4 replies to this topic

[OctoberEighth]

It's your friendly neighbourhood "anxious about everything" member, back with another question!

 

How long should a hamster normally be out of their burrow?

 

I've had a syrian for a couple of months now, he's almost 4 months old. We don't see him very often - he gets up pretty late, often after we are in bed. And if we get up in the night to check on him, he is often in his burrow.

 

So I got a pet cam, and so far he has a pretty consistent schedule: he gets up 11:30-1, stays up for an hour or two, goes back in his burrow for 2-3 hours, comes back up again for another hour or two, then back in for the rest of the night/day (it's almost like he's trying to be properly crepuscular but also likes sleeping in haha). So he's only out of his burrow 3-4 hours a night (and *never* comes out in the day). During that time, ~1-2 hours are spent running on his wheel, and ~1-2 hours are spent doing other hamster stuff.

 

Should I be concerned, or is this normal? Based on my previous ham and stuff I've read, it seems like most hamsters are out and about a lot longer than that. I don't necessarily think he's only awake for 3-4 hours: he has extensive tunnels (they go all over the enclosure), and he's even brought all of his favourite toys and chews down there. But on the other hand, when we first got him, he used to run *constantly.* Like hours and hours on end.

 

I guess I'm just new to the whole "ghost hamster" thing, and want to make sure he's happy! (and I'm interpreting everything that seems "different" as him being unhappy, haha. I did warn you that I'm anxious about everything). 

[Kikya]

I think some hamsters are different but yeah some of my hammies are only up for a couple of hours then back underground. I don't think this is unusual if you have enough space to dig in. That would be normal behave for them in the wild.

 

I wouldn't fret but you can move his schedule to wake up earlier if you want. All my hammies get up around 7-8ish and 6-7 during the winter, then they go back in to snack or do whatever and then I see them up sometimes late at night.

Edited by Kikya, 22 July 2022 - 07:58 PM.

[nebit]

That sounds like a very normal hamster schedule to me. Hamsters are actually crepuscular, which means they are naturally active in the evening and at dawn, but not much during the day or at night.

[fl0werch1ld]

My hamster Pikushi, when she was young, used to come out of her burrow to drink water multiple times a day, and be running around on her wheel almost all night. Of course, she didn't even touch her wheel in her last months, and mostly just wanted to waddle around her cage and be held and pet, but I'd say it's pretty normal for a hammy to stay in their burrow most of the time.

[OctoberEighth]

Thanks for the reassurance, folks!