Knowing the sleeping pattern of your hedgehog is important as you need to make sure that they are comfortable with you to make sure that they sleep peacefully. But how do hedgehogs sleep?
Some people believe that hedgehogs sleep with their eyes open, but how true is this? As you need to become familiar with all of their behaviors, you will need to know if your hedgehog sleeps with its eyes open so that you know when they are sleeping!
This article will inform you about how hedgehogs sleep and whether or not they sleep with their eyes open.
You will be able to familiarize yourself with how your hedgehog behaves and recognize when they are having a good rest! Learn more about your hedgehog’s eyesight below.
Do Hedgehogs Have Good Eyesight?
Hedgehogs do not have very good eyesight in the daylight, but they see much better at night as they are nocturnal animals.
As they are nocturnal and only come outside at night, seeing in the daylight isn’t very important to hedgehogs, so this is the main reason why their vision is better in the dark.
Although hedgehogs cannot see very well in the daylight, there isn’t much need for them to due to their height in the wild.
Hedgehogs are usually met with tall plants and grass that they often can’t see over, so having good eyesight in the daytime doesn’t do them too much good. However, when they come out at night, they can see a lot clearer.
What Do Hedgehogs See?
Hedgehogs are not able to see very far, so they mostly see the outlines of objects. They can still make out what these silhouettes are, but they can’t see them very clearly.
This is handy for hedgehogs when they are on the lookout for prey and predators as they can learn the silhouettes and then protect themselves when necessary.
Due to their poor eyesight, hedgehogs can be thought of to be nervous creatures. However, with the right care, your hedgehog can begin to feel more comfortable when they know they are safe.
Whether they are your pets or hedgehogs that you care for in your backyard, they will begin to trust you when they know they can feel safe in your care.
Why Don’t Hedgehogs See Well?
As hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, evolution has not allowed hedgehogs to see in the daylight as they rarely venture out until it is dark.
Although they can see quite well at night, they may still have difficulty spotting predators due to their size.
However, this is why it is safer for hedgehogs to go out at night as they can see clearer and look out for predators.
Do Hedgehogs Sleep With Their Eyes Open?
Hedgehogs do not sleep with their eyes open, they close them when they are asleep. Lots of other animals sleep with their eyes open or one eye open so that they can quickly react to predators, but hedgehogs do not.
They blink to keep their eyes free from dirt, dust, and small insects, and having their eyes open when they are sleeping would affect their eyesight.
Hedgehogs blink normally just like humans do as this is a way to look after their eyesight.
Keeping their eyes moist helps to improve their eyesight and keep them pain-free, whereas not blinking will cause their eyes to become dry and cause them pain.
How Do Hedgehogs Survive In The Wild?
As hedgehogs cannot see very well, you may be concerned about how they protect themselves against predators.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so they are very rarely seen outside during the daylight, so their lack of daytime vision does not cause them many problems as they are often seen out at night.
As they do not have good eyesight, they may struggle to see predators as they cannot see them clearly, they can only see silhouettes.
However, due to their poor eyesight, they have heightened hearing and a heightened sense of smell.
This allows the hedgehogs to keep an eye out for predators and remain safe when they are out looking for prey.
When they hear predators, this allows them to practice their defense mechanisms, like curling into a ball.
Without these heightened senses, hedgehogs wouldn’t be able to spot predators coming and they would struggle to rely solely on their eyesight.
Although seeing silhouettes can be beneficial, it isn’t enough to help to keep them safe.
Do Hedgehogs Recognize Owners?
If you have a pet hedgehog, you may be concerned that they are unable to recognize you due to their poor eyesight.
However, hedgehogs can recognize their owners and become more comfortable with you.
Although their eyesight isn’t very good, they will begin to be able to recognize your silhouette and distinguish you from other humans.
As hedgehogs have heightened smell and hearing, they will be able to recognize you due to these senses.
They will be able to recognize your voice and they will be able to differentiate your smell from other people.
The more time you spend with your hedgehog, the more comfortable they will feel with you and the more love and affection they will begin to show you.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, although hedgehogs do not have good eyesight, they do not sleep with their eyes open.
Lots of other animals sleep with their eyes open to defend themselves against predators, but hedgehogs do not.
They struggle to see in the daytime when their eyesight isn’t very good, but they can see in the dark as they are nocturnal animals.
Hedgehogs blink to keep their eyes moist and free from dust and dirt, so leaving their eyes open when they are sleeping would cause them pain and dryness.
If your hedgehog does not seem to be closing their eyes to sleep, seek help from a veterinarian as they may need treatment.
