Seasonal changes in physiology and behavior are an adaptive strategy for survival and reproduction in small rodents experiencing marked seasonal fluctuation in environmental temperatures, which is also thought to be an important factor driving rodents- seasonal breeding and population fluctuation. The present study is to test the hypothesis whether ambient temperature is a cue to induce adjustments in body mass, energy metabolism and behaviors in rodents. Here, we measured body mass, daily intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and open field behavior under different ambient temperature (5.3±2.0℃, 14.7±2.0℃ and 28.4±2.0℃) in wild male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis). Differences in body mass and open field index (total transition, rearing, duration in central area, fecal particles) among low, medium and high temperature groups were examined by one-way ANOVA, followed by least significant difference (LSD) post hoc tests. Comparisons of body mass before and after treatment were analyzed using paired-samples t-test. Effects of temperature on daily intake and RMR were examined using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with body mass as a covariate. The results showed that: ① Low temperature and medium temperature significantly increased body mass from 27.059±0.217g to 28.056±0.184g (t11=-6.291, P＜0.05) and 26.292±0.339g to 27.113±0.341g (t11=-8.027, P＜0.05), respectively, while high temperature had no significant effect (t11=1.796, P＞0.05). ② Temperature treatment had a significant effect on daily intake and RMR. Daily intake in low, medium and high temperature group was 3.122±0.094g, 2.447±0.087g and 1.948±0.090g, respectively, and difference between groups was significant (F2,32=36.576, P＜0.001). RMR was 4.104±0.086ml/(g·h), 3.638±0.079mlO2/(g·h) and 3006±0.082mlO2/(g·h), respectively. RMR was significantly increased in low temperature group (F2,32=39233, P＜0.001). ③ Different temperature caused a different effect on the open field behavior of striped hamsters. Total transition of low, medium and high temperature group was 158±6, 187±5 and 103±3 respectively, total transition in medium group was significant increased compared to high and low temperature group. Rearing was 78±4, 91±5 and 97±5 respectively, rearing in low temperature group was also extremely significant decreased compared to medium and high group (F2,32=4.233, P＜0.05). While the difference of duration in central area and fecal between the groups were not significant. Moreover, striped hamsters in low temperature had obvious shaking behavior. Together, these data support our hypothesis that ambient temperature is a cue to induce adjustments in body mass, energy metabolism and behavior in hamsters. Low temperature increased energy intake and energy expenditure which sustains the basic growth in striped hamsters. Meanwhile, spontaneous activity and exploring behavior in unfamiliar environment reduce in low temperature, thus reduce energy consumption and heat loss. On the contrary, the striped hamsters reduce the energy intake and expenditure in high temperature, which decrease the cost of thermoregulation. The spontaneous activity and exploring behavior also reduce, which may reduce the heat generated by the muscle contraction. These energy metabolism and behavior properties benefit to the survival of hamsters in cold winters and hot, dry summer, also it is consistent with the seasonal breeding of hamsters. So, these properties in striped hamsters may closely relate to their living habits, characterized by a cold winter and hot, dry summer.