When Does a Hamster Sleep?

Getting a new pet involves a lot of major considerations, whether they pertain to diet, living environment, sleeping patterns or anything in between. If you plan on bringing a hamster into your household, also consider his resting habits. Hammies lead nocturnal lifestyles, unlike most human beings.

  1. Asleep During the Daytime

    • Since hamsters are nocturnal creatures, they generally do most of their sleeping during the daytime when you're probably wide awake and busy. Hammies often start sleeping around noon. They generally stay asleep for a few hours and then wake up again for short amounts of time in the evening. Once nighttime officially hits, however, they are usually alert and awake for good. Out in nature, hamsters tend to fully wake up right before nightfall, as well.

    Night Activities

    • Hamsters go about all of their normal routines when it's dark outside. They feed, play energetically, run around on their exercise wheels and dig around -- all at night. If you are an especially light sleeper, a nocturnal creature in your household may not be the most practical or comfortable idea. Active hamsters aren't always silent, from the conspicuous sounds of eating to the movement of exercise wheels in use. They can even be legitimately noisy at times.

    Caution

    • Never annoy sleeping hamsters during the daytime. Keep your hamster relaxed and content by saving your "together time" for when he's awake. By rousing resting hamsters, you risk causing them frustration. Frustrated hamsters sometimes bite individuals who agitate them during sleep. Prevent this unpleasant scenario from happening by allowing your hamster to enjoy consistent and disruption-free rest every single day of the week. Never allow young kids who are below six years old to interact directly with hamsters. When in hamster company, older kids also require careful monitoring from adults.

    Vision

    • Hamster vision works so that the furry rodents can stay efficient during the darker nighttime hours. Not only do these wee creatures possess big eyes, their retinas' rods are a major force within them. Rods work effectively in situations of darkness and less vivid light, which is why hamsters can manage nighttime activity so seemingly effortlessly.