If you have a hamster, then you must enjoy its existence near you. But being an owner of hamsters is not an easy task to do. There are a lot of issues an owner has to face.
Hamsters are sensitive. Their food habits, sleeping routine, body language- everything is different from other pets. Following this, their sleeping habits are also something different. How?
Well, you may have seen that your hamster is sleeping all day long. No wonder. They do it. In the wild too. But how long do they sleep? When they are active? Do hamsters sleep with their eyes open?
In this blog post, I will try to answer all of these questions. So, let’s begin.
Do Hamsters Sleep with Their Eyes Open?
No, hamsters don’t sleep with their eyes open like rabbits, or other animals do. Hamsters keep their eyes closed while sleeping. But they keep their senses on. Slight noise can wake the hamster up instantly.
But hamsters do a lot of physical exercises, right? A hamster indeed needs a lot of sleep. So, how can you offer a hamster a peaceful sleep? Stay with me until the end to know more.
Sleeping Pattern of Hamsters
Hamsters are nocturnal. That means they are active from the end of the day to the whole night. So, when you think about why this cute animal is spending so much time sleeping, the reason is that they keep its body relaxed during the daytime.
However, a hamster can sleep 12-14 hours of a day though they are polyphasic sleepers. They maintain a sleep-wake-up-sleep-wake-up pattern.
Many people possess the wrong idea as they compare hamsters to rabbits. No doubt that both hamsters and rabbits are sensitive animals. But there are many rabbits that sleep with their eyes open. Weather hamsters are totally different. They sleep with their eyes closed. Hamsters can sleep almost all day long and remain active from dusk to dawn.
Do Wild Hamsters Sleep Their Eyes open?
In the wild, hamsters sleep with their eyes closed. They are prey animals, and the number of predators is a beggar description. So, they remain inside any burrow or forage in the daytime. And stay active all night long.
While sleeping, wild hamsters keep their eyes closed like pet hamsters. Actually, they don’t have much differences at all. So, when you see your pet hamster is sleeping, it’s a basic instinct by birth.
How Do Hamsters Sleep Usually?
In the wild, hamsters sleep in any dry place. They prefer sand, dry grass, or burrows in a tree. But it happens when the hamsters are in the wild. What happens when they are pet animals? Where do pet hamsters live in the house?
Well, pet hamsters can sleep in rolled paper towels or toilet paper. They can sleep inside cardboard boxes too. If your hamsters like to sleep inside the cage, then you can give them some wood shavings to make bedding.
Should You Change the Sleeping Schedule of Hamsters?
As hamsters are active at night that means they make noises at night too. If your pet hamster is running on the wheel at night while you tend to sleep, then it’s a big problem. You must not like to sleep while you hear noises from the wheel.
At this stage, you may think if there is a way to change the sleeping routine of your hamsters or not.
Well, you can’t change their basic instinct. So, it’s quite impossible to change the whole pattern and routine of sleeping of a hamster. But, you can take some steps to keep your hamsters silent at night. Let’s see what the steps are-
- Enough Exercise: You should keep your hamster entertained all day with some toys and a running wheel so that the hamster is not restless at night. Yes, they sleep during the day. But if a hamster finds any toys around him, he might sacrifice his sleep for playing.
- Noise Less Wheel: Try to find a better quality wheel for the hamster. The hamsters are born for running. You can’t stop what they are made for. So, as the hamster will run a lot, it needs a better and stronger wheel. The cheaper wheel will make more noise than usual.
- Sufficient Food: Keep tasty foods around their cage. If a hamster is full, it will stop searching for food. And that will be better for both you and your hamster.
How to Give your hamster a sound sleep?
Whenever your hamster sleeps, it really needs a sound sleep. We can’t tell how the wild hamsters manage their sleep, but when a hamster is your pet, it depends on you. You are the one who can allow the hamsters to have a sound sleep. So, how can you provide your hamsters a sound sleep? Let’s follow these simple tricks –
Hamsters Don’t Like to Wake Up
Don’t touch a hamster while sleeping. They don’t like to be woken up frequently. A sleeping hamster is the cutest animal to see. But please don’t disturb it when it sleeps. They really don’t like it.
Keep the Hamster Cage in a Calm Place
Hamsters get stressed if there is a harsh noise beside their cage. It disturbs their sleep too. So, keep their cage in a calm place in order to give them a sound sleep. The room temperature should be comfortable also.
Quick Appetizer
Hamsters like to have something to nibble on when they wake up. So, if you keep some treats around its cage, it won’t have to go away from the cage to find food. This also breaks their sleep. So, you can keep some nuts, grapes or any quick snack beside their cage.
Keep Their Cage Clean
Hamsters don’t like smell. So, keep their cage clean daily. A smelly place makes them stressed and spoils their sleep.
Is It Okay If My Hamster Sleeps at a Row?
Yes, it is very normal if your hamster sleeps constantly. A hamster needs almost 12-14 hours of sleep. If not, at least 6-7 hours of sleep is a must for them. This keeps them cheerful and active at night.
Conclusion
If you are a person who works at night, then you can realize the hamsters totally. The difference between human sleep and hamsters’ sleep is very little. They are active at night. Now, you know the tricks to deal with the time and routine of their sleep. Just make sure you don’t force them to change their sleeping habits or routine. Happy Hamming.