How Do Hamsters Get Through Winter? A Detailed Guide to Winter Warmth and Care
What we usually call hamsters generally refers to the family Cricetidae, the largest family of mammals, with more than 600 extant species. It can be divided into several different subfamilies and tribes, of which China has 3 genera and 8 species, collectively known as hamsters. Many people like to keep hamsters as pets, so how do small hamsters get through winter?
1. How hamsters get through winter
Hamsters are not cold-tolerant. In areas where winters are relatively cold, hamsters need help staying warm to get through the winter. The usual method is to spread more wood shavings than usual, so the hamster can bury itself entirely in the pile of shavings, or put more cotton or paper towels in the cage so the hamster can tear them into small strips itself and build a warm nest. If conditions permit, an electric heater can be used indoors to control the room temperature. Note that hamsters do not hibernate; if one goes into hibernation, it must be revived, otherwise it will die.
After taking the above measures, you can feed it according to your usual care habits. When feeding, be sure to provide the hamster with enough space for activity, otherwise ventilation will be poor, causing harmful gases and heat to accumulate in large amounts, leading to health problems such as mucous membrane irritation and pneumonia. In addition, hamsters are very fragile, so use plastic toys that match the hamster's size, and do not easily change the feed.
2. Current population status of hamsters
Hamsters mainly feed on plant seeds, and also eat tender plant stems, leaves and fruits, and occasionally insects. They do not hibernate. In winter they live on stored food. Some species are omnivorous and can feed on vertebrates such as frogs. The various species in this family are basically small and medium-sized rodents. Body length is between 5 and 28 cm, and body weight is between 30 and 1000 g. Although hamsters breed easily and are abundantly kept in captivity, the wild populations of some species have limited ranges and are vulnerable to habitat destruction. Some hamsters have been included in the Red List of Threatened Species.
The above is some related knowledge about hamsters. When keeping hamsters, be sure to be patient and pay more attention to unusual situations in hamsters; after all, they are really too fragile.