Southern Illinois University Cabondale Vivarium lived 4 years 11 months and 3 weeks. The mouse died in January 2003. There are reports about pet rats that lived about 7 years.