Hobbies And Interests

Do Rodents Hibernate?

A large subcategory of mammals, rodents include such species as beavers, rats and squirrels, which are commonplace in parts of the United States and many other countries. Despite sharing physical similarities, however, the behavior of many rodents is quite different, and whether a species of rodent hibernates or not is an example of this. Some rodents only hibernate -- a state where the animal is inactive and thus conserves fat -- in certain conditions, while others don't at all.
  1. True Hibernation

    • In true hibernation, the animal slows its metabolism, leading to a drop in its overall temperature, as a way of conserving its energy for periods when food is scarce. Few rodents actually truly hibernate, and some that do go through a hibernation process still wake from time to time to eat. Woodchucks are an example of a truly hibernating rodent. From October until either February or March, these rodents disappear into hibernation, only waking to begin mating season.

    Semi-Hibernating Rodents

    • Several rodents hibernate, but in a fashion that doesn't actually constitute true hibernation as described above. Chipmunks, for example, can actually enter a state of torpor during the winter months, where they slow their breathing and lower their temperature, but many choose not to since their food is typically abundant. While hibernating, they don't store fat either, and will instead consume caches of food they've hidden away. Beavers are similar to chipmunks in that they prepare for winter by storing food, but do not lower their temperature; instead, they simply retreat under the ice into a dam, where they stay throughout much of winter.

    Under Certain Temperatures

    • Other rodents enter a state of hibernation or something very close to it, but only with certain temperatures. Black-tailed prairie dogs are one such creature. They don't truly hibernate, but do enter a state of torpor when the temperature drops to roughly 55 degrees F, which is around 50 degrees less than their usual temperature, or below as a method of staving off hypothermia. Hamsters are rodents that have the option to hibernate. They will typically do this if the temperature falls below between 57 and 68 degrees F. Hamster owners can thus prevent hamsters from hibernating by keeping their temperature up above this level.

    Don't Hibernate

    • Some rodents just don't hibernate. These include rats, which typically have plenty of food at all times of the year and therefore have no need to hibernate, and harvest mice, which, although they spend much of winter in underground areas, don't enter any state resembling torpor.


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