Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 06:53 pm
Many hamster owners can’t tell if their hamsters are blinking or not. Hamsters can look for a long time without blinking, but this does not mean that they do not blink at all.
Do hamsters blink?
Yes, hamsters always blink one eye at a time, never both at once to be ready to protect themselves from predators. They blink when their eyelids are commanded to do so.
Hamsters blink so fast that we humans cannot notice.
Hamsters blink the most at dusk and at dawn when they are most active, and we are then asleep and cannot see them.
Another reason hamsters blink is to keep their eyes moist and to remove dust or something from their eyes.
In today’s article, we will find out why hamsters blink, how they blink, how long they blink, and similar questions related to the topic.
Do hamsters blink?
Yes, hamsters blink mostly with one eye, although they can blink with both eyes less often.
They usually blink with one eye to be ready for an attack from predators.
They keep one eye open while blinking the other eye.
Why do hamsters blink?
Hamsters blink so that they can clean their eyes from dirt, dust, as well as other irritants to their eye that can irritate them.
When hamsters blink, they do it less often than other animals because they have a layer of lubricant that allows them to have enough moisture in their eyes.
Hamsters spend most of their time at night, which means that they are not exposed to the sun much.
Therefore they have more moisture which protects their eyes from drying out, and therefore they have less need to blink.
Hamsters also blink when they have irritation from bedding and similar things like sand or ground if they are in nature, which can create dust and dirt, and then they must blink.
How long do hamsters blink?
Hamsters blink very quickly and that’s why we owners can’t notice if they blink at all, but today’s article gave us the answer to this question.
However, we must point out that hamsters do not always blink so quickly, it can also be a slow and prolonged blinking.
If hamsters start to blink slowly and gradually then it can be from old age or illness.
As hamsters get older, they will blink more slowly, like everything else they do when they are older, that is, they slow down with all their body movements, so it is the same with blinking.
In addition to old age, hamsters may blink more slowly if they are sick or injured.
That’s why we should pay attention to their behavior and blinking because it can tell us what condition the hamster is in.
How often do hamsters blink?
We cannot know how often hamsters blink because they do so very quickly and most of the time we do not notice them when they blink.
Another reason why we don’t know how often hamsters blink is that they usually blink when we are sleeping, ie at night and at dawn.
Humans are known to blink about 15 times a minute, but hamsters cannot be predicted.
Hamsters may blink more often if something irritates them, such as shavings for bedding, or a lot of dust and soil, the dirtier the environment around him, the more chances there are for irritations and more blinking.
When we keep hamsters on bedding that is not so dusty, then they will blink less.
How do hamsters blink?
Hamsters usually blink with one eye, then with the other eye, with both eyes at once it is very rare to see them blink.
They blink so fast that we cannot notice them and we think that they are not blinking at all.
When hamsters blink, it looks more like they are winking because they blink separately with one eye and then the other.
It is very rare to see hamsters use both eyes at the same time to blink together, this could be if they get sand or a lot of dust in their eyes.
Hamsters only keep both eyes closed when they sleep.
Do hamsters have eyelids?
Yes, hamsters have eyelids that allow them to blink. Hamsters have one pair of eyelids, while other animals such as crocodiles and frogs have 2 sets of eyelids.
Eyelids help with the health of their eyes and eyeballs, as they help keep their eyes moist.
If the hamsters do not have eyelids, they will not be able to close their eyes when they have irritations, or when dust and similar substances enter them.
If hamsters do not have eyelids, they will have health problems and eventually blindness.
When the eyelids open and close it means it’s time to moisturize their eyes and clean them of impurities.
Why do hamsters sometimes wink?
Hamsters sometimes wink for many reasons such as danger from predators, eye problems, sticky eyes,s and other reasons.
Here’s a closer look at the possible reasons why hamsters wink.
Eye health problems
When hamsters wink, it may mean they have eye problems, such as the following:
- infections – cause the hamsters to wink because then their eyes swell and become red and may also have pus.
- Cataract – causes hamsters to squint due to this disease which is often acquired by older hamsters, which is quite normal as hamsters get older.
- inflammation – cause hamsters to blink because the inflammation irritates them and makes them blink.
- ulcer – sometimes the appearance of an ulcer can cause them to blink, causing their eye to become cloudy.
- early injuries – when hamsters get injured they have to blink because of the eye injury.
Read more: Do Hamsters Get Cataracts? (Find Out Now)
Sticky eye
Sticky eye occurs in hamsters mostly after sleeping and the hamsters cannot open their eyelids.
It happens due to the drying of the liquid and it dries up and it sticks to the eyelids, that’s why it is called the sticky eye.
When hamsters have a sticky eye, it should be cleaned with a solution of lukewarm water and a cotton ball so that the dried fluid can be removed and the hamster can open the eye again.
Read more: What Causes Sticky Eyes In Hamsters? (What To Do)
Danger from predators
When hamsters wink, or rather wink with one eye and keep the other open, it is their protection from predators.
So they are always ready to escape and save their lives.
Especially hamsters that live in the wild are constantly the target of predators and must always have one eye open when they go outside the habitat.
Hamsters that we keep at home are not in such danger, but they are used to always winking due to their natural instincts.
Do hamsters close their eyes when they sleep?
Yes, when hamsters sleep they close both eyes.
That’s why they also choose to sleep somewhere where they are protected from predators, they sleep in holes, tunnels, hiding places, and similar places where they can sleep safely with their eyes closed.
Hamsters have excellent hearing, they hear 10 times better than humans, in fact, since they have poor eyesight, their sense of hearing is very good.
This allows them to hear the slightest sound that will cause them to open one eye to investigate where the sound is coming from.
Sleeping hamsters are very sensitive and will immediately wake up and open one or both eyes.
However, hamsters should sleep with both eyes closed, otherwise, if they sleep with their eyes open then something is wrong with them, and they may be scared or under stress.
Read more: Why Hamster Bleeding From Bottom? All You Need To Know
Do hamsters see their owners?
Hamsters can barely see a few inches, and nothing more than that, if the owner is further away they can’t see him.
But that’s why hamsters use their senses so that they can more easily know if the owner is approaching them, through smell and voice.
Therefore, when you enter the hamster’s room, speak to the hamster so that he knows that you are coming, and not some stranger.
If you don’t say anything to him and if you have some new perfume on, he won’t know it’s you and can bite you if you get close to him quickly.
That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised if hamsters look like they’re staring at us, they’re actually looking into space because they don’t have good vision, when they see far their vision is blurred.
Read more: Can Hamsters Throw Up? Find Out Now
Conclusion
Hamsters blink, but they do so very quickly, which we cannot notice, and mostly at night when we sleep.
Hamsters blink with only one eye to protect themselves from predators. It is very rare for them to blink both eyes probably if they experience a lot of dust or sand.
By blinking and using the eyelids, hamsters moisten their eyes and clean them of dust or other irritations.
