11 Ways to Keep Your Hamster Cool in Summer

It gets really hot in summer (or all the time if you’re in the tropics) and unless you have air-conditioning in your home and can have it on all the time, chances are your hamster’s getting really bothered by the heat too. If temperatures go up high enough, your hamster may even be at risk for heatstroke. Here are some tips to help your hamster cool down in hot weather:

1. Freeze your ceramic hideout

Put your hamster’s ceramic hideout in a plastic bag (for hygiene purposes!) and place the bag in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Place the hideout in your hamster’s cage and watch your hamster cool down in it. Repeat when necessary. If you don’t have a ceramic hideout, you can use a ceramic tile or a terra-cotta pot.

2. Use a hamster cooling plate

Get a few of those metal hamster plates and freeze them, then give one to your hamster. Replace the plate with a cool one from the freezer when it stops being cool.

3. Give your hamster some frozen treats

Frozen fruits and vegetables are a great treat in this hot weather.

4. Fill your hamster’s bottle with cold water and refill when necessary

5. Put bath sand in the freezer before giving it to your hamster

Hamsters enjoy bathing in sand and chilling the bath sand makes it even better on a hot day

6. Use a fan to circulate air near your hamster cage

Make sure the fan isn’t pointing directly at the cage though. To make it even cooler, freeze a mixture of water and salt in a bottle and place it in front of the fan. Salt lowers the freezing point of water so you’ll get cooler air blown around than if you hadn’t used the salt.

7. Place your hamster cage on lower ground

If you have stone or tile flooring, placing your hamster cage on the floor instead of on a shelf or a higher place would keep it cooler too.

8. Freeze a bottle, wrap it in towel and place it beside your hamster’s cage

The towel absorbs any condensation and also insulates the bottle so it stays cool for a longer time. Don’t put the bottle in the cage as your hamster might chew on it and cause it to leak. You can also freeze a blue ice-pack instead of a water bottle. These ice packs stay cooler longer than regular ice so you can change them less often.

9. Move your hamster cage to a cooler part of the house

10. Never put your hamster cage in direct sunlight

This is basic hamster care but I think I should repeat it anyway. A hamster’s cage should never be placed in direct sunlight.

11. Switch to a better-ventilated cage

If you are using a glass tank or a plastic cage, consider switching to a bar cage for better ventilation during the hotter months of the year. Check out HamsterCageFinder.com or HamsterCageFinder.co.uk to compare cages.

References
http://www.hammysworld.com/index.php?p=cool
http://chocolatecolors26.wix.com/thehamsteryguide#!hot-and-cold-weather/c1upq

Hamsterlove101

My hamster is a Syrian, but I dont really think that matters here.
My hamsters cage is near a vent. It produces cold air in the summer and warm in the winter. Is this ok for the hamsters respotory problems. I know hamsters can get resportory desizes. I was not sure. He tends to sleep by it. I have a bin cage, with mesh windows that i made. One is near the vent.
- Sarah
  
  It should be okay if air from the vent isn’t blown directly at the cage (i.e. you shouldn’t be able to feel air being blown into the cage if you put your hand inside your bin cage)
hamsterlover101(other)

I also wanted to add, that I already had a hamster, also a Syrian, who started to have some problems as he got older. He had the same cage, in the same place. I took him to the vet and got him medications. He died however. He was getting old, and he just fell over one night and I held him until he died. 🙁 I think he might have had some resportory problems. Should I be worried for my current hamster, Albus?
Angad

Hi I live in Canada and I need more ways to keep my hamster cool
Angad

If you want information on how to give your hamster a long life, you could buy a hamster training book or call a vet:)
Kassity Bryan

You can use s hamster or guinea pig pen and put trash bags on the floor cover with fleace or bedding
anita barany

I put my Russin hamsters in cold water in a washing bin and stick them in it. Water is only up there bellies and then I get them all wet by putting water over there little bodies with my hands avoiding there face of course. Weather they like it or not I know they are differently cooled down now and I leave them in there for about 10 mins then put them back in there cage
- anita barany
  
  https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a8f30b6727393097ec6ccbb358e52b11f69016c767b0e6bd0b552426234d60c2.jpg
- TaterTot
  
  You should never put your hamster in water unless they got something that could be harmful on them!! It washes away the good oils on their skin and will make them sick. So don’t put your hamsters in water!!!