Do hamsters have good eyesight? This is a question that has puzzled many people for a long time, and whose answer impact on the way you need to care for hamsters kept as pets. Some say that hamsters have great eyesight, while others claim that they don’t see very well at all. In order to find out the answer to this question, it is important to look at the different factors that affect hamster vision.
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What does Hamsters Vision Look Like?
At birth, baby hamsters are completely blind. It takes around 14 to 17 days for their eyes to open and for them to start seeing .
Hamsters are really short sighted, which means they have a very blurry vision and can barely see further than 6 inches in front of them.
Due to their crepuscular and nocturnal nature, they see best in dim lights.
Do Hamsters Have Good Eyesight?
Hamsters have a terribly poor eyesight. They rely on other senses, their sense of smell, to detect danger. Hamsters are nearsighted, are colour blind, and have very poor depth perception.
It is something to bear in mind when you start taming your hamster, or when you give them free roaming time.
Hamsters are prey animal, so always on the lookout for possible predators. They startle very easily and react to sudden noise.
Albino hamsters seem to have the worst vision of all the species and varieties.
Hamsters with red eyes have shown they have the poorer sight.
Are Hamsters Color Blind?
Back to basics: the retina, which is the layer that lines the interior of the eye, is composed of light sensitive cells known as rods and cones, responsible for the sense of sight.
Studies have shown that, as Hamster eyes will contain around 97% rod cells and only 3% of cone cells, their eyesight is monochromatic: they see all the colors as one color.
These cells are also responsible for the sharpness in images, meaning hamsters also have a very blurry eyesight.
More recent studies have also show hamsters responding to blue and green stimuli. It seems that Syrian hamsters in particular may be able to see some shades of blue and green.
It seems that they are much less sensitive, or simply cannot see red lights.
Do Hamsters Know their Owners by sight?
Hamsters do recognise their owners by smell, and with the sound of their voice . However, they are not as bonded to their owners as other pets such as dogs or cats. This means that hamsters may not be the best pet for someone looking for a lot of love and affection from their furry friend.
If you approach them too suddenly, and they are suddenly faced with a large figure looming over them, this can be quite scary for a hamster and they may even try to bit to defend themselves.
Do hamsters have Good Hearing?
Hamsters have really good hearing to compensate for their poor eyesight.
They should be kept in a room as quiet as possible during the day (and night), to allow them to sleep peacefully and not be scared or constantly woken up by loud noises.
Can Hamsters See in the Dark?
Hamsters are nocturnal animals, meaning they are most active at night. This is because they have adapted to living in dark environments.
However, Hamsters cannot see in complete darkness, the best for them is dim light.
Should you Leave the Light on at Night for your Hamster?
You do not need to leave any light for your hamster. They are naturally crepuscular and nocturnal, so manage just fine during the night time.
We are starting to see studies about this subject. Hamsters left in darkness at night are the least stressed and the happiest. Those exposed to red light were less content but did not seem to suffer much.
However, hamsters who have been exposed to blue or white night at light show sign of stress, and their brain activity show changes and signs of depression.
Should I keep my Hamster Habitat in the Dark?
No, that is not healthy at all either. Hamsters need natural light for their body clock to function efficiently.
Of course, keep the habitat in the shade during the day, away from windows. sunlight and from drafts. They should be in the darkest area of the room, possibly of the house if it's not the coldest, but should not be kept in the dark, and it's cruel to leave a hamster habitat in a cupboard or in a basement with no natural light .
Can I Keep my Hamster in a Room with Natural Daylight?
Of course. Simply make sure the cage or tank is not in the sun, or in front of a window.
As long as you provide enough bedding, and they have a good 6 inches to dig into, your hamster will have enough material to make himself a burrow and create enough darkness to sleep comfortably during the day time.
Can Hamsters See UV Light?
Some scientist believe hamster can actually see UK light, and can recognise urine trails etc.. and not by smell only.
As they are nocturnal, they are sensitive to UK light and they avoid being in full light during the day anyway.
How Do Hamsters Survive if they have Poor Eyesight?
Hamsters have evolved as nocturnal and crepuscular animals, which means they are most active at dusk and dawn. In the wild, they are naturally creating and living in burrows, and only exploring and foraging for food at night ,which means they don't really need a perfect eyesight. Their natural behaviour also allows them to avoid predators during the day when their visibility is poorer.
Hamsters rely heavily on their sense of smell and and use their whiskers to find their way around.
This is why hamsters use their scent gland and mark their territory, as well as their path when they are in the wild and run for miles. They rub their backs against objects to create their scent trail. The smell is how they find their way back home, they will easily follow the scent trail as a guide.
Does the Vision Impact on the Care of the Hamsters?
Poor vision, lack of depth and heigh perception explain why high cages are dangerous for hamsters. They need a large enclosure with unbroken floor space, they are not naturally climbers and can really hurt themselves when their cage contains high platform or they are left hanging when they are bar climbing – which is a sign of stress.
They should also never be left on high objects, tables, sofas… They likely won't see how far away the floor is, will fall and can suffer nasty injuries.
How Far Can Hamsters See?
Hamsters have shown they cannot see objects further than 6 inches!
Eyeless Hamsters
Sadly, poor breeding can result in a litter with Anophthalmic or eyeless white hamsters. They are usually profoundly death, and these little animals can suffer further health conditions.
You can still give them a happy life: be consistent with their habitat, keep in mind they startle very easily so you must be gentle and blow very softly to warn them you are around. Regular vet check to make sure they don't have any other health condition is also important.
Hamsters and Cataract
Cataract is something that can happen with older hamsters, you will notice their eyes becoming milky. It's not treatable and often result in complete blindness but will not cause them any pain.
Help them by offering the same care you offer a blind hamster.
How to Care for a Blind Hamster
Owners want to ensure their little hamster can move around easily.
A consistent layout is absolutely key: keep everything in the same place, and don't make changes to the cage. Put everything in the same spots when you deep clean the habitat.
With other hamsters, you might move things around to avoid your hamster being bored, but with a blind hamster it would be immensely stressful and really should be avoided. The poor animal are likely to bump into things if they don't know where they are!
Ideally remove all the shelves and keep everything on the same level.
The taming process might take a lot longer and you need to be extremely patient with any hamster who has a disability.
To Conclude
The first factor to consider is the size of the hamster’s eyes. Hamsters have relatively large eyes for their body size, which suggests that they might have good vision. However, it is also worth noting that hamsters are nocturnal animals, so their large eyes might simply be an adaptation to help them see better in the dark.
However, hamsters make up for this by having very good peripheral vision. This means that they can see things that are happening to the sides of them even when they are not looking directly at them.
So, do hamsters have good eyesight? The answer is that it depends on what you mean by “good”. Hamsters have poorer vision than humans in some ways, but they make up for this by relying on other senses, and having a very strong sense of smell and every good hearing.
It is clear that hamsters have good eyesight to some extent, as they are able to survive in the wild. While they may not be able to see objects very far away, they make up for it with their strong sense of smell. Hamsters can also suffer from cataracts as they get older, which can lead to blindness. However, with a little bit of extra care, owners can ensure their blind hamster has a happy and comfortable life.