It is not advisable to use only wood shavings for hamsters. Wood shavings have poor heat retention properties and cannot provide sufficient warmth for hamsters. Especially in cold winters, relying solely on wood shavings can easily cause hamsters to get cold or even freeze to death.
Alternatives and Warmth Preservation Measures
To ensure that hamsters can survive the winter smoothly, the following warmth-providing materials can be used:
Wood Shavings: This material is clean, soft, fluffy, and has strong support. It produces little dust, can satisfy the hamster's natural instinct to burrow, and does not irritate the respiratory tract.
Cotton, Tissue Paper, and Pieces of Cloth: These materials have good heat retention properties and can serve as alternatives to wood shavings, providing better warmth preservation effects.
Soft Pads: Soft bedding materials can also provide a comfortable resting environment for hamsters.
Temperature Control and Other Precautions
Temperature Control: In winter, it is best to keep the temperature of the hamster's living environment between 16°C and 26°C. If the temperature is not sufficient, a pet heating pad can be used.
Food Management: In winter, feed hamsters foods with higher calorie content and appropriately increase the feeding frequency to ensure that hamsters have sufficient nutrients to get through the winter.
Ventilation: While keeping warm, it is also necessary to have proper ventilation to prevent the environment from being too dry or the temperature from being too high, which could lead to the death of hamsters.