How much sleep does your pet actually need?
Experts at Online-Bedrooms.co.uk have researched how much sleep different pets may need.
All animals are different and they don’t all sleep at night. Some will sleep during the day and become active at dusk and dawn.
The amount of sleep they require varies with pets like cats needing more than sixteen hours of sleep and rabbits needing far less with just eight hours.
However, owners who notice that their pet is sleeping for considerably longer than usual are encouraged to check in with a vet just to make sure their pets aren’t experiencing any illnesses.
Nic Shacklock from Online Bedrooms said: “We all love our pets which is why it’s important to keep an eye on how much sleep they’re getting.
“It’s not unusual for pets such as dogs to spend a lot of their time sleeping but if you notice that your dog is sleeping more than normal, it could be an indication that something is wrong and it is best to get them to the vet.
“Generally speaking dogs need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep. Surprisingly snakes also need a lot of sleep too, roughly 16 hours!
“Rabbits tend to need the least amount of sleep and can be re-energised in just eight hours. Those that feel safe and secure in their environment may sleep more.”
- Dogs: 12 - 14 hours
If you have a dog you’ll know that they sure can sleep. They typically spend a short amount of time being up and active and before you know it they’re off snoozing somewhere around the house. In fact the recommended amount of sleep for a dog is around 12-14 hours a day. Older dogs and new puppies can sleep even longer.
- Cats: 16 - 20 hours
Cats also spend a lot of time curled up asleep. They need around 16 - 20 hours to avoid feeling tired and grumpy and just like dogs, younger and older cats need more sleep. Cats are pretty flexible sleepers and you may find they’re more active at early and late hours as these are the best time to hunt.
- Rabbits: Around 8.5 hours
Just like humans, rabbits need around eight and a half hours of sleep. Rabbits tend to be light sleepers as they are prey animals but it is believed that rabbits who are extremely comfortable in their environment will sleep longer. They also tend to sleep with their eyes open so it can be hard to determine whether they are awake or not but they do have three main sleeping positions - loafing, flopping and sprawling.
- Hamsters: 12 - 14 hours
Although hamsters need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep, these are usually broken up over short periods of time and they typically sleep during the day.
- Tortoise: Around 12 hours
Tortoises are active during the day and sleep at night and they can sleep up to around 12 hours. Of course baby tortoises can sleep much longer, between 19 and 22 hours!
- Snakes: Around 16 hours
Snakes don’t have eyelids, instead they have a brille on each eye which is a transparent layer that protects their eye. Because snakes sleep with their eyes ‘open’, you may not actually realise that your pet snake sleeps for around 16 hours a day.
- Parrots: 10 - 12 hours
Most pet parrots are used to living near the equator where there is around 12 hours of darkness each night - that’s why they’re used to this much sleep. They’re also pretty active which is why this amount of sleep is crucial.