Why Is My Hamster Sleeping At Night [See 8 Reasons]

Why is my hamster sleeping at night is exactly the question we will be answering in this post, so read through.

To help your hamster stay active and healthy, make sure the hamster gets enough time in the day for exercise as well as proper nutrition.

Hamsters are known as crepuscular animals which means they sleep during the day and are active at night.

If your hamster is sleeping at night, something is wrong, Before we proceed to the common reasons, let me answer your question Why is my hamster sleeping at night?

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Why is My Hamster Sleeping at Night?

Hamsters are nocturnal creatures that are always active at night, however, there are a variety of reasons why a hamster could sleep at night; disease, tension, frustration, stress, or an emotional condition such as depression, as well as their living circumstances.

Hamsters are naturally intended to be nocturnal, but too many stimuli might keep them awake.

Dwarf hamsters and Chinese hamsters have more sleep pattern flexibility than Syrian hamsters.

Make sure your hamster’s dwelling quarters are in a calm, peaceful section of the house, and that kids and pets leave him alone throughout the day.

Check out ways you can take care of your hamster.

Reasons Why Your Hamster Sleeps at Night

Here are some of the reasons why a hamster sleeps at night when it should be awake:

1. The hamster may be sick

Though hamsters are known to be busy at night, illness is one of the main reasons why they sleep at night.

Diarrhea and constipation are frequent hamster ailments that can leave your hamster weak and exhausted.

When your hamster becomes feeble, the next step is for it to sleep when it should be awake.

It’ll show up in your hamster’s eating habits, behavior, and excrement. Please consult a veterinarian if your hamster continues to sleep at night when it should be awake.

2. Depression and stress

Depression and extreme stress might lead your hamster to hibernate and sleep at weird hours.

Stress, as well as a change in habit or bedding, can create sadness in hamsters, leading to unneeded hibernation.

Stop changing things every day and stick to what works for you and your hamster.

A melancholy hamster is continually teetering on the edge of biting unnecessarily.

When a hamster is sad, it might sleep at night when it should be awake.

3. Changing routine

When you’re continually altering things from one time to the next, your hamster will get depressed or anxious.

Because hamsters might become irritated and hibernate, you must stick to what is working.

Stop changing your hamster’s mealtime and cage location every day, and make sure you stick to it once he or she has established a habit.

A hamster’s pattern might be disrupted, causing it to be awake when it should be sleeping and sleeping when it should be up.

4. There aren’t enough things to do at night

Most hamster breeds are quite active and require a lot of things to keep them occupied when they are awake at night.

If you don’t provide your hamster with play toys or anything to do at night, he or she may become bored or frustrated.

When lonely or bored, most hamsters start damaging stuff, while others go ahead and take a nap.

If your hamster is sleeping and not active at night, it might be due to a lack of activities or play items.

Read more about the signs of a happy hamster here.

5. Hamster not getting sleep during the day

Waking a sleeping or drowsy hamster may result in aggressive behavior from your hamster, including a bite.

If you need to communicate with your sleeping hamster, speak quietly to him and lightly blow on him until he wakes up and notices you.

You can wake up your hamster to converse with him on occasion, but frequent disruptions might make your pet angry, grouchy, and unhappy.

Allowing your hamster to sleep when he wants is beneficial to him, as is engaging with him when he is up.

It’s possible that waking up your hamster at strange hours will result in your hamster sleeping at weird hours as well.

If your hamster doesn’t get sleep during the day due to stress, then your hamster will be sleeping at night.

6. There is too much stimulus

Too much stimulus might give your hamster undue stress, resulting in your hamster sleeping at night.

Allow your hamster to do its thing and refrain from hovering over it while it is supposed to be resting.

Allow your hamster to sleep throughout the day since it will be able to continue sleeping at night if it is disturbed during the day.

Keep everything away from your hamster that might cause over-stimulation, since this can cause your hamster to sleep at night.

7. Extreme living conditions

Hamsters, despite their thick coats, do not do well in the cold. Even incredibly high temperatures can kill your hamster.

To remain healthy, hamsters, like reptiles and fish, require a precise temperature range.

A temperature that is too hot or too cold might cause life-threatening colds or heatstroke. 20-24, °C is a pleasant and healthy living environment temperature.

Another possibility is that your hamster is hibernating due to the cold environment.

If your hamster’s temperature is too high or too low, he or she may feel agitated and hibernate at night.

8. Age factor

Hamsters love to play a lot at a young age, and they don’t care what time of day it is; they only wake up when they need food.

So, if you have a sensitive hamster, you shouldn’t have any concerns about sleeping at night.

Because hamsters are known to be active at night, you need only be concerned if your hamster is no longer young.

How can I get my hamster to sleep during the day?

Here are some easy and typical methods for lulling a hamster to sleep at night:

1. During the day, keep your hamster away from open light sources

Turn off the lights during daylight hours. You’ll have to persuade your hamster that it’s a night when it’s a true day.

This may be performed in a variety of ways, including using light-blocking drapes, putting their cage in a closet, or using a blanket as a light shield over their cage.

Because hamsters are not huge fans of light, this will also let your hamster feel peaceful and sleep off throughout the day.

2. Maintain a consistent schedule

Attempting to change a hamster’s sleep cycle to the complete opposite is akin to attempting to change your own; it’s a process that needs routine scheduling.

Make sure you follow the right timing while shielding light from the hamster during the day.

Changing this schedule might jeopardize the entire treatment and jeopardize your goals of keeping your hamster happy and healthy.

3. Encourage your hamster to sleep during the daytime

Be patient throughout the training session. Your hamster may need many months to acclimate to its new schedule.

Encourage your hamster to stay away from you during the day by interacting with it daily.

You may aid your hamster by feeding it sweets or treats, placing it on an exercise ball, or removing it from its cage.

In any room where the hamster will be, make sure there is no intense illumination from the outside.

How to Keep a Hamster Busy at Night

To keep a hamster busy at night, provide them with plenty of toys and activities in their enclosure.

Offer chew toys, tunnels, and exercise wheels to keep them physically active. Consider providing puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys to mentally stimulate them.

Additionally, rotate their toys regularly to keep them engaged and prevent boredom. Finally, ensure their enclosure is spacious enough for them to explore and play.

Conclusion

Hamsters sleep at various times throughout the day, so it’s easy to assume they’re constantly asleep.

This is not always the case, as they can be awake for up to 16 hours every 24-hour cycle.

If you detect anything more than this, it might be a sign of disease or hibernation.

If you suspect disease, make sure you have a warm environment (above 20 °C) and go to the vet.