For hamsters, if the temperature exceeds their tolerance limit, they will go into a state of pseudo - hibernation, which is also known as playing dead. Actually, they are just frozen and fainted. At this time, many beginners may think that the hamster is dead and sadly discard it, thus missing the best treatment opportunity. So how can we tell whether a hamster has entered a state of pseudo - hibernation?
The difference between pseudo - hibernation and hibernation
The biggest difference between pseudo - hibernation and hibernation is that hibernation is a choice that animals make actively to protect themselves. They will wake up automatically when the time is right. However, pseudo - hibernation is an involuntary situation. To put it simply, the hamster is frozen stiff and has fainted. At this time, it cannot wake up by itself and requires external intervention. Otherwise, it will really die soon.
At this time, you need to carefully observe whether the hamster's limbs are spread out, whether they are completely stiff, whether there is any fluctuation in the chest, and whether you can feel the heartbeat. If the answers are all yes, it means that it is very likely that it has entered a state of pseudo - hibernation, that is, a short - term shock caused by being frozen. It needs to be treated as soon as possible.
Treatment methods for hamster pseudo - hibernation
You can put the hamster in the palm of your hand to warm it up artificially, wrap it with a towel, blow some warm air on it, or use heating devices such as hot water bottles, electric blankets, and stoves to warm it up. Be sure to pay attention not to scald it. After the temperature gradually rises, you will find that they slowly wake up. At this time, you can feed it some warm water, nutritional supplements, etc. With careful care, they will soon become lively again. However, pseudo - hibernation is extremely harmful to the health of hamsters and may cause sequelae. So try to avoid this situation as much as possible and pay special attention in daily care.
Daily care during cooling
When the weather gets cold, you need to pay attention to keeping the hamster warm. The most comfortable temperature for hamsters is 20 - 26 degrees. Neither too high nor too low temperature is suitable. In the current cold and damp weather, you can add more bedding materials to the hamster cage, use cotton and sawdust as the base, and lay more rags, etc. Now there are also special warm nests for hamsters sold online, which are nice - looking and practical, and are all good choices. Never put the hamster cage outdoors or at the ventilation opening. It is best to put it in a warm room to keep the temperature suitable. Usually, you need to pay attention to the diet and nutrition combination of the hamster to ensure the intake of nutrients and enhance its immunity.