Do Hamsters Need to be Kept Warm? ( Tips, Hibernation & Torpor issues)

Since hamsters originally come from dry and warm areas it’s normal to ask yourself if you need to do something more to keep your pet warm especially if you live in a region with a cold, humid climate.

Generally, it’s not difficult to keep your hamster warm as they prefer the same temperatures we do. If you place the hamster’s cage in a draft-free and warm place, add some extra bedding during cold months, your hamster will be just fine. Avoid keeping your hamster on a porch or in the garage, as your pet might be cold there. The ideal air temperature for your hammy is between 65F- 75F ( 18,3C – 23,9C)

Besides the ideal temperature for the hamster, you should know more about what will happen if the temperature goes over or drops below ideal temperature, what to do in such cases and how to prevent, to learn more about it just keep reading.

What Will Happen if Air Temperature Is Too Low?

If temperatures go down more (below 60 F) and it gets even colder, the hamster will enter the state similar to hibernation. This state is called Torpor.

Torpor is a condition of decreased mental and physical activity. Lasts for a couple of hours or a couple of days on rare occasions, helping hamster to survive a period of very low temperatures.

But there are other triggers for Torpor besides cold weather such as lack of food, water or even very hot weather. This is also called Permissive hibernation( means that hibernation has nothing to do with the season but can happen in any period when triggers appear ) Hamsters are able to keep their body temperature at the safe level during the Torpor but if the low temperatures continue there is a great risk that hamsters will never wake up. They can die of hypothermia or dehydration.

Unlike Torpor, hibernation can last from several days up to several weeks, allowing animals which naturally can enter this state, to save the energy and keep the body temperature at a safe level for an extended period of time. This kind of hibernation is called Obligatory hibernation( has seasonal character, occurs usually in the wintertime).

Pet hamsters hardly ever go to Torpor or real hibernation as their habitats are kept in warm place, no real need for that.

What Can I Do to Keep My Hamster Warm Enough?

Hamsters used to live in areas where day temperatures can be very high but night ones are usually very low. Considering this, hamsters are naturally very good at dealing with temperature changes. Still there are several things you can do to make sure your hammy is warm if necessary.

Check the room temperature

The room where the cage is placed needs to be warm enough and draft-free. Bear in mind that room temperature should be between 65-75F in order to keep your hammy safe and healthy.

If it gets too cold, your risk your pet enters the state of Torpor and if it is too hot, your furry pal can get a stroke. It is usually recommended not to leave the cage directly exposed to sunlight but in colder months you can open up curtains and allow some sun rays to warm the cage naturally.

If you think that the room where the cage is located is poorly insulated, maybe you can add some insulation to the windows and prevent cold airflow.

Put some ‘heating’ source (item) in the cage.

  • This could be a plastic bottle in which you put hot water( but not boiling ! ) and then you can place it under the bedding material.
  • You can simply put more bedding and nesting material but remember to avoid any cotton-like materials as they are not good for your pet.
  • If you just need to make the temperature slightly warmer, you can put some old blanket beneath the cage.
  • Make sure your hamster has partially enclosed house or hideouts in its cage. If he feels cold, he will hide there to warm up a bit. You can either buy it in a pet shop or make it on your own if you have a little time. You just need good cardboard, some glue, scissors, and little imagination to create a perfect house for your tiny friend.
  • Provide snuggle pouches or hammocks. You can find a great variety of them in pet shops or online or you can easily make them by yourself. For example, take the old sock ( do not use cotton-like sock but made of some warmer material ), cut it at the heel area, roll the top a little bit and you have the perfect thing to make your furry friend warm. Put it in the cage. If your hammy needs stimulation to explore the snuggle pouch you have made for him, just put a seed or some other treat to encourage him to enter.

Feed your hammy with warm treats and generally give him more food

Giving a warm food to your hamster can help him to warm a bit. That can be scrambled eggs or baby food (remember not to use blends with garlic, onion, leek or any spice in it). During colder months you can give more food to your hamster then usual as he is spending more energy to keep him warm.

Use reptile under tank heating pad

Put the cage on some rubber feet, raising it inch or two and place the heating pad below the cage. This kind of heating pad is safe, not able to cause the fire and will not burn your furry friend.

People usually think that they should cover the cage with some blanket during colder weather to trap warm air inside the cage. Well, you can do that, blanket or some other thinner cloth can provide some insulation but you have to think about the ventilation. Also be prepared that your hammy will try to chew on the cover you put so really use some old, worn up blanket.

Related Questions

Do All Hamster Breeds Running the Same Risk of Hibernation ?

No, some breeds can tolerate lower temperatures better than the others. For example, Campbell Siberian or Russian Dwarf breeds are adapted to lower temperatures so they will not enter hibernation /torpor unless the air temperature drops below the freezing level.

On the other hand, Syrian hamsters naturally cannot handle such low temperatures and will enter the hibernation state before than others.

What is The Risk of Hibernation?

Just to make it clear, if you provide a good care to your hammy, he/ she will never ever enter to Torpor. So the only thing that can make him/her to hibernate is very low temperature and that should not be happening.

Let’s analyze one situation – It was mid-January, very cold outside and you needed to leave the house for a couple of days. You did not want ( or couldn’t) bring your hammy with you but made sure that he has all he needed, food and water, enough bedding … of course the heating was on and you left the house with no worries.

But two days later, the heating system broke for unknown reasons. Of course, you do not know that at the moment and your hammy, unfortunately, does not know how to turn AC on. The house is getting colder and your hammy enters in torpor.

The problem is that your furry pal did not have time to prepare for torpor as he would do in the wild. He did not know that this situation was coming so he did not eat and drink more to make supplies. If you find him after 24h, he will most probably be just fine but if you let him be in torpor for a few days he might die of hypothermia, starvation and dehydration.

Hibernation can be misunderstood as death. So it might happen you bury your hamster which is hibernating so check twice to make sure that you check twice.

How to Tell If My Hamster is Hibernating?

Hamster that is hibernating :

  • Breathing – can be very slow and irregular but he is breathing ( as for humans, you can place the small mirror and check if there is any sign of fog on it)
  • should have a heartbeat. It might be difficult to feel it but be persistent
  • has cheek pouches that are a bit warmer than the rest of the body
  • will move just a bit its ears and whiskers if you touch them.

How To Wake Up My Hamsters That is Hibernating?

Try with gentle massage and increase the room temperature but gradually. Never ever expose your hamster to direct source of heat (do not put him on the heater or use the blowdryer )

You can also put the warm water bottle near you furry pal to warm him up.

Eventually you can bring your hammy to the vet if nothing that you have done woke him up.

If you succeeded and your hammy woke up, keep him warm, offer extra food and water ( he might be very hungry and thirsty ) in order to recover totally.

Final Thought

Your hammy needs a safe, quiet and moderately warm environment to live happily. It shouldn’t be too difficult to provide the perfect room temperature for your furry pal, as they prefer the same temperature we do. But if something unexpected occurs and your tiny friend falls asleep for the whole day or even more, it is good to know about hibernation as much as you can to help him wake up and recover.

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