I've recently got a new hamster and he sleeps a lot of the time, he never seems to be awake when I'm up. I sometimes don't go to bed till half twelve and he still hasn't woken up. I can wake him during the day, but he won't stay awake. He's only twelve weeks old, id this normal? I've kept hamsters before when I was younger and they were much more active. Can I alter his sleep cycle or is that just cruel?
Welcome to HC! Hamsters are crepuscular animals; they naturally wake up just after dusk, and shortly before dawn. You can sometimes alter their cycle with time, by waking them gently with a treat at say 7 or 8pm every night.
I find what works the best is dimming the light in the room the hamsters are in; just having my desk light on, leaving the main room light off, and shutting the thick curtains. About ten minutes after I do that, Pudding normally wakes up.
My Dexter is the same, he very rarely wakes up.
Sometimes late at night if I turn the lights all off he'll get up and come out for cuddles but other than that I dont really see him. I always put a treat for him downstairs in his cage and in the morning if it's gone I know he's still alive and well!
Some hammies are just alot less active than others.
Yeah, my ham started waking up quite late, but then I started waking him up earlier. Just remember to wake him up gently, and give him time to properly wake up before you start interacting with him as it might otherwise scare him.
Ham sleeping all the time
Hamsters are crepuscular animals; they naturally wake up just after dusk, and shortly before dawn. You can sometimes alter their cycle with time, by waking them gently with a treat at say 7 or 8pm every night. 
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