![]() If it does, even just the slightest bit, they are still breathing. You can place a tiny mirror in front of their face to see if it fogs. A hamster may only take a few visible breaths per hour, as respiration declines during hibernation. Here are some signs that you should be on the lookout for before “confirming” that your hamster is dead. It can be tricky to spot signs of life when they are in this state. ![]() What Signs Should I Look for to Make Sure my Hamster is Still Alive?īecause the state of torpor so closely mimics death to the human eye, many hamster owners have wrongly thought that their pet had passed away when they were really just in a state of torpor. But again, the two terms are very close so just keep this in mind as you keep reading. ![]() That's why the more accurate term for hamsters is torpor. In the case of pet hamsters, hibernation is not a desired state. The difference is that in real hibernation, this state is natural and should not be interrupted. In a sense, any hibernating animal goes into a state of torpor during the time of hibernation. Throughout this article, we're going to use torpor and hibernation interchangeably. You should look closely for signs of life before determining that your hamster is no longer alive. This state can be alarming to uninformed hamster owners, as hamsters will often appear to be dead when they become torpid. The hamster draws fewer breaths and produces fewer heartbeats.The hamster’s metabolism slows down significantly.Several biological processes occur during torpor in hamsters: This is intended to be a protective state that allows the hamster to preserve their inner resources and survive times where the climate is too cold, or when they experience a shortage of food and water.ĭuring this time, their bodies require significantly less energy, thus helping them to survive challenging times until food is available or the climate becomes more hospitable. Torpor is a physical hibernation-like state in hamsters and other animals. So time to address that term! So, what is Torpor? And what we loosely call "hibernation" here really means going into a state of torpor. If your hamster’s environment is still warm during the winter, thanks to modern heating systems and such, they will not hibernate. Hamsters do not necessarily hibernate in accordance to the season but as a response to temperature. The cold can prompt a domestic hamster to hibernate, as can a perceived shortage of food and water. When they aren’t faced with extremely cold temperatures, there is typically no need to hibernate. This is because they tend to exist in areas that are warm and dry year-round, like deserts. Hamsters typically do not hibernate when they are in their natural, wild environment. The question of, “Why do hamsters hibernate?” entails a two-part answer: Wild hamsters do not hibernate, though domestic hamsters are known to get into a state of torpor under certain conditions (more on that in a minute). Below, we’ll share with you everything that you need to know about hibernation/torpor behaviors in hamsters, as well as what to do when you find your hamster in this state. Continue reading this informative guide to hamster hibernation to learn exactly when and why hamsters exhibit this behavior. While it might be alarming to see your seemingly healthy and happy hamster motionless and limp in their cage, knowing the facts will help you to stay calm in the face of hibernation behaviors. Loving hamster owners likely want to prevent their pet from entering this state in the first place. This can happen any time of year but becomes more common during the winter months in some climates. It's referred to as a “state of torpor.” When faced with cold temperatures or a lack of food and water for a period of time, hamsters will become limp and motionless in hibernation, or torpor. However, there is a hibernation-like behavior that owners sometimes see in domestic hamsters. This means that there is no necessity for hibernation. In the wild, they tend to exist in regions that don’t get very cold. Hamsters are not, by nature, hibernating creatures. ![]() In fact, countless owners have been frightened by the way that hamsters sometimes appear to hibernate, thinking that their cherished pet has passed away. We've thoroughly researched this topic to help you tell the facts apart from the fiction. Hamster hibernation habits are often poorly understood by even the most well-intentioned of hamster owners.
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