Hamster freaks out in light?

[Coco449]

So I've had my hamster for more than two weeks now. She is a syrian. Anyway, I've made some realizations about her behavior that I'm unsure about.

She only comes out of her hideout when it is dark, which makes sense, but if she is out of her hideout and I turn the lights on she gets jumpy and hyperactive and will chew on the bars and climb the cage walls. With the lights off she will just run on her wheel and not chew the bars or climb at all.

I'm not sure what this behavior means but she's difficult to handle when shes jumpy and running around everywhere. She will climb into my hands but it seems it's only a means of getting out. I'm trying to tame her and I think when she's like that it doesn't really work.

Is this normal? Also--side question--she runs on her wheel literally all night. She runs then gets water then gets back on, all night. Is that normal?

[HenriandHobieHammies]

As for the wheel, that is totally normal. If it is bothering you they do sell silent wheels. Some hammies do take long to tame and they are nocturnal, but I've never had a hamster who was actually scared in light, though. It could just be a reaction to the sudden change in lighting, or her just being startled. Is it pitch black to bright light? The ideal lighting is dark at night and light all day.

[Coco449]

Originally Posted by HenriandHobieHammies

As for the wheel, that is totally normal. If it is bothering you they do sell silent wheels. Some hammies do take long to tame and they are nocturnal, but I've never had a hamster who was actually scared in light, though. It could just be a reaction to the sudden change in lighting, or her just being startled. Is it pitch black to bright light? The ideal lighting is dark at night and light all day.

Oh okay great! The wheel is pretty quiet I was just worried.

No the lights aren't super bright they're kind of dim. The weird thing is that she doesn't come out unless it's dark. It will go late into the night and she wouldn't come out. Tonight I was busy so I put a blanket over her cage since I was suspecting that she wouldn't come out in the light and she did come out with the blanket on. She was startled when I took off the blanket. So I suppose it's the same just turning the light on.

[cypher]

Her behaviour with the lights on sounds as though she knows you're around & wants to come out, if she was scared she'd be more likely to just run back to her house & hide!
If she'll climb onto your hands she must already trust you to some extent but don't expect a young ham to sit in your hands & be stroked, they are full of energy & want to play & explore things.
Ideally you want to take her out of the cage, if you can't hold her yet use something she'll climb into like a ball, tube, small box or large mug then interact with her or just let her explore in a ham safe place, either a home made play pen (the ones you can buy aren't usually escape proof for syrians) or in the bath, or in a ham safe room but then you have to be really careful there are no tiny places she can escape into.
Running in the wheel all night is totally normal!

[Coco449]

Oh great! Thanks!

I took her into the bath tub today but she seemed overwhelmed and didn't really interact with me so I think I should take it slower. And I will make sure she gets more light in the day cause my room is pretty dark in the day.

Thanks so much!

[cypher]

Do go slow, just one step at a time & try to go at her pace, once she seems fairly comfortable with something move on a little more, she may not want to interact at first when you take her in the bath as it's all new but keep at it & keep sessions fairly short to begin with, put some toys in there for her too if you can.
She doesn't need light during the day, she should be sleeping for most of the day, keep the lights fairly dim or at least not too bright in the evenings when you have her out.

[Coco449]

Thank you! I'll keep all that in mind!

I think she's totally used to petting now so I'm pretty excited!

Thanks!

[Pebbles82]

I think there was some research somewhere as well, that hamsters react badly to light during their nocturnal phase and it can cause them stress.

[herbi7]

I think bright lights or even normal low-brightness light bulb light can make a sensitive ham go hyper, willow is a pain and super fast when she comes out if I have the light on . I use my lamp that dims right down to help u sleep when it's playtime otherwise I have a loony on my hands who keeps hurting her nose going too fast and crashing into and off things. She is naturally highly strung though.

[Coco449]

Thank you everyone. I will try to keep her in darkness during the night. Do you think she'll be awake for long enough to tame during the day?