How to keep a hamster cool

[Maz]

Well we are in the north on a hill as well so maybe less hot than the south.

 

[Hammy Chum]

it says 30 degrees in our living room!! Ive got ice packs on side of chums cage, patio doors and windows open for as late as possible.. fan blowing alongside cage (not onto).... frozen peas on top and an ice pack inside cage (will remove as soon as he comes out), I've put a chilled mug in... cucumber ready for when he comes out... this heat needs to go!!

 

[Socks' Mum]

it says 30 degrees in our living room!! Ive got ice packs on side of chums cage, patio doors and windows open for as late as possible.. fan blowing alongside cage (not onto).... frozen peas on top and an ice pack inside cage (will remove as soon as he comes out), I've put a chilled mug in... cucumber ready for when he comes out... this heat needs to go!!

It's scary if you've got pets

 

[Hammy Chum]

I am sorry, here it’s 26 and that is awful, 30 must be horrific
Where do you live? How long is that heat forecasted?

We're near Bournemouth. 34 degrees outside and 30 inside at the moment!

 

[Socks' Mum]

I bought a second fan from Amazon and thought I would share it with you. It’s only small but more powerful than the big tower that I have.
I am so surprised at how strong this little fan is you can also by the same make as a large tower

https://amzn.eu/d/0e5AUvvY

It's interesting How did you recharge it as it doesn't have a charging cord?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Yes it has a cord it’s doesn’t work with batteries, the cord is quite long too.

Ah, I got it mixed up with another one

 

[Socks' Mum]

It's nice but Amazon Co UK only has the cordless model which comes without a charger I think people use their pc chargers.

 

[aFunnyThingHappened]

It's going to be 110ºF this week for the Eastern half of the U.S, including me and Laundry Hamper. It's my first godawful summer with a pet in 3 years, and my first with a hamster. My brick apartment has just a single small window unit air conditioner in the living room (opposite wall to Laundry) and a ceiling fan, with electric fans in every other room. My city is expected to lose power in places at some point and none of the cooling centers I've called so far ahead of time are pet-friendly unless it's a service animal. Last year my neighborhood lost power for all of ten seconds and I started sobbing in terror bc it was over one hundred degrees still at ten p.m. And we got lucky, some of the city lost power for days.

I hate summer And now I'm even more stressed bc I got this little guy i have to worry about too.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I place cold mugs on top of the cage, ice packs underneath where he sleeps and ice cold water bottles next to the cage where he sleeps. It does help a bit and is much appreciated as the foto shows

View attachment 13716

That is an extremely cute photo

 

[Socks' Mum]

My freezer has a little bit of food in it as the moment and lots and lots of frozen bottles of water . I was thinking, what would we do if the electricity went off. It is a worry.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I was wondering if we should put together extreme weather first aid procedures for hamsters under the medical section. Things like how to cool down a lethargic hamster. How to recognise heat stroke.

 

[Maz]

I was wondering if we should put together extreme weather first aid procedures for hamsters under the medical section. Things like how to cool down a lethargic hamster. How to recognise heat stroke.

I think this thread could do to stay on topic a bit yes . It’s intended for suggestions on how to cool a hamster - which mostly it is. I don’t think another thread on heat related medical advice is needed really unless someone has a problem as this thread has suggestions for cooling. But probably best to keep general chat on another thread

 

[Socks' Mum]

That’s my biggest concern I don’t have much food in the freezer, but lots of slushy ice packs Nibbles just stepped of his wheel to blow a kiss to aunty he’s always nosey when I am writing on the phone

 

[microbe]

Il va faire 43°C cette semaine dans la moitié est des États-Unis, y compris chez moi et mon hamster. C'est mon premier été horrible avec un animal de compagnie depuis trois ans, et le premier avec un hamster. Mon appartement en briques n'a qu'un petit climatiseur de fenêtre dans le salon (mur opposé à la buanderie) et un ventilateur de plafond, avec des ventilateurs électriques dans toutes les autres pièces. On prévoit des coupures de courant dans ma ville et aucun des centres de rafraîchissement que j'ai contactés jusqu'à présent n'accepte les animaux, sauf les animaux d'assistance. L'année dernière, mon quartier a été privé d'électricité pendant dix secondes et j'ai éclaté en sanglots de terreur car il faisait encore plus de 38°C à 22h. Et nous avons eu de la chance, certaines parties de la ville ont été privées d'électricité pendant des jours.

Je déteste l'été. Et maintenant, je suis encore plus stressée parce que j'ai ce petit bonhomme dont je dois aussi m'occuper.

Bonjour, il a fait 42°C la semaine dernière à Paris, France. Mes 2 hamsters ont tenu le coup, je mettais des bouteilles eau congelée près d'eux et des tasses en céramique. La journée ils dorment et ne semblent pas avoir trop souffert de la chaleur. Ils ont mangé, je leur donnai un peu de concombre et de salade en plus et ils vont bien aujourd'hui. Courage

 

[Maz]

Bonjour, il a fait 42°C la semaine dernière à Paris, France. Mes 2 hamsters ont tenu le coup, je mettais des bouteilles eau congelée près d'eux et des tasses en céramique. La journée ils dorment et ne semblent pas avoir trop souffert de la chaleur. Ils ont mangé, je leur donnai un peu de concombre et de salade en plus et ils vont bien aujourd'hui. Courage

Translation

Hello, it was 42°C last week in Paris, France. My two hamsters made it through; I placed frozen water bottles and ceramic cups near them. They sleep during the day and didn't seem to suffer too much from the heat. They ate—I gave them a little extra cucumber and lettuce—and they are doing well today. Have courage.

Thank you so much for updating and that is very reasssuring for many I am sure. The important thing, as you did, was to ensure some degree of cooling for them, and it will really help people to know what worked at such high temperatures.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I'm relieved to hear this as I am relying on ice for temperature control too.

 

[Socks' Mum]

This could help in an emergency situation (power cut) I thought it can’t harm sharing it knowledge is sometimes worth more than pennies my nanna used to say. It’s in English

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I want to try the flower pot method

 

[Socks' Mum]

It's interesting. If you put damp sand into an unglazed terracotta pot and place the pot in a dry, windy, shaded place the moisture from the sand starts to sleep out of the pot and evaporate. This cools the pot down. People put a second smaller pot inside the terracotta pot, nestled in the sand, and store vegetables in it to act as a fridge to keep them fresh

 

[Grizzle]

This is exactly the info I have been looking for!

I got Haldi (a Syrian) a couple of months ago so he's on his second heatwave! He's been enjoying hanging out in a ceramic mug, and I've had an ice pack on top of his cage which he comes and sits under sometimes. I will try putting the mug in the fridge for him as well.

He has a big wooden enclosure, and I've noticed he has been chewing on the corners and stilts of the platform one of his hides sits on when we've had hot days. He has been waking up in the day to do it in his burrow and then goes back to sleep.

I will be off to get some metal brackets to reinforce the corners, and have added some new boredom breaker treats. Maybe it's just a coincidence but has anyone else noticed an increase in chewing or boredom behaviours in the heat?