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Originally Posted by Lexieshamster
...... Or is he just settling into his new environment and more confident about playing in his cage when it's dark? I had the light on in there before but have just switched it off to see if he'll come out.....
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Hi Lexie - first of all, hamsters are nocturnal, so he has always been up at night, this is his natural routine. You probably didn't realise because he was up and about once you had gone to bed when he was in the lounge. In fact leaving the light on for hamsters can be detrimental, apparently as it can disturb them.
You do need to check the temperature of your bedroom though, as it might be too cold for him but his change of routine, ie coming out less during the day may simply be because it is quieter for him, so he is behaving like a hamster, sleeping during the day and being most active at night.
The general routine for four out of five of mine is to sleep during the day but appearing occasionally for drinking, eating and weeing. Sometimes one or two of them might want to come out because they know that I am around but mostly, they take themselves back to bed. My robo is much more strictly active at night times. I am sure she does pop out during the day but she's so tiny that she doesn't make any noise and my back is slightly towards her tank, so I don't see her.
There's no harm in making a playpen downstairs and if he wakes, as you shouldn't wake him, bring him downstairs for a play. I don't know how I feel about moving him every day between upstairs and downstairs, as he'll need to get used to different room temperatures and atmospheric differences but I am sure others will comment.
I don't think you need to worry but certainly, please check that your room isn't too cold for him. Where are you in the world, are you going into summer or winter? He always needs paper for his bedding and hamsters will use what they need, so if you have plenty in the cage, he will take what he needs. I find that mine have different sleeping areas depending on the time of year. When I see that all the "spare" tissue paper has been taken into their nests, I add some more, in case they want it for one or other of their sleeping areas.
All my hamsters are in my lounge and all manage well with my daily routine, as well as a chirpy budgie!