Effects of Spring???

[Holly]

Well it's pretty warm and Spring-like here - obviously we put the clocks forward on Saturday so it's lighter in the evenings and darker in the mornings but the hours of daylight are also increasing. Has anyone noticed a change in their hamster's behaviour?

On the one hand hamsters are nocturnal so, in theory, with the daylight now lasting well into the evening perhaps they should be waking up later? On the other hand Spring tends to be the big wake up time in nature (most animals, including hamsters, I think, choose to start breeding again, for example) so will I see our hammies getting generally livelier????

Does anyone know about the effects of time of year on hamster behaviour/energy levels/waking hours? I haven't noticed much yet - apart from the fact that our WW's seem to be waking more in the day. There's no noticeable change with the Syrians other than that we are feeding them when it's still light now (same time as before except it's now an hour earlier) and, as they are in the habit of coming out to play at feed time, it's still light when they come out.

Can I expect livelier hamsters in the summer or won't things change much???

[Basia]

Mine have been waking up earlier and earlier for the last few weeks. They won't stay in their cages either. Before Basil and Sid would go in their ball for a while then happily go back in their cage. Now they go back in use the toilet have a drink and insist on coming back out again. Fuzzy has always woken up early and spent forever out of her cage but she is in a little cage at the moment so I don't blame her.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by Basia

Mine have been waking up earlier and earlier for the last few weeks. They won't stay in their cages either. Before Basil and Sid would go in their ball for a while then happily go back in their cage. Now they go back in use the toilet have a drink and insist on coming back out again. .

Oh goody - I hope that happens to ours. When we first got Treacle and Custard they used to wake up at about 2pm and stay awake all afternoon and evening. It was brilliant - we now have to wake them up at feed time - otherwise Will (who is nearly 10) wouldn't see them

[souffle]

Ours dont seem to change much to be quite honest but they are all syrians. The only difference I see is that the ladies become much more regular in their cycle of coming into season. Even old mother Bailey who will be two in August has started doing 'tail uppies' again much to the boys fascination

[Emms]

I'm finding Twinkle waking up a litle earlier maybe about an hour or so earlier.

[SnuggleHam]

I notice that Gwen my syrian is waking up at an earlier time. I usually hardly see her because she wakes for the the night after I'm in bed. But the past few days I see her wondering around her tank a good hour before my own bedtime.