Small animals in sleeping quarters freeze (7)
I believe the answer is:
dormice
'small animals' is the definition.
'dormice' can be an answer for 'animals' (dormouse is a kind of animal). I'm unsure of the 'small' bit.
'sleeping quarters freeze' is the wordplay.
'sleeping quarters' becomes 'dorm' (dormitory).
'freeze' becomes 'ice' (as in water turning into ice).
'dorm'+'ice'='DORMICE'
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dormice that I've seen before include "Mammals" , "Little hibernating rodents" , "They will hibernate" , "little things?" , "For these heavy sleepers" .)