Vienna hamsters. (1 Viewer)

[Owene]

We’re considering a short city break for my birthday (second week of October). I’m reading conflicting things about whether the Vienna hamsters hibernate or not. Does anyone have any info?

 

[David_]

I can’t answer this with certainty but I would Imagine they hiberante like hamsters everywhere else.

European hamsters awake from hibernation from time to time and go feeding. As people are visiting the cemeteries during winter and unlike other populations the hamsters are at least partially diurnal, chances are there will be a few sightings when awake from hibernation. This would probably explain why there are some reports of the Vienna hamsters not hibernating.

By the way: In July I talked to some locals at the Meidling cemetery and they said it‘s a bad year for hamsters. The numbers they have seen had been far lower than the last 2-3 years. But they didn’t know about the numbers at central cemetery.

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[Owene]

Thank you. Might leave it to the spring. The things I read suggested Vienna only gets cold enough for hibernation for a much smaller time than elsewhere in the range which might play a part.

 

[Steve Babbs]

We’re considering a short city break for my birthday (second week of October). I’m reading conflicting things about whether the Vienna hamsters hibernate or not. Does anyone have any info?

I've read reports saying they hibernate for a lot of the year and then other reports when people have seen them at that time of year. I suspect you'd be fine end of October but I'd suggest posting on mammalwatching.com. When you do go the best area seems to be meadows between entrances 2 and 3. Very obvious meadows. Rather than just short grass.

 

[Ignatius]

I'm late to this, but here is some information about cricetus cricetus (in German).