Why Does My Hamster Sleep So Much? 3 Things You Need to Look Out For
Hamsters are furry little balls of joy that often leave you with a mini-heart attack. Whilst, a caged hamster is away from trouble most of the time, some of their characteristics can leave owners mortified. And one such character is their massive 14-hour-sized appetite for sleep which tends to leave owners puzzled and worried, especially new ones.
So, Why Does My Hamster Sleep So Much? Hamsters can typically sleep for 12 to 14 hours a day and they are nocturnal animals. As such, if owners find their hamsters sleeping during the day, it is most likely nothing to be worried about.
Although sleeping most of the day away is normal for a hamster, abnormal and long sleeping patterns can signify health or habitat-related issues. Owners need to know about 3 common things to keep their hamsters healthy. Read along to learn more about your hamster and its sleep.
Why Does My Hamster Sleep So Much? Reasons You Don’t Need to be Worried About
As alluded to before, hamsters sleep a lot. The typical hamster sleeps for up to 14 hours of the day, and they do it in the form of short naps and snoozes. Also, unlike us, hamsters doze in and out of sleep. They don’t sleep all 14 hours in one stretch. Finding a hamster taking 5-minute naps frequently is perfectly normal.
Also, hamsters are nocturnal. Hamsters sleep during the day and are awake at night, which is the polar opposite of your routine. Over the course of the day, if you see your hamster sleeping in the daylight, don’t be worried. It is normal for your pet to be sleeping at this hour.
Another fact that needs to be mentioned here: hamsters don’t like to be awakened. Avoid waking your hamster abruptly, as it is detrimental to the little rodent. If you want to spend time with your pet, pinpoint the time when both of you are awake which typically is the evening.
Why is My Hamster Sleeping More Than Usual?
By now, we have established that hamsters sleep a lot. But if you still notice that your pet is sleeping for much longer than the usual 14 hours, you might have something to worry about.
Although extensive sleep isn’t a symptom of any disease, it can signify your hamster getting weaker due to illness. In general, the three big reasons that cause a hamster to sleep too much are:
- Health problems
- Injuries
- Habitat
Age is also a cause of extra sleep, but this can be discussed later. For now, let’s discuss the three serious and consequential ones:
Health Problems
Hamsters are fragile animals. The little rodents can fall ill to various diseases easily. Common diseases a hamster can have include:
- Diarrhea
- Pneumonia
- Viral Infections
Diseases like diarrhea are more widespread among hamsters than in humans. And much like what happens to us, your hamster will rapidly lose energy when ill with such a disease. Depleted energy levels are one of the earliest signs of bad health and cause pets to have incessant sleep.
If you find that your hamster is spending way too long asleep, then checking in with a veterinary clinic is recommended. This way, you can treat any illness from an early stage.
Injuries
Hamsters are prone to injuries when manhandled. They are extremely fragile and have softer bones and tissues. Often, caged hamsters get injured by themselves or are unknowingly injured when owners handle them in a ‘rough’ manner. And these injuries tend to go unnoticed at first because they are hard to spot.
However, just because an injury is difficult to spot, it doesn’t mean that the hamster goes unaffected. Recovery from any injury is taxing and can leave a hamster weary. This results in the pet sleeping much more than usual and being fairly sluggish as its body nurses itself back to full health.
If your hamster seems to have lost its energy and becomes sleepy, try to diagnose gently and ensure that the pet isn’t injured in any way.
Habitat
Another reason that causes a hamster to oversleep is the habitat. Particularly, the ambient temperature of the cage or room a hamster is kept in. Hamsters should ideally be kept in temperatures ranging from 64°F to 79°F. Anything significantly higher or lower can produce the following results:
- If the ambient temperature is warmer than it should be, it will encourage the hamster to sleep more.
- If the ambient temperature is cooler than it should be, it may cause the hamster to go into hibernation.
Now, why these two results come to fruition will need some explaining.
Firstly, hamsters try to avoid being active in the warmer parts of the day. Remember, they are nocturnal and ‘wake up’ in the evening when the day begins to cool off. If their cage is too warm, a hamster will just continue to sleep regardless of the time of day and how much they have already slept.
Secondly, wild hamsters go into hibernation in order to survive cold winters. And this characteristic is subliminally baked into domesticated hamsters as a natural response to cold as well. If the temperature is allowed to drop too much, you will find your hamster sleeping 24/7 as it starts to hibernate.
Consequently, keeping a keen eye on the temperature is crucial if you don’t want your pet to oversleep.
Old and Sleepy Hamsters
Hinted a few paragraphs ago was the fact that hamsters sleep more with age. And though this sounds like a myth- given that hamsters are hyperactive little creatures, it is true.
Under normal and ideal conditions, if you find that your aging little pet is sleeping a smidge more, it is nothing to be gravely concerned about. The sleep durations of hamsters progressively increase as they get older.
FAQ
Here are a few common questions revolving around hamsters and their sleep.
Q. How long do hamsters sleep?
The average, healthy hamster will spend a sum of 12 to 14 hours sleeping in a day.
Q. What happens if your hamster sleeps too much?
There are no bad consequences if your hamster sleeps too much as hamsters usually sleep away nearly 60% of the day. However, sleeping too much could sometimes indicate that their well-being has been compromised.
Q. Can diseases cause hamsters to sleep more?
Yes, diseases can cause hamsters to sleep more. Common diseases like diarrhea cause hamsters to lose a lot of energy and become more sleepy.
Conclusion
Seeing that your lovely little pet is constantly drowsy might ring a few bells, especially for new hamster adopters. The weary-looking rodent might become a fountain of concern and can leave you wondering why your hamster sleeps so much.
Luckily you can rest easy most of the time, knowing that these tiny creatures have a massive appetite for sleep. However, there are alternate situations that are not so pleasant. If you find that your hamster is sleepy beyond the usual 14 hours, then some valid health and well-being-related worries will arise. In such situations, you have to proactively diagnose why your hamster is sleeping so much and nurse any problems.