Which Part of Day Are Hamsters Mostly Awake At?

The average lifespan of a hamster is two to three years, making them popular pets. However, an important thin to know about these types of rodents is that they are nocturnal. This means that they are awake most of the night and sleep during the day. Their busiest times will be at dawn and dusk, when they will eat, make their nests and generally run around their enclosure.

  1. Playtime

    • Just because your hamster prefers to sleep during the day doesn't mean you can't play with it at that time. Once awakened, most hamsters will be alert enough for you to enjoy their company; you just need to be careful about how you wake them up. If you roughly disturb a hamster while they are sleeping, they may become afraid and bite you. Gently stroke your furry friend with your finger or a long object, such as the eraser end of a pencil, in order to draw it out of its slumber.

    Noise

    • One problem you may have with your nocturnal friend is that it will be going about its nightly routine while you are trying to sleep. If your hamster's enclosure is in the same room as yours, you may hear the noises it makes at night. This can include moving around bedding material to create its nest, the squeaking of an exercise wheel, or the crunching of seeds and nuts while it eats. If necessary, place your hamster's enclosure in a room other than the bedroom.

    Entertainment

    • Instead of taking your hamster out of the room, you can choose to leave it one night and simply watch it go about its business. You'll find that they make elaborate nests, move food from one end of the enclosure to the other and even perform acrobatics. Hamsters are excellent crawlers and climbers who can wriggle out of almost any tiny space, even those that are higher up.

    Considerations

    • If you can, try to play with your hamster at dawn and dusk, when it will naturally be more active. Waking it up too often during other times of the day (more than once or twice) will disturb its natural sleep schedule and can create health and behavior problems. Try to give your little guy (or girl) a lot of exercise during play times. That way, it will be less likely to be as active during the night, waking you up when you're trying to sleep. After all, you're not nocturnal the way a hamster is.