Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:34 pm
As we already know, hamsters naturally have very poor vision, so we need to give them vitamin A as often as possible so that they can maintain their already poor vision as much as possible.
You must be wondering what about colors, do hamsters distinguish colors.
Are hamsters color blind? Yes, hamsters are colorblind, because they do not distinguish colors, because their eyes have 3% cone cells, and the rest 97% are rods. Specifically, hamsters do not see black and white, but they can only see colors in the green part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In today’s article, you will learn why hamsters are color blind because their vision is different from the vision of other animals that have excellent vision.
What should you know about color blindness?
Color blindness, or the inability to distinguish colors, is when the eyes do not see colors in the correct way and are not able to distinguish different colors.
Why does color blindness occur?
Color blindness occurs as a result of damage to the cone cells, or when they detect a color other than the actual color.
Cone cells are photoreceptor cells and there are red, green, and blue. With the help of the cone cells, we can find out what color it is.
While rod cells are the opposite of cone cells, they are used for night vision.
Are hamsters color blind?
Yes, hamsters are colorblind, they cannot distinguish colors.
The biggest cause of color blindness in hamsters is the excessive number of rod cells, and a very small part or 3% of cone cells (those responsible for distinguishing colors).
If the percentage of cone cells were higher then hamsters would distinguish colors much better, but unfortunately in reality this is not possible for our pets.
Can hamsters see any colors?
Yes, depending on their breed there are still some differences in seeing colors.
For example, Syrian hamsters see in the green part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and they practically see everything around them in shades of green.
Siberian hamsters, on the other hand, see in the blue part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and therefore they see in blue colors.
Do hamsters see well?
No, hamsters do not see very well at all, they are nearsighted.
Hamsters, in addition to being colorblind, unfortunately also have very poor distance vision.
It is a big problem for them because they cannot accurately calculate the distance.
Being short-sighted, they are always in danger of falling from greater heights, they will jump without being able to estimate how high the height really is, and they may injure themselves.
All of you who keep hamsters, be careful not to put them standing high, or when you hold them in your hands, be careful not to drop them, because they can easily get a fracture.
Hamsters will fall freely thinking that it is not very high, which is even more dangerous to get hurt.
Do hamsters see their owners?
Yes, hamsters see their owners, but they see them best when they are close to them.
If you are far from your pet, it will hardly see you, but that is why they use their senses of smell and hearing.
With the help of these two senses, hamsters will understand much more easily than you are approaching them, and when you come closer, they will see you much more clearly.
Do hamsters see better at night or during the day?
Hamsters see much better at night than during the day, because they have more rod receptors that enable them to do so.
When we think of seeing at night, we should emphasize that hamsters see best at dusk or dawn, while they do not see well in black darkness.
That’s why hamsters are most active early in the morning and late at night, their sight is adapted for this way and time of viewing.
Hamster tunnels are filled with dim light or partial darkness which again suits your furry friends, which is why they use them the most.
When in the wild, hamsters live in areas where there is little light and are therefore used to less light.
Can hamsters see UV light?
Hamsters avoid seeing UV light, they are used to avoiding it.
Of course, we humans need UV light, but it is not useful for hamsters.
If your hamster sees UV light, it will signal that it is time to sleep, so UV light is of no use to your pet.
read more: Why Is My Hamster Lying Flat? All Reasons
How do hamsters live with color blindness and poor vision?
Their senses of smell and hearing are of great use to be able to live and adapt to the environment, despite poor eyesight and color blindness.
With the help of their senses, hamsters manage to survive and communicate with other hamsters.
The cage of the hamsters smells of their smell, and therefore if you clean his cage too much he will get upset and think that he is somewhere else, ie in a new cage.
How far can hamsters see?
Because they have very poor eyesight, hamsters can only see a few inches.
This very poor eyesight often creates problems for them, especially when falling and jumping, but that is the reality.
They supplement seeing just a few inches with their senses to better navigate their surroundings.
read more: Can Hamsters Climb Walls? And Plastic, Glass, Wood
How do hamster eyes work?
The eyes of hamsters are actually very similar to those of other animals, they are also similar in their structure.
Hamsters have dark and large eyes or 2.5 times larger than those of mice. The functioning of hamsters’ eyes happens in several steps, which we will present to you.
First, as with all others, the light passes through the cornea and then enters the pupil. The pupil controls how much light passes through the hamster’s eyes.
The pupil can change size depending on the light. Then the light shines through the lens, the lens is responsible for focusing what the hamsters see.
The next thing is the light entering the retina, which is a light receptor and is found in the back of the eyes.
Finally, through the receptors, the light is converted into an electrical signal and sent to the brain of the hamsters, and the brain converts it into an image, exactly what your furry friends see.
read more: Do Hamsters Need a Heat Lamp?
Conclusion
Hamsters are colorblind, but they don’t see black and white, they actually see pictures mostly in green and blue.
The problem with seeing hamsters is that they have 97% rod cells and only 3% cone cells. Hamsters see better when the light is not too strong, ie at dawn and dusk.
Hamsters are short-sighted, they can see at a distance of only a few inches, but therefore they use their senses of hearing and smell with which they can more easily notice the objects around them.
A big problem for hamsters is that they cannot judge the distance when jumping and therefore they can get injured very easily.
Finally, hamsters’ eyesight is really their weak point, but they still do very well in the challenges and situations they find themselves in.
FAQs
Do hamsters see red? No, hamsters cannot see red, they see green and blue. Hamsters cannot see the color red because they have very few cone receptors.
Are hamsters blind? No, hamsters are not blind, they just cannot distinguish colors. Hamsters have very poor vision, they see only up close, while far away they see too poorly.
How does blue light affect hamsters? According to some research, blue light does not work well in hamsters. Blue light causes depression and a bad mood in your furry friends.
