Why Your Pet Hamster Is More Active When It Gets Dark

If you own a hamster, you have probably noticed that your pet is a night owl — rummaging around and burrowing in its cage shavings through the night. According to a 2008 research published in Biology Letters, hamsters kept in captivity or in the laboratory are observed to be highly nocturnal (1). However, the tiny creatures are a bit different in the wild.

Hamsters usually live in burrows underground during the day and are crepuscular, which means they come out at twilight to feed. Some species have also been observed to be diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. This suggests that hamster habits can vary, and breeding in captivity has further shifted their circadian rhythms.

More often than not, you likely took home a hamster already bred in captivity, so your pet would have a circadian rhythm that makes it nocturnal.

Hamster, The Hoarder

Your hamster’s cute cheeks are more functional than you think. According to the Journal of Aging and Biological Rhythms, the hamsters’ name is derived from the German word “hamstern,” which means “hoard,” and their cheeks are their built-in sacks for holding their hoards (2).

Hamsters have pouches in their cute cheeks that they stuff as much food as possible. Then, they carry their stash back to their burrows so they can save the food to eat later.

Even though pet hamsters no longer need to hoard food since they receive a guaranteed daily supply in their cages, they still engage in this behavior, filling their cheeks with food and often storing it beneath their bedding.

How to Build Your Hamster a Proper Home

Giving your hamster a proper home involves more than just grabbing an itty-bitty cage from the pet store. According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), cages sold at pet stores are sadly inadequate to meet a hamster’s unique needs (3).

PETA warns that if the cage is too small, your pet can develop “cage rage,” a condition caused by stress that can lead to various behavioral issues, including biting, excessive urinating, and incessant cage-bar biting that can cause your beloved pet serious harm.

Giving your hamsters enough space to explore and roam is best; a larger space would make them healthier and happier. Big hamsters should have a minimum of 800 square inches of floor space, and dwarf hamsters should have at least 640. You can also DIY with a 75-gallon (or larger) aquarium fitted with a mesh lid.

Also, make sure any barred cage doesn’t have spaces larger than half an inch (for large hamsters) or a quarter-inch (for dwarf hamsters), as hamsters have the unique ability to flatten their bodies and squeeze through tiny holes and crevices. If the bars are too widely spaced, your hamster pets can get easily lost and difficult to find, often getting them injured or worse while on the loose.

References

1. R. Gattermann et al. "Golden hamsters are nocturnal in captivity but diurnal in nature." Biology Letters, June 23, 2008. | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18397863/
2. Milton Stetson. “Circadian Organization and Female Reproductive Cyclicity”. Journal of Aging and Biological Rhythms, 1978. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4757-4460-6_11
3. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "What You Need to Know Before Considering a ‘Pet’ Hamster." PETA, September 27, 2024. | https://www.peta.org/living/animal-companions/pet-hamster-facts/