Why Does My Hamster Sleep All Day?

If you’ve recently brought home a new pet hamster, you might be wondering why he’s asleep all day. Hamsters require around 6-8 hours of sleep, and can often be achieved with multiple sleep cycles. Hamsters are nocturnal creatures, which means they will sleep during the day and be awake at night.

In this blog post, we’ll answer from frequently asked questions about your sleeping hamster.

What is a Normal Awake Time for Hamsters?

Hamsters are most active at dawn and dusk. It is completely normal for a hamster to move around early in the morning or late in the evening. You may also see him shift around in his cage throughout the day. Dwarf hamsters and Chinese hamsters are often more flexible regarding their sleep schedules than Syrians would be. Your pet hamster will typically sleep for 6-8 hours a day, although not all in one go.

How Do I Make Sure My Hamster is as Comfortable As Possible?

Hamsters have nocturnal instincts and are always meant to sleep during the day, but just like us, if there is too much going on around them, it can become difficult to get some shut-eye. Make sure your hamster’s cage is in a quiet, calm area of your house where other pets or children won’t have access during the day.

When you first bring your hamster home, it may take some time for him to adjust to his new environment, and you may see him scurrying around during the day when he is meant to be sleeping. However, they will eventually settle in, and be able to re-adapt themselves to sleeping during the day.

Does My Hamster Need the Light Off When He’s Sleeping?

Your hamster will need the lights off only when he’s awake. When he’s sleeping during the day, you can leave the lights on. Darkness will make your hamster feel more energetic and ready to conquer their ‘days’. Because of this, we recommend leaving the lights off as usual during the night.

Why Is My Hamster Asleep at Night?

If you recently brought home a hamster and his sleeping patterns are a bit all over the place, give it a few days before he settles in; he may be stressed or confused with his new home.

If you notice a sudden change in your hamster’s sleeping pattern, it could be due to stress. If you recently made any amendments in your hamster’s habitat and his response is to begin sleeping at night and staying awake all day then it is important to change things back to how they were originally to avoid inflicting further stress.

Another factor could be if your hamster is sleeping a lot is that he is hibernating. This is because his environment is too cold. Make sure your hamster is kept warm by adding plenty of bedding and keeping his enclosure away from drafty windows or doors.

If you notice your pet hamster has become irritable, lost a lot of weight, is more aggressive or shows any other unhealthy behaviour along with being awake throughout the day and asleep at night, we recommend taking him to see a veterinarian, preferably one that specialises in small pets.

Can I Wake Up My Hamster?

We recommend not waking up your hamster while he’s sleeping. Hamsters can become not only irritable when woken up from their slumber too many times, but also stressed out. This stress can lead to health issues or even death. To completely avoid this, let your hamster get his rest.

 

Any more questions?

If you have any more questions regarding your hamster’s health, see your local veterinarian. If you would like to know more about caring for a hamster, what cage to get him or even what toys are suitable, speak to one of our Pet Care Advisors in your local store today.