Why Do Hamsters Sleep All Day?

Hamsters are small, easy-to-take-care-of pets enjoyed by animal lovers of all ages. However, during the day, hamsters curl into little balls in corners and covered areas in their cages, sleeping and moving very little. On the other hand, during the evenings and at night, hamsters tend to wake up and are more likely to eat, exercise and play. This is because hamsters, like many rodents, are nocturnal, which means they spend their days sleeping and are active evenings and nights.

  1. Types

    • There are many breeds of hamsters and all of them are nocturnal. However, potential hamster owners should choose carefully, depending on their preferences, as different breeds offer different advantages. For example Roborovski hamsters are lively and fast making them difficult to handle, but fun to watch. Russian Campbell dwarf hamsters and Chinese dwarf hamsters are some of the few breeds of hamsters that can live harmoniously together. Groups of hamsters will make more noise at night when they're awake, and even breeds that can live peacefully together will sometimes fight.

    Daytime Behavior

    • During the day, hamsters will sleep and only get up to relieve themselves, adjust their bedding or drink water. As a general rule, their cage should be kept somewhere where they will not be disturbed during the daytime hours. If your hamster is waking up regularly to pile up its bedding regularly, you need to add more bedding to the cage. If you let your hamster sleep during the day, it will be more active and entertaining to play with during the evening.

    Nighttime Behavior

    • At night hamsters eat, drink and play. Evening is the best time to hold your hamster, to take it out of its cage and let it run and explore in its ball or another closed space, or watch it run on its wheel. Evenings are also a good time to give your hamster a treat. If your hamster bites its cage, it's trying to get your attention, so be sure to check and make sure it has clean bedding, plenty of food and water. Hamsters are very active at night and can be noisy, so don't keep them in bedrooms.

    Considerations

    • Hamsters are not an ideal classroom pet, because when classes are in session, hamsters are usually asleep, but they are a great pet for school-age children because in the evenings when children are home from school, hamsters are awake and active. Hamsters are an ideal first pet, as they are easy to care for, relatively cheap and don't require a lot of space. However, hamsters aren't the best pet for you if you have a cat or a dog, as these animals could kill and eat your hamster if they get the chance. They also aren't a good choice if you have fur or dander allergies. Because they are nocturnal and move around at night, hamsters often disturb light sleepers.

    Warnings

    • Do not disturb sleeping hamsters during the day. It will make them irritable, and they are likely to bite or scratch you. Hamsters are solitary animals and most breeds will fight if kept in the same cage, so keep hamsters in separate cages. Supervise children playing with hamsters at all times to prevent injury to the child or the hamster. Always wash your hands before and after picking up your hamster for hygiene and safety reasons. Traces of food on your hands may make your hamster think you're edible and it may bite you.