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Old 10-29-2017, 01:48 AM   #1
Pebbles82
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Default Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Now the weather is turning cold (in the Uk anyway!) just thought I'd start a thread on making sure hammies don't get too cold, as they can go into torpor (hibernation) which is dangerous.

If you have central heating and the whole house is warm until bed-time, that should be ok, but you might need to set the heating to come on earlier in the morning - hammies are awake and active overnight.

If it's going to be a freezing frosty night, then having a couple of hours low heat on in the middle of the night would be good.

If you don't want to set the whole central heating to come on in the middle of the night then a small oil filled heater on a timer can just warm the room the hamster is in.

A lot depends on the kind of house you live in and where the hammy is. We don't have our central heating on yet, and although the living room is warm, Newt is in a separate room which can get quite cold so I have a little heater on a timer for a few hours in the afternoon and evening and a couple of hours during the night (2am to 4am). Plus a room thermometer to check it doesn't get too hot or cold. With a little heater on low it stays about right.

For a very insulated home you might need a bit less, but a room thermometer helps.

This kind of thing. You can probably get them in a pound shop

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wall-Indoor...E8CRT3QWJY5WE4

The snugglesafe pads are good as well, but they don't heat the room, so on a freezing cold night, they might not be enough. I've used the snugglesafe at night throughout autumn but in the north of england it's pretty cold at night now, so keeping the room the right temperature works better.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SnuggleSafe...esafe+heat+pad

Hamsters can get too warm as well so keeping the temperature around 20 degrees centigrade is about right (which is normal central heating setting usually).

It's worth investing in a little oil filled radiator if you just need the extra warmth in one room and don't want the central heating on extra. Ours is on a plug in timer. This kind of thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Status-Segm...=plug+in+timer

Little oil filled radiators can vary. The more expensive ones have a built in safety cut out. You can get them quite cheap, but to be on the safe side, you can use one of these with the timer (circuit breaker) if the heater doesn't have a safety cut out and it's on over night.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N2R61...p_detail?psc=1

If you have a modern insulated home and central heating on till late and early in the morning, then something like the Snugglesafe pad overnight is probably fine. If you live in a draughty older house a bit of extra warmth during the night might be necessary.

Where to put the snugglesafe can be an issue. One method people have used is standing the cage on some books and putting the snugglesafe underneath. Putting it on top doesn't have much effect and hammies can chew the fleece through bars (if so inclined).

I hang it on the side of the cage using a towel rail hanger, so it sits just far enough from the bars, but close enough to the cage at the house end. They aren't particularly hot, just warm. You could probably get something like the towel rail hanger from a pound shop too It could actually be chewed through the bars by a determined hamster if not placed carefully, so if you have a chewer, then the book method might be better. With this set up the bottom end of the snugglesafe is up against the bars (and not really accessible) and the top end is further away.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Last edited by Pebbles82; 11-27-2022 at 06:35 PM.
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Old 10-29-2017, 02:09 AM   #2
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Oil filled radiators are a very economical way of keeping the room warm if you do need extra heat, I've used them too when need be.
I never have snugglesafe heat pads touching the cage at all.
I always put mine on a shelf (on top of a pile of books or something if necessary) under the cage, just a few inches away & never directly under the nest area, that way there's just enough gentle heat rising to warm the base of the cage without any chance of the hams over heating or getting uncomfortable & being forced to find a new spot to sleep if the heat pad was under the nest & too warm for them.
Dwarf hams tend to be a bit tougher than syrians I think! Night time temp of around 17-18C but not less if fine.
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Old 10-29-2017, 02:12 AM   #3
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Good point Cypher, it doesn't want to be too close to the nest. With it hung on the side it only just touches the base at the very bottom and doesn't seem to warm the cage base. I find they give out very little heat really, but better than nothing.
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Old 10-29-2017, 04:57 AM   #4
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

These are some very useful tip Serendipity7000! It so useful to have this thread and I'm sure many of us will find this really useful.
Just a few little additonal tips to keep hamster warm - is to provide them with lots of extra tissue which they can take into their houses if they want or if they feel a little cold. Also surrounding their house with their substrate also help keep their house a little more insulated.
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Old 10-29-2017, 12:42 PM   #5
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Yes I forgot that SKB I also put hemp mat on the house roof. Most people already know it all but there are often questions about keeping them warm in winter from new owners.
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Old 10-29-2017, 09:46 PM   #6
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Great thread and tips Serendipity.
I swear by oil filled radiators, and have used them for years ever since my gas heating went on the blink. I've never liked gas.
The oil filled radiators have timers and thermostats, I have 2 in my living room as it's open plan with the kitchen. I keep one radiator on 24/7 on the lowest setting, I also increase substrate and bedding.
I've never used snugglesafe heat pads. I have 2 thermometers and I check these first thing, when I get home and late evening.
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Old 10-30-2017, 04:40 AM   #7
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Very useful thread Serendipity, thank you
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Old 10-30-2017, 06:19 AM   #8
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

I also prefer the oil filled radiators to the central heating TL! They have a nicer smell and heat somehow. The central heating is a bit dry and less controllable. Just need to convince OH the oil filled heaters work out cheaper than the central heating lol!
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Old 11-01-2018, 01:01 PM   #9
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Just reviving this thread from last year due to cold weather coming in so hammies don’t go into torpor. The link to the circuit breaker above no longer works but am adding a link to the heater we have which has a built in safety cut out. It also has different temperature settings and works well. It’s not cheap but very reliable make - had ours a few years now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DeLonghi-TR...kML&ref=plSrch
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Old 11-01-2018, 04:14 PM   #10
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Default Re: Keeping hamsters warm in winter

Excellent adivce, Serendipity! I think I’ll invest in one of those oil heaters! My house is pretty modern but we don’t have central heating (for some reason it’s not very popular in Cornwall) so it’s difficult to control the temperature in winter and I find our usual heaters have quite a dry heat
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