# Syrian Hibernating - he's worrying me!



## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

Is it 'normal' for them to go into hibernation mode? He seems to be doing it quite a lot recently - is it because it's gone so cold? He is about 18 months old now too, so he's not a baby by any stretch, and I don't really want to let him get into hibernation in case he doesn't come back out of it. He also seems to be doing it in random places around his cage - not in his bed, where I would assume a hamster would go if they wanted to hibernate? is it a sign that he is ill, or on his way out or something? The first time he did it was around this time last year, we got through summer (or what was meant to be our summer anyway!) okay and now he's started again, but like I say, he is a year older now so I just find it a bit more worrying. 

Is there anything I can do to stop it? I have wondered about getting one of those little round microwaveable small animal heat pads (I think [email protected] sell them) or something, he isn't a great one for chewing things so I think it would be safe for him, but didn't want to do anything without asking on here first.

I've just had to 'bring him round' again tonight, he was in the middle of his cage and I really did think he'd gone this time, it took a lot longer than usual for him to come out of it, and he was literally freezing cold to touch. I just kept stroking him on his nose and head, gently turning him and stroking his back and just breathing on him a few times to warm him up a little bit, and once his eyes were open and he was starting to wiggle about in my hand, I popped him back into his bed.

I hate finding him like that, every time I always think he's gone and its making me feel like a really crap owner, I really hope it's nothing I am doing wrong. All I can think is that i'm not keeping my room warm enough for him, but there's not much I can do - I don't control the heating in my house and I can't put him nearer to a radiator or anything because of the layout of the room, so I feel a bit stuck.

Just need a bit of advice or reassurance really


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Syrians can go into hibernation if their body temperature drops too low, but it isn't good and you should bring them out of it as soon as you can.

We have one of the heat pads for the piggies and they are fab! Would definitely recommend you trying one out. You could always place it under the cage itself so it heats through if you are really worried about him chewing, or under a house or something? But would say they are fab


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

Micky93 said:


> Syrians can go into hibernation if their body temperature drops too low, but it isn't good and you should bring them out of it as soon as you can.
> 
> We have one of the heat pads for the piggies and they are fab! Would definitely recommend you trying one out. You could always place it under the cage itself so it heats through if you are really worried about him chewing, or under a house or something? But would say they are fab


thanks, I was starting to wonder whether to leave him be next time he does it, but I suppose a pet hamster isn't used to hibernating so I really don't think it's a good idea. He doesn't do it all the time - it's just every few weeks, probably even less than that, but it is scary and it's getting to the point where I dread looking into his cage. I'm also wondering if he'd been out for longer than usual today since it took him so long to come round again earlier. Once i'd put him back he seemed okay, I had to go back in his cage because I took a couple of toys out to get to him and forgot to put them back in, so when I opened the cage again to replace his toys, he was sticking his head out of his igloo like the nosy little sausage that he is, and he's been up for a drink since, so I think he is alright. I'm sure he'll decide to go for a 10 mile run in his wheel just as i'm dropping off to sleep as well  

I will see what a few others say on here about the heat pad and I might go and get one if the general consensus is good. He doesn't chew his toys or anything, so I think it would be fairly safe to use. I've even thought about perhaps getting a reptile heat mat and popping it under the bed part of his cage, (obviously outside of the cage, but put it at the side where his bed is) would that be worth a try? Like I say, i'm going to wait until i've had a few more opinions and suggestions first and just weigh it all up, thank you for your reply


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Does he need more bedding perhaps if the room is getting a bit cold?Never used a heat pad so can't help you with that I'm afraid.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2012)

Get a heat pad under his cage, if he goes into hibernation then it will kill him because domestic hamsters don't have the necessary fat deposits to keep him going.

Yu can put a snugglesafe in his cage too but I find heatpads under the cage work best.


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## Sarah+Hammies (Jul 20, 2009)

My last syrian Mr Chip tried to hibernate twice, I brought him out of it and turned up the thermostat in the room he was in instead of using heat pads. I didn't want to risk overheating his cage so figured it would be better to turn up the heat of the room he was in. He lived for 2 more years after his 2 hibernation attempts


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

I really doubt your house is the problem, if it's that cold you'd be going into "hibernation" yourself!


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I really doubt your house is the problem, if it's that cold you'd be going into "hibernation" yourself!


The temperature needed for a hamster to go into hibernation isn't that low. It's their body temperature that's important, and if they are older and it's colder in the house it wouldn't take much for them to try and slip into hibernation.

Also, funnily enough 'we' don't hibernate anyway


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Micky93 said:


> The temperature needed for a hamster to go into hibernation isn't that low. It's their body temperature that's important, and if they are older and it's colder in the house it wouldn't take much for them to try and slip into hibernation.
> 
> Also, funnily enough 'we' don't hibernate anyway


I was joking around ya moron, don't you have a sense of humor?

And as my hamsters both young, old and in between are housed in a shed, which although heated and insulated isn't quite as warm as a house, and I've never had a single problem, the house would have to be seriously frickin freezing to send a hamster into hibernation!


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I was joking around ya moron, don't you have a sense of humor?
> 
> And as my hamsters both young, old and in between are housed in a shed, which although heated and insulated isn't quite as warm as a house, and I've never had a single problem, the house would have to be seriously frickin freezing to send a hamster into hibernation!


No need to be so rude 

Especially when Micky93 has a very valid point :nono:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> No need to be so rude
> 
> Especially when Micky93 has a very valid point :nono:


I was joking around and taking the p**s, I thought that was obvious


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I was joking around and taking the piss, I thought that was obvious


Obviously not.

I don't know, guess I don't find calling someone a moron funny


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> Obviously not.
> 
> I don't know, guess I don't find calling someone a moron funny


That wasn't aimed at that. I gave what was mean to be a bit of humor as a reply, and the poster jumped on me, clearly unable to see I wasn't being serious. I was having a laugh as I don't take life very seriously most of the time - it's not worth it. And I don't think being called a moron is that offensive, "go f**k yourself" maybe, but not "moron" especially as that was also not meant to be taken seriously either.


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2012)

I didn't say it was offensive, I said it wasn't funny 
And on a serious thread about a hamster hibernating isn't really the place for jokes :blink:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> I didn't say it was offensive, I said it wasn't funny
> And on a serious thread about a hamster hibernating isn't really the place for jokes :blink:


I wasn't joking about the hamster hibernating, that isn't funny in the slightest. I was making a wisecrack at the thought of the house being cold enough to let a hamster go into hibernation. Ie, surely if its that cold the owner will not need worry as they'll be 'hibernating' ( read hypothermia) themselves. The bottom line being it couldn't be the house as no house is _that_ cold!


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I wasn't joking about the hamster hibernating, that isn't funny in the slightest. I was making a wisecrack at the thought of the house being cold enough to let a hamster go into hibernation. Ie, surely if its that cold the owner will not need worry as they'll be 'hibernating' ( read hypothermia) themselves. The bottom line being it couldn't be the house as no house is _that_ cold!


I never said you joked about the hamster, I said this thread isn't the place for jokes.

That aside you are wrong I'm afraid, hamsters have been known to hibernate (or possibly aestivate) at temperatures of 14-20°C so the owner wouldn't even be close to "hypothermia" at those temperatures.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> I never said you joked about the hamster, I said this thread isn't the place for jokes.
> 
> That aside you are wrong I'm afraid, hamsters have been known to hibernate (or possibly aestivate) at temperatures of 14-20°C so the owner wouldn't even be close to "hypothermia" at those temperatures.


My problem wasn't with you Bernie, it was with the poster who leapt on me for trying to inject some humor

Well that's me told. Seems nowhere on here is the place for jokes, my last one was deleted it seems, proberbly for being rather crude, but the ones others posted have stayed.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Wobbles said:


> I really doubt your house is the problem, if it's that cold you'd be going into "hibernation" yourself!


no.... just no......

some animals are more sensative to cold then others, i have 4 syrians at the moment, my room is kept around 19C from the ambiant heat from the hedgehogs heatpads, one of my older syrians tried to hibernate at the start of this winter, so a heatpad went under her cage and she has been fine since.
one of my hedgehogs is also much more sensative to the cold then the others, and he has to have a heatmat the entire length of his cage, else he will try and hibernate.

now having said this, hibernation can also be a sign of illness, if animals feel under the weather they will often go into hibernation mode, so it could be worth getting a vet check to be on the safe side, if a vet check reveals all is well, i would suggest getting a small under cage reptile heatmat with a thermostat and using that through the winter


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Wobbles said:


> I was joking around and taking the piss, I thought that was obvious


also, i for one dont appreciate seeing this sort of language on a family friendly forum, there is no need for it


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> My problem wasn't with you Bernie, it was with the poster who leapt on me for trying to inject some humor
> 
> Well that's me told. Seems nowhere on here is the place for jokes, my last one was deleted it seems, proberbly for being rather crude, but the ones others posted have stayed.


I hardly 'lept at you'. I wasn't even trying to have a go at you. I just thought that it was important that it was pointed out for tr OP that a house CAN be cold enough. Rather than assume what you are saying is that it cant!

You really don't have to cause an arguement over something so petty. If I ever post something that is factually wrong I expect someone to come one and correct me, hence the idea about learning through a forum.

No need to be so rude or feel so victimised all the time, no one was targeting you other than yourself, so don't start on that :nono:

Now, can we please go back to the OP original post.....


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Micky93 said:


> I hardly 'lept at you'. I wasn't even trying to have a go at you. I just thought that it was important that it was pointed out for tr OP that a house CAN be cold enough. Rather than assume what you are saying is that it cant!
> 
> You really don't have to cause an arguement over something so petty. If I ever post something that is factually wrong I expect someone to come one and correct me, hence the idea about learning through a forum.
> 
> ...


I appologize if you genuinely didn't realise I was joking around. I have had a lot of crap on here in the past over silly petty things, so when I saw what I assumed was someone having another dig, I decided to get in first this time.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I appologize if you genuinely didn't realise I was joking around. I have had a lot of crap on here in the past over silly petty things, so when I saw what I assumed was someone having another dig, I decided to get in first this time.


You only have yourself to blame for that, stop trying to play the victim...

This thread wasn't the place for jokes so just learn from that, there is a time and place for everything..

Please stop side tracking a serious thread :nonod:


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

I didn't mind the hibernation joke(although factually incorrect) however I DO mind the language-young people read these forums(my children included) and I really don't want them seeing that sort of language.Perhaps you could go back and edit it Wobbles please?


To the OP-how is the hamster doing now?


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

We recently moved to a new house & its a bit cooler than our last house, I was worried about my Syrian, he seems ok but this was a well timed thread. At least I know i can invest in a heat pad if needs be


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

I've had several Syrians and none have ever hibernated, despite previously living in a draughty house but I always put MASSES of bedding in and that must have kept them just warm enough.I also fed more treats in the winter so they would put a little bit of weight on (my thinking was that skinny people get cold faster than fatter people)


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2012)

polishrose said:


> I've had several Syrians and none have ever hibernated, despite previously living in a draughty house but I always put MASSES of bedding in and that must have kept them just warm enough.I also fed more treats in the winter so they would put a little bit of weight on (my thinking was that skinny people get cold faster than fatter people)


I've never had a hamster try to hibernate with me either, sometimes something as simple as a small draft can be enough of a drop to send them off tho..

These small furries really like to keep us on our toes


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

in all my years of owning hamsters, and all the many hamsters i have had, theres only the one that has tried to hibernate, i think shes just a nesh little monster :lol:


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

i gave Pie loads of extra bedding which he made use of, in fact i don't quite know how he fits in his house, but i guess more treats are def on the cards then! :001_tongue:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> You only have yourself to blame for that, stop trying to play the victim...
> 
> This thread wasn't the place for jokes so just learn from that, there is a time and place for everything..
> 
> Please stop side tracking a serious thread :nonod:


I'm not playing victim, I've had some crap on here over naff all several times. I assumed this was another snipe.



polishrose said:


> I didn't mind the hibernation joke(although factually incorrect) however I DO mind the language-young people read these forums(my children included) and I really don't want them seeing that sort of language.Perhaps you could go back and edit it Wobbles please?
> U
> 
> To the OP-how is the hamster doing now?


I know it was factually incorrect, but jokes don't have to be accurate. If you said you'd washed the cat and it had shrunk, and someone jokingly said the washing machine must of been on the wrong setting, it obviously wouldn't really shrink. Its just a bit of humor. Anyway, I've edited it for you, but I can't do owt about the quotes.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Let's leave it now and concentrate on the op's original worry re her hamster and stop hijacking the poor persons thread :blink:


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> Anyway, I've edited it for you, but I can't do owt about the quotes.


Thank you.


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