Summer

pinkneon · 04-13-2016, 08:37 AM

Well, Summer will be here soon! Yay! What I'd like to know, is what are the best ways to keep hamsters cool when it's very hot? Although it's not Summer yet, it is getting warmer. The past few days I've had the window above my bed open, ss that one is furthest from Sweep's cage. I've also kept the curtain on the other side (closest to Sweep's cage) shut so the sun doesn't shine onto the cage and over heat the cage or Sweep. I'm assuming once he moves into the Alexander cage it'll be a bit cooler for him anyway because it gets more ventilation than the current cage? Would it he a good idea to have a couple of bottles in the cage? Maybe one on each level of the Alexander? I know people have mentioned before something about some sort of tile to put in the cage, but I can't remember what these are?! Also, I am wondering, if Sweep got hot would he automatically choose to move his bed somewhere else? Like maybe instead of sleeping inside an eclosed house? Also, what about bedding? Would I maybe give him slightly more substrate and less bedding or not? Any other ideas of how to keep him cool would be great! Thanks

SKB_Hamsters · 04-13-2016, 08:49 AM

Also you can put ceramic items such as cups, pots etc in the freezer or fridge and this can keep them cool and put them in their cages.

You can buy tiles especially designed for small pets which are made from granite in which I used to have one for my Guinea pigs. Also a ceramic plate would also work, but if you place it in the fridge/freezer for a little bit it will cool it down (but make sure it's not to cold

I normally put less bedding in a house or I allow my hamster to make her own nest and then she normally sleep without any bedding on top of her.

cypher · 04-13-2016, 08:50 AM

You can use any tile like the ones you'd stick on the wall basically, ceramic is good for keeping them cool, putting a mug in the fridge for a few hours then putting that in the cage will help keep the temp down & if Sweep got really warm it would be a nice spot to chill out!
They'll naturally move to a cooler place if they get too warm so you don't need to change the cage, one of mine used to sleep in his sand bath when it got a bit hot.
Barred cages will stay cooler with more ventilation.
Unless we have a real heatwave you don't have to worry but it is a good idea to have a thermometer near the cage so you can keep a check on the temp in that part of the room.
Closing curtains can help if the room gets the sun too.

CMB · 04-13-2016, 08:58 AM

A stone platform (possibly for chinchillas) will be cool for the hamster to sit/lay on. A large ceramic mug or possibly a bowl may work for a Syrian.

Water from the fridge may be nice. But it may cause the bottle to leak. If anyone has tried this please advise.

Sweep will probably move his next out of his house if it gets too hot.

Offer bedding in a pile and let sweep take as much as he wants. You can then take out the bedding he didn't take to his nest.

CMB · 04-13-2016, 08:59 AM

Would putting the sand in the fridge be ok? So it is cool for the hamster to sit in or roll in.

pinkneon · 04-13-2016, 09:25 AM

I did think about water from the fridge but thought it might be bad for him?

Pebbles82 · 04-13-2016, 09:35 AM

Charlie had a ceramic salt pig for a sand bath (no sand in it by then as he kept kicking it all out). He used to go and sit in that when it was hot. There were a couple of nights it was so hot I put it in the fridge for a bit (not with him in it obviously!) and I think he appreciated that. Something like a small terracotta flowerpot on its side, or a terracotta base for a flower pot would be quite cool too. He just slept in his nest as usual and seemed ok - I think if they were too hot sleeping in the nest they would leave it and sleep somewhere else. There were only about 2 really hot nights last summer it bothered Charlie.

pinkneon · 04-13-2016, 09:43 AM

What's a salt pig?! Flower pot sounds good. Think had one once for a previous hamster. Looks like I got more shopping to do!! Yay!

pinkneon · 04-13-2016, 12:03 PM

Oh, is terracota the same as ceramic?

Pebbles82 · 04-13-2016, 12:08 PM

Not sure really lol! Ceramic is baked earthenware or clay, terracotta is probably unglazed baked clay I think. A salt pig is just a ceramic pot thing for putting salt in.

I liked the idea for a sand bath after seeing other people have the idea, but most of them are only really big enough for dwarf hamsters. Charlie just fitted in his

I think those glass biscuit jars are better for sand baths than salt pigs now.

Anything ceramic or pot is cool - even a mug on its side.

Amazon.co.uk: salt pig