Hamsters are small, delicate creatures that are neither diurnal (active during the day) nor nocturnal (active at night) but are crepuscular (active during twilight hours). In the dark, they feel more energetic and need to go about their daily work. Therefore, it’s best to turn the lights off. After a long and tiring night, they usually sleep by hiding away and burrowing in their bedding or some dark place.
When around, petting or holding a hamster, always be gentle and do not make any sudden movements as they scare very easily. This is mainly due to their poor eyesight. In this post, we will discuss more on how hamsters see.
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The Eyes Of Hamsters
Like all mammals, hamsters see through eyes made up of various parts. Just like a human eye, they also have the iris, pupil, retina, lens, and the optic nerve. Hamster eyes are mostly spherical and are different in color depending on their different species. All animals have rods and cones but in varying amounts, specifically allocated depending on the animal. Animals like hamsters that prefer to be active in darker conditions have many rods and not as many cones.
When looking at a hamster’s eye from a distance, they will appear to be round and uniform in color. So basically, hamsters can see, but they see differently to humans. Hamsters have a much more full range of eyesight than we do and this allows them to see at higher angles. The range in front of them is what they have a problem with. Their eyes, just like humans’, are susceptible and can easily be damaged if not careful.
Some pet owners could fear that their hamster is going blind when their eyes start turning white. However, most of the time, this is not the case. In some instances, the eyes turning white could be a cause of a tumor growing inside their eye. You can identify the tumor by keeping an eye on them and noticing any change in their attitude and appetite. It is not common for hamsters to get cataracts, just like other animals and species.
What Do Hamsters See?
At birth, hamsters are born blind and experience discomfort in their eyes when exposed to light. In adulthood, they only see few inches past their nose. During the day, their eyesight is even worse as they see best in dim light, preferably twilight conditions.
Just like humans, the fields of sight from both eyes overlap and provide them with a good perception of depth. Even with their depth perception, they mainly see in black and white with faded shades of green and blue. Their visual system is very poorly developed.
Do Hamsters See In Color?
When it comes to hamsters, it’s tough to know what exactly they see. It depends on the number of cones they have as well as how their brain processes the information. Some studies have shown that their eyesight is monochromatic, which means they see all colors as one color.
In other studies, they respond to the color green and a little blue. 97% of their eyes are rod cells, and this will give them very low light capability with very little to no color vision.
Can Hamsters See In The Dark?
Just like humans, hamsters cannot see in complete darkness as they require a little light to be able to see. Dawn and dusk are there best times for hamsters to look as it has the perfect low light they need.
In the absence of good vision, hamsters use their other senses like hearing, tasting and smelling to help them get around. They use their whiskers and teeth to explore the world around them. Their extraordinary sense of hearing allows them to communicate with each other through frequencies that humans cannot hear.
Can Hamsters See UV?
Research shows that hamsters have shown sensitivity towards UV light. During the day, we have much more UV light available, and this allows them to see better in the light. This enables them to see urine marks better under the light, just like their predators.
Eyesight Related Behavior
Hamsters prefer to sleep during the day when everyone is awake. After a long and tiring time at night, they retire to bed at the first rays of the sun. Hamsters were not meant to be kept as pets as they were to wander around at night, creating burrows. They tend to defend themselves by biting. So when around a hamster, always be gentle and move slowly to avoid scaring them as they could easily bite you.
It will take some time before they get used to you and don’t find the need to protect themselves by biting. Their poor eyesight is a reason to blame for a lot of things as it restricts them from moving around freely without fear.
Hamster’s Poor Eyesight And The Risk Of Captivity
Before or even while keeping a hamster as a pet, you need to understand that they have bad eyesight. Hamsters are very gentle and fragile, and this makes them easily susceptible to injury or even death. Be careful when walking with them on your shoulders or hands. This is because they may leap off due to a sudden movement that they cannot see.
You need to understand that the hamster’s senses affect their behavior and you will know why they exhibit a specific action. By understanding the extent of your hamster’s eyesight, you can keep it safe and secure. Do not get a cage for them with several levels as they will not be able to see what’s in front of them and fall. Keep in mind, they are intelligent creatures and can navigate through most situations with their other senses.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hamsters have relatively poor eyesight. They see best in dim light conditions but generally see the world in black and white. To help them move around, they use their other senses as well as teeth and whiskers.
Hamsters are not blind or colorblind. Instead, they just have very poor eyesight and need to be protected. So just because they don’t see the way we do does not mean that there’s something wrong with them.
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