Although hamsters are popular pets, many often miss this crucial information about them – they’re not fond of daytime and bright lights. But that doesn’t mean you should eliminate ALL forms of light for them.
Hamsters need indirect, natural light as it acts as a cue for their sleeping and waking patterns. However, they are sensitive to it, so you should avoid exposing them to bright, artificial lights or direct sunlight. Doing so could cause them stress and affect their well-being.
Although they prefer the dark, hamsters cannot live in it 24/7. As you’ll learn in this article, providing them with optimal lighting and environmental conditions is a crucial responsibility of hamster owners.
Why Do Hamsters Need Light?
Many people, especially those with kids, get hamsters because they’re cute and cuddly. But many aren’t quite aware of this essential fact: these creatures are mainly nocturnal. Thus, as much as your kid wants to cuddle them in the daylight, they really shouldn’t.
But does nocturnal mean hamsters do not need light and should be kept in the dark? Not entirely. Like humans, hamsters have a biological clock or circadian rhythm. This cycle is dictated by the light in their surroundings – once the light dims, they become active.
Thus, if you keep them in the dark constantly, their daily habits will be thrown off. They’d have few cues for when to wake up, get food, be active, etc.
Hamsters Are Light-Sensitive
Hamsters need light, but such should be provided in appropriate conditions. You cannot just expose them to a bright bulb or direct daylight, thinking that would make them go to sleep. They are photosensitive, so they get easily affected by changes to their normal lighting conditions.
What’s best for them is predictable, natural light conditions. That is, lights – if there are any – should be turned off regularly. If their room is inaccessible to natural light, you should put up dim or low lights instead. You might also consider red LED lights, which I’ll explain later in this article.
Light Affects Hamster Hormone Production
But why is light such a big deal for hamsters if they’re more active in the dark? That’s because the duration of darkness affects when and how much pineal melatonin, the hormone that controls their biological clock, would be produced.
If the darkness sets in late, pineal melatonin production will be thrown off. They would sleep and wake up later than usual or on erratic schedules. It would also offset the release of other hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH), which affects reproduction.
Besides hormones, actual organs are significantly impacted by a lack of light. For instance, a study discovered that blinding golden hamsters (and therefore depriving them of light) led to atrophy or shrinkage of their reproductive organs. Another study that exposed male hamsters to only one hour of light per day revealed similar results.
Some Hamsters Are Crepuscular or Diurnal
I’ve stated that hamsters are nocturnal; however, some sources also say they are crepuscular. It means these creatures are more active during twilight. Twilight can be the period between sunset and full night or sunrise and full daylight. Either way, twilight has a little bit of light; thus, implying that hamsters naturally need some light.
Aside from that, a study also discovered that golden hamsters, quite popular pets, are actually diurnal in nature. Diurnal means they are active during the daytime. However, wild or natural conditions are different from cages or captivity.
Indeed, these golden hamsters are nocturnal in the laboratory or captivity. As their cage in your home is more likely to be similar to lab conditions than the wild, you are likely to expect your hamster to be a night owl unless it came from the wild and was naturally diurnal.
Constant Light Helps Hamsters With Heart Disease
Another study also assessed the effect of light on the lifespans of hamsters with heart disease. They found that these sick hamsters survive better when exposed to constant or 24 hours of daily light than those kept in 12:12 (light:dark) conditions. This exciting discovery shows that light may be necessary for usually nocturnal creatures in certain situations.
Can Hamsters Stay in the Dark?
Hamsters are often nocturnal or crepuscular, so they can stay in the dark. Their senses, such as eyesight and hearing, have been adapted for dark or dim conditions, so they will thrive in such environments. Thus, you shouldn’t be surprised if your hamster decides to run its wheel or sneak out around midnight.
Moreover, hamsters have naturally poor eyesight. They are near-sighted and colorblind, so they don’t depend on vision and light as much as we do. Instead, they rely more on their exceptional hearing, smell, touch, and whiskers to make their way across the dark.
Although hamsters fare well in the dark, that does not mean you should ALWAYS keep them in the dark. As I’ve explained, lack of light leads to adverse effects on the hamster, such as stress, hormone imbalance, and organ atrophy.
Do Hamsters Need Light in the Dark?
Hamsters need little to no light in the dark. Indeed, a study found that hamsters kept in total darkness had better moods than those observed in colored LED light conditions.
If lights are a must in your hamster’s room, consider getting red lights. I advise such because, in the study, the hamsters fared next best in the red light. When exposed to blue or white light conditions, they exhibited signs of stress, such as drinking less sugar water and less brain cell growth.
Do Hamsters Make the Best Nighttime Companions?
As nocturnal creatures, you may think hamsters make great nighttime companions. But, really, it depends on several personal factors. Consider these pros and cons to help you decide if a hamster is a good fit for you.
Pros
- Nocturnal. If you’re working the night shift and need an active and energetic companion to keep you awake, hamsters might do the job. Their squeaks, running on the wheel, and other activities produce noticeable noise.
- No need for active interaction. Unlike a dog that likes active play with its owners, hamsters are okay with being left to their own devices. You can enjoy their play and skitter from afar, but you don’t have to take a break from your graveyard shift work to interact with them.
Cons
- Noise. As hamsters are active at night, they are likely to make a lot of noise. This can disturb light sleepers and even human night owls who want to work in peace and quiet.
- Sensitive to light. As mentioned above, hamsters aren’t good with bright or artificial lights. So if you work with a hamster in the room, you’ll have to go with dim or red lights to avoid stressing them out.
Also, even though I’ve presented these pros and cons for those looking for a nighttime companion, this does not mean that hamsters can be kept by nocturnal people only. More importantly, you respect their natural behaviors or habits and commit to taking care of them.
Final Thoughts
Hamsters are usually nocturnal or crepuscular, so they’re more used to dim or dark conditions. They also have poor eyesight, so they do not need bright lights. But, they still need dim and natural light to maintain their body clock, regularize hormone production, navigate the world, and live longer (if they have heart disease).