Staying out in the cold is probably one of the most stressful situations any living creature can experience. Whether big or small, animals and humans alike would do everything to stay warm.
Hence, it’s not unusual that our little hamster friends will also try to find a way to keep themselves toasty.
But, how can you as their fur parent keep these little furballs from experiencing cold stress? This can be a very tricky thing to do initially.
If this is your first time taking care of hamsters, then this article will help you out in this matter.
So, are you now ready to learn more about keeping your hamster friends warm? Continue reading the text below.
How to keep hamsters warm in a cold environment?
Keeping hamsters warm isn’t rocket science. You can start off by using small blankets and heating mats. Other options include building them a small nest, using a heater, and transferring them to a warmer room. If the first five options aren’t keeping your hamster pal warm enough, then perhaps you should consider increasing food portions, encouraging more physical activity, and placing them indoors.
1. Small blankets
One of the simplest ways you can keep your hamster friends warm is by placing a blanket around their cage.
However, while it’s important to use thick blankets, make sure that the fabric you’ll use isn’t one that will restrict airflow. This can lead to the accidental suffocation of your beloved pet.
You can try draping your hamster’s cage with fleece fabric. Not only can this type of blanket provide additional protection from the cold, but it also ensures airflow.
2. Heating mats
Another way with which you can keep your hamster friend warm is by placing a heating pad or mat under its cage.
Though this solution’s quite tricky especially for children, a heating mat will alleviate any problems related to fluctuating room temperatures.
If hamster owners don’t have a decent heating pad, the cage gets cold after a while. Thus, It is advisable to invest in a high-quality hamster heating pad and position it in the right place for optimal results.
As most cages are cold at the sides and at the middle, placing a heating mat beneath the cage will keep the overall temperature in the cage steady.
High-end heating mats even automatically adjust the temperature, leaving fur parents to focus on other tasks to ensure the continued health of their hamster.
These heating pads technically maintain a 100 degree Fahrenheit temperature to keep your hamster pals warm and toasty.
Other than setting the heating mat up, you won’t have to constantly readjust it. You can still keep an eye on the temperature from time to time, but you’ll have more time to spend cuddling and playing with your hamster instead.
3. Create a small nest
While it’s quite unusual, building your hamster pal a nest in its cage will give it a fun yet another effective way to keep itself warm.
The nest you’ll place in its cage will allow the hamster to burrow whenever the temperature drops.
This can be seen as an alternative to keep your hamster warm overnight if you cannot constantly be with your pet.
While good hamster bedding is indeed an intelligent investment, building a nest is a better option.
In this way, you’re teaching your little friend another way to keep itself warm without relying on you constantly.
4. Place heater in the room
More often than not, typical homes nowadays have heaters installed to keep everyone living in them warm and toasty. And, that includes your hamsters as well.
Hence, if your room incidentally doesn’t have a heater installed in it, and your hamster’s cold, then go ahead and invest in one.
Even if you find that this option’s quite on the pricey side, what matters most is that your hamster stays warm and will not freeze to death.
In fact, your main objective in buying a quality heater is that it allows your hamster to walk around its cage easily despite the freezing temperatures outside your home.
5. Transfer hamster cage in a warmer room
If, however, you don’t have enough finances to install a new heater in your home, the best option is to transfer your hamster cage to a warmer room.
You don’t have to make the switch as well if your little fur buddy is living in your bedroom. You simply need to find a temporary holding area for your hamster once the cold, winter months arrive.
Just make sure, though, that you won’t place the cage in direct sunlight to lessen the chances of your hamster experiencing heat stress, or worse, heatstroke.
6. Diet
Keeping itself warm takes a lot of energy from your hamster. After all, your furry pal’s body needs to break down some of its fat stores if it starts shivering due to feeling cold.
So, another way, even if it’s an indirect one, to keep your hamster warm is by feeding it larger food portions. And, by larger, it doesn’t mean bigger.
It simply means you’ll have to feed your hamster a little more than its usual amount. Aside from making the hamster full, it’ll also help their cells produce more energy to keep warm.
7. Increase physical activity
This is not a long-term solution, but increasing your hamster’s physical activity ensures that the hamster is not sent into hibernation mode due to the cold temperature.
And, what more nifty way to achieve this feat installing a hamster wheel inside its cage, right?
Though this equipment may seem to cater more to the entertainment needs of your hamster, allowing your pet to use this wheel during the cold months will automatically increase its heart and body temperature due to movement.
Another alternative that you can do is to carry your furry pal inside a hamster ball. While it still allows your hamster to roam around, the increased movement will ultimately make its heart rate and temperature rise the same way a hamster wheel does.
So, whichever methods you use, it’s up to you to choose.
8. Bring your hamster indoors
Sometimes, we want our hamster pals to appreciate the great outdoors by bringing them outside. While it’s a good idea during spring and summer, you wouldn’t even consider that idea during fall and winter.
Thus, it’s always a good habit that you keep your hamster indoors and not in a winter porch or shed.
Also, make sure that the room you’ll place your hamster pal’s free from gaps as this will ultimately allow the cold wind to enter. Hence, you can board those gaps up as an added layer of insulation.
Just remember to turn the heating on inside the room you and your hamster’s staying in so you can all enjoy a cozy space.
Conclusion
Allowing your hamster pal to stay in a cold environment can ultimately put stress on its health. Thus, It is necessary to solve this problem immediately before the symptoms of cold stress show on your hamster.
You are well on your way to providing a more friendly place for your hamster to stay in if you follow the tips mentioned above.