How many hours do pet rats sleep per day

For the first time getting a decorative rat, most people are preparing to get to know and actively communicate with a pet. But often he sleeps all day long, showing no curiosity either to the environment or to the new owner. How long do rats sleep? This question very often worries novice owners. Indeed, with insufficient experience, it is difficult to determine whether the behavior of the animal is normal, or whether its lethargy is a symptom of a developing disease.

The biological rhythm of small rodents

Decorative rats are nocturnal animals, so their activity begins to increase in the late afternoon and peaks at night. In the evening, the pet usually comes to life, starts jumping up the stairs, exploring everything and asking to be held. But even this revival can quickly dry up, and you will soon find that your pet has dozed off again. Sometimes there is a feeling that the animal is constantly sleeping.

This behavior is completely normal – a domestic rat sleeps from 13 hours a day, mainly during the daytime.

Most pets are also awake during the day, especially if their owner is at home. Domestic rats are usually active for several hours during the day, using this time to eat and walk around the cage. The energy of young animals may be higher, they sometimes spend the whole day either awake or falling asleep.

At night, the animals are usually very active, as anyone who sleeps in the same room as the cage can attest. The animals rustle with filler and food, play with each other, jump on the shelves and gratings of the walls, equip their own house. Their activity decreases by dawn, so in the morning, when the owners are going to work, their pets usually sleep soundly.

IMPORTANT: With age, the daytime liveliness of decorative rodents decreases even more, they can sleep longer. This is also normal behavior.

How domestic rats sleep

Decorative rodents are known for their ability to fall asleep in the most amazing positions. Rats have achieved a special skill in this – some animals manage to fall asleep on the stairs or hanging from the shelf. If the cage contains a group of animals, they prefer to sleep in a bunch, snuggling up to each other.

TIP: If you want to provide your pet with a calm, comfortable sleep, put a roomy house in the cage or hang a special hammock for rodents.

Can prolonged sleep be a symptom?

If your pet is still quite young, but sleeps for many hours in a row, both in the daytime and in the evening, you should carefully monitor his condition. If the pet looks lethargic, disheveled, does not eat well and its energy is not high even at night, this may be a sign of an incipient illness or lack of vitamins. Try to start giving a granular vitamin complex along with the food – if the condition does not change or new symptoms are added, it is better to consult a veterinarian.