Even though they’re small, hamsters can make a lot of noise, and it is even more frustrating when they make a lot of noise at night. So, why does your hamster make so much noise at night, and how can you prevent it?
Hamsters make too much noise at night because they’re primarily nocturnal, so they do all their activities during the night. This includes digging, eating, and playing on the wheel. To prevent the noise from affecting your sleep schedule, you can place the cage as far from your bedroom as possible.
The rest of this article will discuss why hamsters make too much noise at night in greater detail. It will also discuss some excellent ways to block out the noise and stop your hamster from being so noisy.
Why Do Hamsters Make So Much Noise at Night?
Whether you have a Syrian hamster (the most common type in the USA) or a dwarf hamster, there’s bound to be some noise at night.
Hamsters make so much noise at night because they tend to sleep during the day and remain awake throughout the night. It’s in most hamsters’ natures to be nocturnal, so there’s generally nothing you can or should do to change their sleep schedules.
In the wild, some hamsters would prefer to remain awake at night to avoid the daylight heat and other animals. Additionally, hamsters like to be alone, so it makes perfect sense that they’re nocturnal. When hamsters are in their cages during the day, there is generally a lot of commotion going on.
For example, a family with kids would be a lively house throughout the day and the type of scene a hamster would like to avoid. What’s the easiest way to avoid these loud kids around the house and cage during the day? Sleeping, of course!
Because of this, you must respect your hamster’s decision to sleep during the day. If it makes it more comfortable, you shouldn’t try to ‘fix’ or change their sleep schedule.
Also, read; Why is My Hamsters Pee Brown
Hamsters Like To Play on the Hamster Wheel at Night
As you may know, it’s essential that hamsters have wheels in their cages. It gives them an excuse to exercise and remain active while also keeping them fully occupied and having fun. However, they must do this activity at night because they have the most energy at this time.
Unfortunately, you have to deal with this because removing your hamster’s wheel from its cage wouldn’t be healthy. It would stress the hamster out because you’re altering its surroundings, but it would also give it less of an excuse to exercise and potentially lead to health problems.
If your hamster’s current wheel is extremely loud or squeaks too much, you could try a new one that is made to be silent.
An example of a quiet hamster wheel is the Niteangel Super-Silent Hamster Wheel, available in the USA now on Amazon. This wheel is made of smooth plastic, which helps keep it as silent as possible while you sleep.
Another example of a silent hamster wheel is the TieLishor Hamster Wheel, also available across the USA on Amazon. This hamster wheel is made of metal, so it’s super stable and should be a lot quieter than most standard wheels.
Hamsters Like To Dig and Explore the Cage at Night
It’s not just a wheel that hamsters use during the night. They also love to dig and explore, and they can be pretty loud when they do these activities.
When exploring, your hamster might climb the cage, for example. You would undoubtedly hear this loud activity at night, but there’s nothing you can do to stop it from happening, like with the wheel.
When hamsters climb, the cage will rattle, and you might hear scratching and other rustling sounds. This is a normal thing that hamsters do at night, so it’s something that we humans must accept.
Hamsters Like To Eat and Drink at Night
Of course, like any other animal, hamsters need to eat and drink. If a hamster is highly active at night, you can also expect it to eat and drink at night. Thankfully, hamsters don’t eat or drink a lot because of how small they are, but they can still be loud when doing so.
Plus, hamsters like to hoard some food by storing it in their cheeks and burying or hiding it in different places around the cage. This can often be loud because it includes burying, digging, rustling, and running around.
However, it’s an entirely normal activity for your hamster to participate in at night, so there’s not much you can do about it.
Hamsters Like To Play With Toys at Night
If your hamster has toys in its cage (other than a wheel), it will want to play with them during the night. This could include climbing and chewing toys, which can cause a great deal of noise.
Hamsters need these toys to stay occupied, so it’s a good thing to hear lots of noise at night. It means your hamster is having fun and enjoying the toys you have given it.
How To Deal With Loud Hamster at Night
To deal with a loud hamster at night, you should leave the cage far away from any bedrooms. You should also try to use a cage with no bars and purchase a silent hamster wheel. Try to play with your hamster in the evening to tire it out before nighttime.
Now, let’s look at how to deal with a noisy hamster at night in different sections below.
Get a Barless Cage
A barless cage is excellent if your hamster makes noise by climbing and chewing on the bars at night. Chewing the bars can be noisy and annoying to listen to at night, but it also damages the cage. With a barless cage, your hamster can’t climb around it or chew on it.
An example of a barless cage is this Aivituvin Hamster Cage, available now on Amazon in the US. This cage features a smooth, plastic material so that it’s impossible for a hamster to climb or chew it. This could significantly reduce nighttime noise.
Leave the Cage Far Away From Any Bedrooms
One of the smartest and most useful things to do is to leave the hamster cage far away from your bedroom. Of course, this won’t be too helpful if you live in a small house or apartment, but it could make the issue slightly less prominent.
As long as you avoid leaving the cage in your bedroom, the noise shouldn’t be too unbearable.
Another great tip is to close your bedroom door entirely and close the door where the hamster cage is. This will further block out any noise and could make a significant difference.
Tire Your Hamster Out Before Bedtime
Although you shouldn’t mess with your hamster’s sleep schedule too much, it’s generally OK to tire it out a little in the evening. One way to do this is to remove it from the cage and place it in a hamster ball.
Hamster balls are great ways to burn energy in short periods, so your hamster is bound to be tired after spending a few minutes in one.
However, hamsters have lousy eyesight and may bump into things in a hamster ball, so always supervise such activities. You should avoid letting your hamster out of the cage for exercise when it’s not necessary.
However, once you supervise your hamster and allow it to run around in a ball, it will burn lots of energy and likely won’t make as much noise at night.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a hamster ball, you could take your hamster out of the cage and place it in a sand bath. A sand bath is essentially a bowl filled with hamster-safe sand. It allows hamsters to clean themselves while burning energy.
You may be wondering how a hamster can burn energy by taking a sand bath, and that’s a valid question! The answer is that hamsters love to jump around in sand baths, and some even like to spend hours in them!
The jumping, digging, and burrowing in sand baths make hamsters tired quickly. Hence, a sand bath is undoubtedly an excellent evening activity if you want to experience a quieter night.
If you want to start giving your hamster sand baths in the evenings, you can consider this Supreme Tiny Friends Sand, available now from Amazon USA. This sand is made from the highest quality materials, perfectly safe for your hamster.
Always avoid dust when bathing your hamster. This includes chinchilla dust. Dust baths are dangerous because hamsters can breathe in the particles easily, which can cause health issues.
Before following any of the above recommendations, it’s essential to understand your hamster’s comfort level around you. If you rarely take your hamster out of its cage, you should ease into the process. It’s likely to get scared and feel endangered if you try to remove it out of nowhere.
It may even bite you if it gets too scared, so be extra cautious if you want to tire your hamster out in the evenings.
Why Does My Hamster Scream at Night?
Your hamster will scream at night if it is scared, so you should examine the cause of the fear. If you have any animals or young children who may have access to the hamster cage at night, keep them away because it can cause your hamster to get stressed.
Screaming can also indicate pain or injury. However, if you only notice the screaming at night and it only seems to occur every night, it’s likely not an injury. Although screaming is often a negative thing, it can sometimes be positive.
Some hamsters may make a screaming noise if they’re happy or excited, so keep an eye on your hamster to make sure it’s nothing to worry about.
Before you assume your hamster is happy or excited, you should rule out fear. The next time you hear a loud screaming noise, quietly enter the room where the cage is to see what’s happening.
As mentioned already, a pet, such as a dog or a cat, is the most likely cause of hamsters screaming at night.
Can You Convince a Hamster To Sleep at Night?
You can’t convince a hamster to sleep at night because it’s in its nature to be nocturnal. However, if you keep the cage in a dark, quiet room during the day, they might be more likely to sleep at night.
However, it’s important to avoid messing with your hamster’s sleeping pattern too much because this can aggravate it and cause stress and confusion.
Keeping the cage in a dark and quiet place during the day is the safest and most humane way to convince your hamster to sleep at night, so you should try it before trying anything else.
The most important thing to remember is that hamsters are nocturnal so that they can avoid predators and other dangers.
By making their daytime environment as dark, and isolated as possible, your hamster will hopefully feel comfortable staying awake during this time because they won’t sense any danger.
However, don’t leave them on their own for extended periods of time, since hamsters still need lots of stimulation and exercise.
This will subsequently make the nighttime hours much quieter, which is precisely what you want!
Read Why Is My Hamster Sleeping So Much?
Can You Keep a Hamster Cage Outside at Night?
If the hamster noise at night is bothering you a lot, you might be wondering if you can leave the cage in your backyard at night.
You can’t keep a hamster cage outside at night because it will likely be too cold or warm, depending on where you live. Additionally, a wild animal could enter your yard and gain access to the cage and cause harm to your hamster. Keep your hamster indoors where it’s safe and temperature-controlled.
Conclusion
Hamsters are nocturnal, so it’s normal for them to make noise at night. The main things that cause noise include:
- Climbing
- Digging
- Drinking
- Playing on the hamster wheel
You should purchase a silent wheel for your hamster to avoid too much noise. Additionally, keep the cage far away from your bedroom and keep all doors shut.
Let your hamster explore or give it a sand bath in the evening to tire it out before nighttime. If you want your hamster to sleep at night, keep it in a dark and quiet area during the day.
Check out related hamster articles:
- How Big Is a Hamster?
- How Big Should a Hamster Cage Be?
- How Do I Know if My Hamster Is Happy?
- How Fast Does a Hamster Run?
- How Long Can a Hamster Go Without Water?
- Can Teddy Bear Hamsters Live Together?
My name is Everly. I am a Milwaukee-based mom of 2 and have been a proud owner of many hamsters throughout my life. Like many of us, my introduction to hamsters happened when I was very young. My family saw several hamsters come and go through the years, and I enjoyed playing with them, but I never fully appreciated them until I grew up and my own children decided to jump on the hamster bandwagon. At that point, I was determined to learn all I could about caring for these adorable pets. Read more