Nocturnal, Crepuscular or Diurnal? Light, Noise and Handling by Species

Choosing a pet whose active hours match yours is easier than trying to change an animal’s body clock. This page is for anyone choosing a small mammal or deciding where its cage goes. It sorts the common species by when they are awake, then covers light, noise and when to handle each one.

When each species is active

Species	Pattern	Detail
Hamster	Nocturnal	Sleeps through the day. Active at dusk and night, when wild hamsters can run up to five miles (RSPCA)
Pet rat	Nocturnal	Most active at night, dawn and dusk (RSPCA)
Sugar glider	Nocturnal	Most active at night and sleeps during the day (Merck)
Hedgehog	Nocturnal	Usually eats at night (VCA) and avoids bright light (Merck)
Flying squirrel	Strictly nocturnal	Southern flying squirrels are active throughout the night in the wild (Animal Diversity Web)
Chinchilla	Mainly nocturnal, with peaks at dawn and dusk	Described as primarily nocturnal with crepuscular activity peaks (Animal Diversity Web). Sleeps for long periods in the daytime (RSPCA)
Rabbit	Crepuscular	Most active in the early morning, late afternoon and overnight (RSPCA)
Gerbil	Active day and night	Wild gerbils are active day and night in summer and spend more time underground in winter (RSPCA)
Degu	Diurnal	Active during the day and sleeps at night (RSPCA)
Ferret	Long sleeper	Sleeps up to 18 hours a day (Merck)

Chinchillas are sometimes called crepuscular. Animal Diversity Web describes them as mainly nocturnal, with activity peaks at dawn and dusk. The practical advice is the same either way: let them sleep through the day and expect activity in the evening and at night. If you’re home only in the daytime, a degu is the species in this table whose waking hours match yours.

Light cycles

• Keep it regular. The RSPCA asks for hamsters to be kept in a room where the lights go off at roughly the same time each night, and not left on until late.
• Make sure darkness actually happens. Chinchillas need 12 hours of darkness (RSPCA). Rats should be kept somewhere dark at night and not too bright during the day. The RSPCA warns that bright light can stress rats and harm their eyes, especially albino rats.
• Dark doesn’t mean no light. Merck recommends a 12-hour photoperiod for hedgehogs even though they avoid bright light.
• Provide a dark retreat. The RSPCA recommends a nest box with an angled-tube entrance for hamsters, which keeps light out. Every rat needs a dark hiding place it can always reach.

Red night-viewing bulbs are often sold as invisible to nocturnal pets. Don’t assume a red bulb counts as darkness: switch it off for the dark hours above.

Noise, ultrasound and bedroom placement

The problem sounds are often ones you can’t hear. Hamsters are very sensitive to high-frequency sound (RSPCA). The RSPCA lists televisions, computer screens, vacuum cleaners and running water as sources of ultrasound to keep away from hamster and rat cages. Gerbils communicate using ultrasonic frequencies and are sensitive in the same way. Chinchillas have very sensitive hearing and are easily startled (RSPCA).

That makes a bedroom with a TV or computer a poor place for a hamster, rat or gerbil cage. It’s also a poor place for the owner, because a nocturnal pet is busiest while you sleep. A better spot is a quiet room with regular hours, out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. The RSPCA also rules out bathrooms for rats because of the humidity. For flat-specific layouts, see the apartment pet keeping guide.

Handling timing

Species	Best time	Rule
Hamster	After it wakes at dusk	Don’t handle while resting or asleep unless absolutely necessary. Daily short sessions are better than long weekend ones (RSPCA)
Rat	Night, dawn or dusk	Plan feeding, cleaning and interaction for these times where possible (RSPCA)
Sugar glider	Evening	At least 2 hours of interactive contact a day (Merck)
Hedgehog	Evening	Daily handling from 3 weeks old helps it grow into a tame adult. Hedgehogs readily roll into a ball when handled (Merck)
Chinchilla	Evening	Handle close to the ground. Most chinchillas dislike being picked up (RSPCA)
Degu	Daytime	Diurnal, so normal daytime care works (RSPCA)

Mistakes that cause problems

• Waking a hamster after school or work for play. The RSPCA says hamsters find being handled while resting or sleeping stressful.
• A cage next to the TV or computer. These produce ultrasound that hamsters, rats and gerbils can hear and find stressful (RSPCA).
• Lights on until midnight, then off at 9 pm. Irregular hours unsettle hamsters. The RSPCA asks for predictable lighting.
• Buying a nocturnal species for a child who is only home in daytime. The child gets a sleeping animal, and the animal gets woken. A degu suits daytime routines better.
• Expecting a sugar glider to cope alone. Merck warns that a lone glider without enough attention may become depressed or develop behaviour problems, and that attention has to come at night.

For reading what your pet does in its active hours, see the small pet body language guide.