Why Is My Hamster Sleep More Then Usual? (Find Out Now)

Last updated on January 22nd, 2023 at 07:02 pm

Hamsters are animals that sleep for quite a long time, longer than other animals, it is quite normal for them. That’s fine until you notice that the hamster won’t get up and run like it used to.

You immediately wonder if something is wrong with the hamster, is it sick because it sleeps more than before?

Hamsters sleep more than usual when they are older if they are very tired from playing and running when they have heart problems, a wet tail, and Cushing’s disease.

When hamsters sleep more than usual, you should check if everything is okay with their health.

In today’s article, you will learn why hamsters sleep more than before and what to do in such a situation.

How long do hamsters sleep?

Hamsters sleep an average of 12-14 hours a day. Although it may seem like a lot, you should still know that they sleep at intervals or several times during the day.

More frequent sleep during the day and night allows them to recover their lost energy as they are very active and enjoy running and playing.

Hamsters can run 5-6 miles in a night, which takes a lot of energy since they are so small, in fact, all their movements require a lot of energy.

As long as the hamsters use the multiple sleep routine, everything is fine with them, and you don’t need to worry.

The problem arises when they have certain diseases and sleep much longer than usual.

Hamsters sleep more than they should and when they get older, the older they are the more rest they need and sleep more to regain their lost energy.

Are Hamsters Nocturnal or Crepuscular?

Hamsters are nocturnal, but if we want to describe them more precisely, they are crepuscular or active mostly between sunset and sunrise.

Hamsters are more crepuscular because:

  • they can find food in the dark
  • they use the darkness to keep themselves cooler
  • the darkness helps them to save themselves from predators

As we already know, hamsters have very poor eyesight, this is their natural weakness, so you must be wondering how they manage at night.

At night, hamsters use their senses of smell and hearing to help compensate for poor eyesight.

Therefore, even though hamsters have poor vision, they manage very well in the dark.

When hamsters are in the wild they are more adaptable because the environment in the wild is much more dangerous and they have better-developed senses than hamsters that we keep at home or in a cage.

Why do hamsters sleep so much?

Sometimes hamsters sleep more than usual, but that’s nothing terrible.

But if this happens more often, it is a sign that something is wrong with the hamster.

So let’s read in detail about all the possible situations and reasons why hamsters sleep more than usual.

Old age

As hamsters get older, they will sleep longer than usual, which is a normal phenomenon.

Their body begins to age, their organs age and they cannot work as they did when the hamsters were younger.

They cannot sustain daily activities and they need more sleep to replenish the energy lost during daily activities.

If the hamster is sick and sleeps longer due to health problems, you will notice this through the following symptoms:

  • dehydration
  • aggression
  • insufficient appetite to eat
  • lethargy
  • hiding in the cage

These signs indicate that the hamster is sleeping more because it has an illness and you should immediately take it to the vet for an examination.

If it is sick and has a serious disease, the veterinarian can recommend euthanasia.
But this is the last alternative when the hamster cannot do daily activities and when the pain is too painful.why is my hamster sleep more then usual

Hamsters sleep longer due to illness

Hamsters are very gentle animals that get sick easily; unfortunately, they often die from diseases.

Since hamsters have small bodies, they cannot fight against diseases or larger animals.

Because of their size, hamsters are very risky to perform when they are sick.

When our furry friends are sick, they sleep more, because they are in pain from diseases, infections, and injuries.

Here are some of the diseases that commonly affect hamsters:

  • tumors
  • heart failure
  • respiratory problems
  • wet tail
  • Cushing’s disease

These and other diseases mostly affect hamsters when they are older, younger hamsters are still stronger and healthier.

Hamsters sleep more because of the lighting

As we said, hamsters are crepuscular, or rather, they sleep more during the day.

We, the owners, with the lighting in our homes in an artificially way, cause a false impression that it is still day and the hamsters sometimes sleep more because of that.

Therefore, it is best if the hamsters are in a separate room where they can naturally see for themselves when it is day and night.

Sometimes hamsters can get sick if they are constantly exposed to light, they can become depressed and sleep more than usual.

Read more: What To Do If Your Hamster Is in Shock? (Find Out Now)

Hamsters sleep more to have energy

Hamsters’ sleep allows them to have more energy, so sometimes they sleep more than they should.

Their activities of playing and running several miles a day are exhausting and they sometimes get tired and will typically sleep more.

However, if sleeping for too long happens very often, then it is not right and the hamster should be taken to the vet.

Hamsters sleep more in torpor

Torpor is something similar to hibernation, they breathe more slowly and look dead, i.e. they don’t move, but that means they are in torpor.

Hamsters go into torpor when temperatures are low for a long time to save energy to keep warm.

All of us as hamster owners must be careful that the temperature does not fall below 60 F, because it is dangerous for hamsters, especially for a long period.

Problems with daytime sleep

As a rule, hamsters should sleep as much as they can during the day and be awake at night.

But we sometimes bother them because we have responsibilities and we are normally active during the day, while hamsters need silence to sleep.

Here are some noises that disturb hamsters to sleep during the day:

  • TV and other appliances included
  • talking loudly
  • other pets in the same room
  • external noise

That’s why we should try to provide them with a quieter environment or preferably a separate room so they can sleep during the day.

Otherwise, the hamsters will be forced to sleep at night, but this is not a natural act for them to sleep, just like humans when we sleep during the day instead of at night.

Sleeping at night is not good for hamsters and can only cause health problems and diseases.

Sleep in hamsters is individual

It is correct for hamsters to sleep during the day and walk at night, but there are exceptions.

Some hamsters have different habits of when to sleep and when to get up to walk; maybe your hamster has its unique sleeping routine.

In any case, no matter how unique the habit is, if we don’t see them the same as in the past, something is wrong with the hamster that sleeps too long.why is my hamster sleep more then usual

Why do some hamsters sleep both day and night?

It is not okay if hamsters sleep part of the day and part of the night.

Usually, this happens due to several factors, such as:

  • depression
  • diseases
  • old age

When a hamster is depressed it will sleep more both day and night.

Depression can occur in hamsters if they are bored, also when they do not have enough toys or the cage is too small, they simply do not have enough activities.

Diseases are another reason why hamsters may sleep both day and night.

The disease exhausts them, they don’t have enough energy and have to sleep often to refill it, they can’t wait for day or night to come, they will sleep when they need it.

Old age is also why hamsters sleep more both day and night.

Older hamsters have difficulty sustaining daily activities and must rest and sleep all the time.

Whereas if hamsters sleep all the time, something is wrong with them, and they need to be taken to the vet to see if they are sick.

Read more: What Temperature Is Too Hot For Hamsters? (Let’s Discover)