do-hamsters-hibernate

Hamsters belong to the order Rodentia or rodents. The subfamily Cricetinae has approximately 25 species distributed into 6 or 7 genera. Of these only 5 are kept as pets – the Syrian hamster, the Chinese hamster, the Winter White Russian dwarf hamster, Roborovski hamster, and the Campbell’s Dwarf hamster.

They are very popular as house pets due to their gentle, sweet nature. They live on seeds, vegetation, fruits, and an occasional insect. One of their endearing characteristics is their cheek pouches. These pouches extend to their shoulders and are used for carrying food to their borrow to stock up for winter.

Hamsters are solitary animals who form a close monogamous bond with their mate. They become depressed when separated from them and eat more becoming obese. Many of them housed together manifest acute stress and may fight fiercely and fatally. Besides disease spreads quickly due to a depressed immune system caused by over-crowding.

Hamsters are crepuscular or nocturnal. This is because the dim light of the dawn or dusk and the darkness of the night gives them a cover. This cover protects them from the sharp eyes of predators like owls, jackals, wild cats, snakes, weasels, etc.

 

Hibernation or Torpor

The only true hibernators are the Syrian hamsters as they reduce their body temperature to match the ambient temperature. i.e., around 20°C. This mode of thermoregulation reduces the metabolic rate to approximately 5% diminishing the need for food and water through the winter.

The animal may come awake for short periods of time, eat and then go back to sleep. But most hamsters do not go into hibernation per se; they reduce their heartbeats and rate of breathing for short periods of time. These brief periods are called torpor, or a state of physical and mental insensibility or inactivity induces to conserve energy.

Torpor is a condition midway between deep sleep and true hibernation, that can last up to 10 days. This torpor usually occurs in a secure place like a burrow. The burrow has some hay, leaves, and cobwebs to make a soft bed and a pantry of food collected by the hamster to overwinter. The hamster rations out the food to survive the cold months when food is difficult to come by.

Hamsters in the wild are vulnerable to anything as they have relinquished mainly their quick reflexes and stealth for this torpor. They may be susceptible to predators or floods. They may be buried alive where their breathing apparatus may be blocked, and the animal suffocates and dies.

It is noteworthy that this variation of hibernation is meant for the hamster to withstand harsh conditions until there is enough food and the climate is pleasant. Unless hamsters become lost in the house or outside in extreme weather, they are not likely to face adversities that could induce hibernation.

 

Signs of Hibernation

So how do you differentiate hibernation from other conditions that may affect your pet hamster? Hamsters endemic to cold regions of the Earth tend towards hibernation or torpor. The signs are as follows. They may borrow and curl up into their bedding or a protected area of their habitat. They may shake or shiver.

If you pick up your pet and he is stiff (rigor mortis), then he is dead. If he is limp, he is in torpor. It may appear in a coma, and you may detect a faint heartbeat and sporadic respiration. It will not eat, drink or eliminate at this time.

Their eyes may seem open, or half closed this means he is in torpor. To check for signs of respiration hold a mirror before your hamsters’ nose. If he fogs up, he is alive. Stroke the animal if his whiskers twitch its alive but in a torpor.

 

How to Prevent Hibernation in Your Hamster

In captivity, if the temperature remains at 40 °F or 4.4 °C for 24 hours, dormancy may be induced. But researchers argue that the animal most likely experiences hypothermia than a torpor. As they are small and their body temperature falls quickly.

As the hamster has not prepared for the cold, they fall into a torpor. Torpor due to hypothermia is fatal as the animal hasn’t had the chance to build up energy reserves to tide it over this period of scarcity. This unanticipated torpor may cause essential body systems to shut down due to a drop in temperature.

To prevent your hamster from going into a torpor maintain the temperature between 65 to 80 °F or 18.3 to 26.7 °C. Keep the terrarium or cage well-ventilated and well-lit with sufficient space to burrow and curl up. Provide adequate food and water to prevent the feeling of food scarcity.

 

How to Bring the Hamster Out of Hibernation?

Pick up the hamster and hold he in the warmth of your hands or against your body. Hold he for half an hour and check if he reanimates and becomes alert again.

Another method to reanimate your pet would be using a hot water bag/bottle. Wrap your little friend in a towel or a blanket and place he on or next to the warm water bag or container. This should quicken his heartbeat and have blood coursing through his blood vessels.

You could keep your bundled fur baby on a radiator or heating pad but monitor him closely. The heat shouldn’t be too much for your pet.

When the hamster becomes slightly alert. Feed he warm milk or glucose water. You could use a dropper to ensure he gets the feed. This not only rehydrates them but gives sufficient nourishment to sustain them.

Last but not least, to prevent future hibernations make sure your hamster has sufficient food and water. Add a portion of fattening foods such as nuts, avocado, peanuts, etc., a little goes a long way for these little creatures.

Provide sufficient insulation and bedding to prevent hypothermia. If your pet goes into a torpor add more bedding. You could even add a warming lamp to the terrarium. Hamsters love to exercise when they are awake, so put in a hamster wheel to pump up that little heart.

 

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Photo by Jpbarrass – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16661863