Are you a hamster owner and are you wondering whether the hamsters’ feet can get cold or not? The answer is Yes certainly their feet can get cold. They would experience this condition when temperatures drop 20 degrees celsius / 68 degrees Fahrenheit even for a few hours. The optimal temperature for the hamsters would be around 20-23 degrees Celsius / 68 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
So, if you had placed the hamsters in rooms where the temperature would fall around 20 degrees celsius / 68 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures, hamsters would experience cold feet. Keep in mind that prolonged exposure to colder conditions would result in so many adverse health-related issues for hamsters. So, in this article, we will find out how the hamsters’ feet can get cold and all the other things which you need to be aware of in this aspect.
Table of Contents
Are hamsters’ feet supposed to be cold?
Hamsters’ feet are not supposed to be cold. In fact, they should not be cold irrespective of the location you place them. Be it their habitat, cage, or anywhere else. Always try to place them in a warm place. The ideal temperature should be around 20-23 degrees Celsius / 68 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit as aforesaid. It is noteworthy that hamsters don’t do well in cold temperatures. Having said that, keep in mind that they would not do well in hot temperatures either.
It is important that they get the right temperature as only then can they live healthily and happily. If you happen to expose them to the wrong temperatures, it would make their feet cold. So, if you are a responsible hamster owner, ensure that you provide the aforesaid optimal temperature for them to thrive well.
What does it mean if your hamsters’ feet are cold?
If your hamsters’ feet get cold, they would go through a condition called Torpor. As you may already know, hamsters are originally from tropical regions. In those places, there is a warmer daytime and colder nighttime. This literally means the hamsters can withstand fluctuations in temperature to some extent. That being said, if the hamster’s temperature dropped to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it would go through hibernation.
Once they approach this condition, they tend to build a warm nest. Furthermore, they tend to consume food as much as they can. Moreover, they would bed down and try to preserve energy by sleeping. It would help them to stay warm as well. When hamsters go through this condition they may look lifeless. However, if you look at them closer, you could see them breathing. Further, you could see them twitching whiskers too. Other than that they would not respond to anything. So, it would be best to wake them up as promptly as you could. When you wake them up, make sure that you do it gently.
To wake a hamster who is going through Torpor or hibernation, you need to nuzzle them smoothly. Thereafter you need to warm them. Further, when you wake a hamster up like this, it may tend to appear groggy and grumpy. As such you need to move them to a warmer area where they can gain plenty of food. After that leave them alone for some time. If you don’t spot them becoming normal you need to channel a doctor and get their opinion on how to proceed further. Your doctor may probably prescribe some antibiotics or any other treatment depending on the severity of the condition.
So how do they keep a warm hamster?
Hamsters would usually change their coats according to the fluctuations in the weather. That said, hamsters’ coats would not get as thick as the dogs or cats’ coats would. However, if we consider the winter white hamsters they would comprise fur which would change into white as they approach the winter. It is more like they are camouflaging themselves to hide under the snow.
That said, you could spot this only among the white hamsters who grow in the wild and you cannot expect this in the captive hamsters. That is because the temperature in the household would not be much colder for the hamsters to change their fur color. Besides, the use of a lot of unnatural lights in the house would also contribute to them not coming up with white hair.
In addition to aforesaid things, they would tend to hide in their nests to overcome colder conditions. Hamsters are such tiny fluffy creatures. Yet they would try these tactics to make them warm just like we would do.
How can I make sure my hamster is warm enough?
You could make the hamsters warm by doing the same things you would do to make yourself warm. For example if it is colder for you , I am sure you would wrap yourself in extra blankets. So for hamsters, you can use extra beddings to make them warm. Hamsters would really love to have these extra nesting materials as they would be really useful for the hamsters.
Apart from that you may also consider placing shredded toilet paper in their homes too. As you may already know, paper can insulate the heat. Besides, it would be soft and comfy for them as well. Furthermore, if you have not provided a house for the hamsters you could consider making one for them.
In addition to that , you could consider turning on the heater to make them comfy and warm. However, ensure that you don’t place the heater too close for the hamster’s cage. If you do so, it would be too hot for them. So, try to move them to a safer place where the temperature would not be too intense.
There are some people who use heat lamps for this. However not every hamster would like the constant light. Furthermore try giving some time to gain some weight by feeding them extra food. Once the hamsters have full tummies it would make them feel good and warm too. If the hamsters are closer to the windows, doors, or any other drafts you need to immediately move them away as the hamsters would find the wind coming out uncomfortable. If you want to secure the hamsters from the drafts you could cover a part of the cage too.
If you have wired, plastic cages I suggest you not use towels or blankets. If you do so, hamsters would probably pull the materials through the bars of the cage and end up chewing them. This is something you need to avoid as it could be unsafe for the hamsters. In fact, chances are that it would result in choking or in severe cases death as well. So, to overcome this you could use pieces of cardboard to cover their cage. And make sure hamsters can not reach the cardboard and shred them.
If you have placed the hamsters in a tank you could simply drape a blanket or even a towel over half of the cage. Furthermore, you have the liberty to use a blanket or a towel as the openings of the wire screen of the tanks. Hamsters may find it difficult to pull.
Moreover, to keep them warm you need to keep them indoors as much as you can. As you may already know hamsters are not outdoor pets. Hence it is obvious that you need to keep them indoors as much as you can. If you spot any hamster’s feets are cold, you may have to separate them from other hamsters If you have placed more than one hamster in a cage.
How to tell if your hamster’s too cold
If you happen to see your hamsters start to collect lots of bedding in his hideout, it is very likely that they are too cold. Apart from that you could spot them becoming lethargic like they were never before. Not only that but also, if your hamsters are too cold, you could see them losing their appetite too. Furthermore, if they are extremely cold you will see them shivering.
Final words
Like most animals and mammals, hamsters’ feet may get cold and there are only reasons for the cold feet of hamsters. That is a colder temperature. If you place your pet hamster in a colder environment than it can tolerate, its feet will get cold. So, if you ever come across any situation like this, you could try out one of the above tactics and make them secure and protected from the colder conditions. In simple words, try to keep them warm during winter.
Hello, my name is James and I’ve been caring for tiny pets for over 14 years with a passion. I enjoy passing on my expertise to other individuals in order for them to have the same amount of enjoyment as I do.
