How to Wake up Your Hamster Without Scaring It

Last Updated: November 27, 2024 Approved

Hamsters are “crepuscular” animals, meaning that they are most active during low-light hours at dawn and dusk. As such, your hamster may spend a great deal of time asleep while you are awake. If you want to play with your hamster, sometimes you may need to wake him up. Fortunately, there are several methods to achieve this without startling or scaring your hamster. It is best to wake your hamster as close as possible to when they would normally wake (e.g., when it is approaching either dawn or dusk). Avoid waking your hamster when he is in a very deep sleep during the middle part of the day.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Waking Your Hamster Gently

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1

Talk to him softly. Try waking your hamster with the sound of your voice. Go near his cage and begin speaking softly. You may even try humming or singing until he is awake. ^{[1]
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Offer him a treat. Another way to rouse your hamster is to offer him a treat. Try holding a treat out where he is sleeping (close enough for him to smell it) and allow this to draw him from his sleep. ^{[2]
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- You may use a small piece of a vegetable (like carrot or broccoli), or a store-bought hamster treat.
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3

Blow in his face. If your hamster is sleeping out in the open, another option is to gently blow in his face. Of course, you do not want to startle your hamster, so begin with a mellow release of air, and increase in intensity until your hamster begins to wake. ^{[3]
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Avoid poking him. Whatever you do, avoid jabbing or poking at your hamster. This is not an effective way to wake him up because he will immediately become defensive. If he is roused in this way, he will not want to be held or to play.
5

Move slowly. Remember, the point is to wake him without scaring him, so avoid swift or jarring movements. Instead, whenever you approach your sleeping hamster, move slowly. This allows him to wake gently and in a good mood. ^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Altering Your Hamster’s Environment

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1

Make the room dark. Hamsters begin to wake up and move around at dusk and dawn (or twilight). Thus, you may be able to wake your hamster by dimming the lights in your room. If you can make it dark enough, your hamster should rouse in response to the change in light. ^{[5]
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Change the temperature. Another idea is to alter the temperature of your hamster’s environment. Hamsters sleep more when it is cold, and wake when it is warm. You can try warming up the whole room (by turning up your heat or using a space heater), or warming only your hamster’s cage (by using a heat lamp or heating pad). ^{[6]
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3

Jiggle his food bowl. You can appeal to you hamster’s sense of hearing and desire for food at the same time by reaching into his cage and jiggling his food bowl. Place a little bit of fresh food into his dish and move it around (making a subtle noise) until he wakes. ^{[7]
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Lift up his hut. Often hamsters will sleep inside of a hut (or enclosure) within the cage. One method for rousing your hamster is to simply lift up his hut. You may to choose to lift up the hut and move it to another location in the cage (exposing the hamster), or simply lift it up and put back down (which may rustle him enough to wake him up).
5

Tap lightly on his cage. You can use soft noises in conjunction with vibration by tapping lightly on your hamster’s cage. Using your finger, gently rap on his cage (near where he is sleeping) until your hamster is awake. ^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Training Your Hamster to Wake at a Certain Time

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Understand that hamsters are “crepuscular.” Hamsters are commonly (though mistakenly) called “nocturnal,” when in fact they are “crepuscular.” Whereas nocturnal animals are most active at night, your hamster will be most active during twilight hours (dusk and dawn). Understanding this about your hamster will help you better understand and cope with his sleep patterns.
2

Track your hamster’s schedule. If you would like to train you hamster to wake up a bit earlier (so that you can spend time with him), the first step is to track his schedule. Spend 3-5 days writing down precisely when he is asleep and awake.
Once you know your hamster’s schedule (specifically what time he wakes in the evening), begin feeding him at this time each day. For example, if your hamster wakes each night at 8:30pm, begin feeding him at 8:30 on the dot. Do this for at least one week before moving on to the next step. ^{[9]
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Begin moving the feeding time back in 15-minute increments. For example, after the first week, you’ll begin waking your hamster up a bit earlier by feeding him at 8:15pm. Continue this until he begins waking at 8:15 on his own (this should take about one week). Then, begin feeding your hamster at 8:00pm, and so on. ^{[10]
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5

Be patient. This technique needs to be done subtly, over time, in order for it to work. So be patient through this process. Once again, understand that it is your hamster’s innate nature that causes him to wake at dusk and dawn. You are not going to alter that overnight. Furthermore, you’re never going to change it completely. At best, you may be able to train your hamster to wake one hour earlier than he did before.

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Question

Can you change a hamster's sleep pattern?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Sadly, no, it's not possible to change a hamster's sleep pattern. They are naturally nocturnal and active at night. Trying to change this pattern is like trying to keep someone awake all night and make them sleep during the day.

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Question

How do you get your hamster to trust you?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

There is never a short cut to building trust because to win respect means behaving in the same predictable way time after time after time. The key to this is moving slowly, speaking gently, providing good things (such as food and treats), and avoiding stressing the hamster.

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Question

Can you pick up a hamster?

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Hamsters can be picked up but there is a right and a wrong way to do this. It's always best to win the hamster's confidence first so that picking them up doesn't stress them. If a scared hamster must be picked up, say for a trip to the vet, then try placing a clean, dry face cloth over the pet so they are cocooned and can't bite.

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Tips

Don't take him out of the cage right away. Wait for him to wake up a little more.

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Don't be harsh or rough when you wake up your hamster. Do it calmly and gently.

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Make sure the hamster is fully awake before you make any noise or it might get startled.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you just got your hamster, don't wake them up unnecessarily. They may be hiding or sleeping a lot as they try to get used to their new environment. Let them be! They'll come out to say hi when they're ready.
Don't ever buy a hamster ball! It is a serious health concern to hamsters since they don't get enough oxygen and can even get amputated if their legs get stuck in the breathing holes.
Don't wake your hamster up for no reason. It's not kind to startle them out of their sleep frequently if you don't have a good reason to do so.
Give your hammy time to wake up. A lot of hamsters are kind of cranky when they're first waking up.

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Warnings

Avoid physical contact when a hamster is in a deep sleep, or this may lead to a painful bite.

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If it is still early in the day, don't wake your hamster up, or this will break his sleeping pattern and cause stress.

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Hamsters shouldn't be woken up anyway, so it's best to use this technique only when absolutely needed for something such as a vet appointment.

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How to Wake up Your Hamster Without Scaring It

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Waking Your Hamster Gently

Altering Your Hamster’s Environment

Training Your Hamster to Wake at a Certain Time

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