Yes, hamsters do blink. Just not exactly like us humans.
Hamsters have evolved to blink with only one eye at a time.
Hamsters blink their eyes to clean them of any foreign particles such as dust.
However, unlike human beings, they blink their eyes independently of each other.
They only blink one eye at a time to stay alert for predators.
Hamsters blink with one eye first, shortly followed by the other. Because they blink so quickly, most owners miss it, creating the impression that hamsters don’t blink at all.
Because hamsters don’t blink with both eyes at one time, their blink is more like a wink.
The only time you’ll see your hamster close both its eyes at once is when it’s sleeping.
If they receive something in both of their eyes, such as water or sand, they may close both of their eyelids. This isn’t a normal occurrence, though.
If you see your hamster with both its eyes blinking or closed, you might want to closely monitor the situation. If the issue persists, take your hamster to the vet.
Hamsters shut alternate eyes so quickly that if you blink, you’ll miss it!
Hamster eye problems can happen if their eyes get dirty
Eye infections – where the eye can be swollen, red, or hot to the touch. Pus will possibly ooze from the eye as well, and as such you will need to clean/rinse the eye with a saline solution.
Bulging eye – the eye will appear larger than normal like it’s about to pop from its place. This is often because of inflammation of the tissue behind the eye itself.
Cataracts/blindness – unfortunately, many hamsters end up with this problem in their old are. This is what happens naturally to the body when the eye starts to break down on its own.
Another reason hamsters blink so sporadically may have to do with the quality of their vision. They do not have good eyesight at all. For one, hamsters are colorblind.
This is because their eye’s retinas lack color receptors that make all of life’s colors bright and vivid.
