6 Ways of How to Get Your Hamster to Be Quiet at Night

We all know how annoying it is when our hamster wakes us up in the middle of the night with their chattering teeth. It’s hard to get back to sleep, and they won’t stop no matter what we do!

But don’t worry, because you can make your hamster quiet at night because there are several ways you can make your hamster peaceful. This article will detail six methods for getting your hamster to be silent during nighttime hours so you can finally enjoy a good night’s sleep again.

How to get your hamster to be quiet at night image

1) Follow hamster’s sleep schedule

Hamsters are nocturnal animals, meaning they sleep during the day and are awake at night.

The first step to getting your hamster calm is understanding how their sleeping cycle works, so you can develop a bedtime routine that will help them get to sleep earlier in the evening and stay asleep.

If your pet is not active during the day, you should spend more time with it. You should change its habitat when it falls asleep instead of waking it up and do other things. Sometimes, feeding your pet late at night and before you go to bed can help.

These changes should naturally have your hamster ready to go to sleep before bedtime begins! You’ll be able to tell because he will become quiet – though don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away – this change may take some time.

The most important thing about keeping your pet quiet at night is knowing how their sleep schedule works and what noises affect them the most.

You should try other ways if one way doesn’t work before trying different ones.

2) Locate its cage in the right place

Another great way to make a hamster quieter is by placing its cage in the right place. Of course, this might not be possible if you live in an apartment or dormitory where other people are sleeping and do not wish to hear your pet during the night hours.

If that’s your situation, try one of the following tips.

Place the cage in a location where it’s not too noisy. Hamsters tend to be nocturnal, so if you can’t place their habitat away from noise during the day, then try putting it somewhere quieter at night time or vice versa.

You could also invest in some soundproofing material that you attach to your hamster’s cage, such as carpet padding, which absorbs sounds well.

Try to avoid putting its cage in your bedroom. If you have a separate room that’s not adjacent to your bedroom, then it would be better to put the hamster in there.

To help your pets be less stressed, you should give them food and hay near the new spot. That will help them get used to it more quickly.

When doing this, keep in mind that Syrian Hamsters like their homes dry while Dwarf breeds live well with dampness.

3) Get a proper exercise wheel

Traditional wheels could be too loud, so they’re not always the best option for your hamster.

The soft, silent wheels that are made of plastic and have no metal parts can be perfect for making sure they don’t wake you up at night with their running.

And of course, avoid removing a wheel from a hamster cage as it is essential to keep them healthy and active.

4) A suitable type of cage is necessary

All hamsters love to chew something. And guess what, it will chew metal bars of its cage without a doubt. Of course, it isn’t quiet.

The solution is getting a new cage made of durable plastic.

If your hamster is not chewing on its cage, you can try giving it something to chew.

For example, a piece of wood or some cardboard boxes with holes in them for the animal to gnaw through will do the trick just fine.

5) Entertain your hamster to exhaust him before night

A tired hamster is not an active hamster.

Give your hamster an early evening exercise. Run it on its wheel for at least 15 minutes before bedtime. You can also give Syrian hamster a small treat to keep the routine fun to reduce anxiety about sleep time.

When exhausted, a hamster will not interrupt your sleep with noise for sure.

Hamsters are nocturnal animals by nature, so they will be up and moving about the first hours of the night. Exercising your hamster before bedtime can help tire him out for his evening activities. Exercise also helps reduce anxiety in general around sleep time.

Exercise has other benefits too! Running on a wheel is an excellent way to get important exercise while getting some fresh air for your hamster at the same time. It’s good both physically and mentally! When it gets dark, and your cat is inside his cage, he might have too much energy. Please give him a toy so he can play during the night.

6) Get a pet hamster something to chew.

Chewing can be an excellent way to keep your hamster busy while it is awake. It provides a fine distraction and helps the hamster’s teeth grow healthy and strong.

If you don’t want these nightly noises, buy or make something for your pet to chew on that will not disturb anyone else in the house at night.

Sometimes they need something hard like wood or cardboard, but sometimes soft fabrics are more appropriate (although some worry about their pets is choking).

There’s no wrong answer when picking out what type of materials your furry friend needs – offer them as many options as possible!

A cage cover could be another good option if you live with other animals who might get scared by loud noises during night hours. Some cages have a special covering that will block any sound or light.

Syrian hamster eats piece of tofu

Some more ways to make your hamster be quiet at night

  • Provide your hamster with fresh water every day before you go to sleep. That will help them stay hydrated and encourage them to drink more water during the night.
  • Keep your hamster’s cage in a location where it won’t be bothered by sunlight or other lights that might keep them from sleeping soundly through the night.
  • Provide their food before bedtime – most pets don’t like getting up at all hours of the night to eat, so feeding your pet right away will help you avoid any potential nighttime wake-ups for feedings!
  • Clean its cage regularly – hamsters can’t control how much they chew, so make sure there are no toys or other objects in the cage that could be causing a lot of noise when it’s being chewed.
  • Don’t put your hamster wheel near its bed – this will cause them to wake up more often during the night and not get enough restful sleep.
  • Provide even lighting throughout their habitat using lamps with bulbs at different levels for better visibility. Avoid direct sunlight through windows as well!
  • Ensure that you provide an area where your pet feels safe from predators, loud noises, etc. because if they feel threatened all day, it is hard for them to relax and go back to sleep at nighttime without feeling like they are in danger.
  • Provide more space for your hamsters to explore and be active so that when it’s nighttime, they can sleep better without feeling bored or restless!
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How to get your hamster to be quiet at night?

If you want to know how to get your hamster to shut up at night, there are a few things that you can try.

The first thing is ensuring that your pet has adequate housing and an appropriate wheel for exercise. That will help hamsters keep their energy levels down so they won’t be jumping around as much when it’s time for bedtime.

You may need to change the location of where they sleep to prevent background noise from coming through, such as television or people talking nearby. You can do this by moving them close to a window with curtains on one side. That will block out exterior sounds (some light may enter, but it should not disrupt their ability to sleep).

And finally, make sure the cage isn’t too noisy and that you keep their food in a quiet location as well.

Why is my hamster so hyper at night?

Hamsters are nocturnal animals, meaning they’re most active at night.

They need a lot of exercise in order to stay happy and healthy, which is why their wheel needs constant running time during the day or when you’re awake.

If your hamster is restless at night or has trouble sleeping, this could mean that there is not enough stimulation for them. You can give them more time to play each day.

Your hamster might also be just saying hello by knocking on their cage!

Put bedding materials such as shredded paper instead of plain newspaper. Place food closer to one side, not in every spot or on the floor. Ensure they have a tall enough habitat, so they don’t feel cramped.

Tiny hamster eats crumbs on wooden table

Is it bad if my hamster sleeps at night?

It is all tight. Some hamsters can sleep at night if it’s their natural sleep schedule.

If your hamster is sleeping at night and not being too loud or active, then there’s nothing wrong with this behavior.

You may want to consider making a schedule to feed them enough at night but no more than what would typically last throughout the next day.

If they’re noisy, you might want to try putting them in another room with quieter objects like books or a desk lamp where their chewing and running will be less noticeable.

At night, animals (including humans!) need to maintain natural light cycles by avoiding direct sunlight because artificial lighting can mess up circadian rhythms.

Why does my hamster scream at night?

Scream means that your hamster is scared of something or angry with something.

The first thing you should do is check how your hamster behaves during the daytime. If it’s usually calm and happy, then the morning times are most likely what makes it scream at night – when he wakes up from sleeping, feels bored, or if it’s hungry.

Also, it can mean severe pain or discomfort. If your hamster is in pain, he could be screaming due to excessive thirst or hunger, leading to a severe illness like diabetes.

Ways to avoid hamster distress:

  • Put as many toys in his cage so that there is always something new to play with each day;
  • If you have other pets, try not to place them near your hamster because they might scare him;
  • Give your hamster a bed where he can sleep comfortably instead of just on his wheel all the time;
  • Don’t put your hamster in direct sunlight since its too hot for animals like these;
  • Try to keep the temperature around room temperature, so it’s not too hot or cold for your hamster.

Should I cover my hamster’s cage at night?

No, it is unnecessary to cover the hamster cage at nighttime.

They will be active at night, but it is unlikely for them to wake up if there was an additional light source in their cage (like a lamp).

Some people think that covering their hamster cages during the day helps them from chewing on things. Others believe that because hamsters are curious and inquisitive, they should not be awake at night when it is darker.

Should you sleep with your hamster?

No, do not do that. You can’t sleep with a hamster in your bed.

Hamsters are unpredictable animals, so you should never try to put one in your bed.

If they get scared or feel threatened enough times, it will bite you!

Besides, hamsters are so good at escaping that they can even run from their cages.

How do you calm a crazy hamster?

Offer it fresh vegetables and a tasty snack.

You can easily calm a crazy hamster by offering healthy food, like vegetables and other healthy snacks. Just make sure that the vegetable is not too big for the hamster to eat in one bite because this may scare or confuse the animal.

The hamster likely has plenty of other treats in its cage, so offer something different from what it’s already been given so that you don’t overfeed your new friend.

When deciding on a suitable second treat, consider foods that are as colorful as possible to avoid feeding the hamster just too many calories (hamsters need a balance between carbs and protein).

For example, cucumber is low carb but high in water content, keeping the hamster hydrated and less likely to wake up at night.

A family of tiny hamsters in the corner of an aquarium

How can I keep my hamster busy at night?

  1. Put your hamster in a baby gate and let them explore the house or a dark, quiet room in the dead of night;
  2. Get them to run on one of those rodent running wheels;
  3. Put their food in different places around the cage and make it so they have to search for it (as you would for real life), solving typical problems such as malnourishment and lack of exercise;
  4. Get some pet toys like an aquarium with lids that open, tunnels, tubes, hideaways, and bridges to play chase-the-ball or other games;
  5. Cover the floor with old newspapers sprayed down with cooking spray, then scatter treats over it – like chips and popcorn kernels, as well as fruit and vegetables. The hamster’s instinct to forage should keep them busy all night.

If you want your pet to be happy, they must have a cage with lots of toys, room (for both the animal and its owner), time spent out with their human friends, food, water in an appropriate container.

The more active your hamster is throughout the day or night, means less chance of restlessness at bedtime. A bored-looking creature might also need some attention from his humans, so spend some time playing near him during evening hours!

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Not getting enough sleep can lead to anxiety.

How to get a hamster to sleep?

  1. Put the hamster in its cage to settle down for the evening. 
  2. Cover the cage and let it explore on its terms — but don’t allow it to become active before bedtime.
  3. Make sure your pet has enough toys, a water bottle, food, and a lot of hay or other soft material from which to choose as natural bedding–and keep the cage’s temperature comfortable. 
  4. Provide bright indirect lighting with ½ hour of daylight exposure for 12 hours each day—bright light will help to set your hamster up for sleep-wake cycles more naturally and easily than dark rooms would ever do alone.
  5. Stop playing with and giving attention to your little guy 30 minutes before bedtime.

Should you take your hamster wheel out at night?

No. Don’t take the hamster wheel out at night. If it is too loud for you, better get a quiet hamster wheel not to interrupt your sleep with noise.

That is a controversial question, and hamster owners may disagree with me on this, but it’s my opinion that you should avoid removing the wheel if at all possible.

Hamsters are very territorial animals that feed during the night and need to return to their safe spaces around our homes.

They also sleep during the day, and they may be sleeping in their wheel rather than their cage.

By taking the wheel out, you disrupt their livelihood in your home and be a potential danger (for them or any surrounding pets).

If you absolutely must take out the wheel for some reason (perhaps because of dust) and don’t want to disturb your hamster while he or she sleeps, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Place the wheel out of sight and wait for your hamster to be asleep before returning it (if you can).
  • Be sure that there’s no light from lamps or other artificial sources when you return the wheel because this will prevent them from going back into hibernation mode.
  • Make as little noise as possible while doing so – even whispering is too loud.

Is it safe to have a hamster in your bedroom?

If you are looking to keep a hamster as a pet, you should not put them in the bedroom. This room is too noisy and would provide an unsafe environment with significant temperature fluctuations.

You’ll find that many hamsters are nocturnal, so there’s no need for light if it naps during the day. And because of its size and potential danger when handling it, entering into the hamster’s cage uninvited is difficult at best.

For these reasons, bedding on your nightstand or dresser may be most appropriate – particularly if one wants to show off photographs of their beloved critters while they sleep peacefully beside them.

Little pet hamster in a silent hamster wheel

Can silent hamster wheels help?

Why are hamsters noisy at night? One of the most common reasons is that a hamster wheel was constructed with metal instead of plastic. The sound from these wheels can be loud and annoying, like fingernails on a chalkboard for some people.

A chewing habit might also cause an unending racket each evening. Hamsters chew as they run along with their exercise wheels or chew toys when awake during the day. At nighttime, it’s rather often because it is bored while sleeping all day inside their cage until sunset arrives (this may happen if you have an extremely nocturnal pet).

That’s why a silent hamster wheel can help you reduce noise at nighttime.

Hamsters have sensitive ears that can pick up all the sounds in your house, including ultrasound

Hamsters are known for their incredible hearing ability, with the majority of sound waves entering through their ears.

Hamsters can hear much better than people. That is good because there are many sounds in a house, like cars driving outside or children playing inside. For us, these sounds are only background noise, but for hamsters, they could mean danger.

So try to avoid any household sound if you want your pet hamster to sleep at night.

Hamsters are nocturnal animals

Hamsters are nocturnal animals, and they hibernate during the winter.

Hamsters are nocturnal in temperate climates. They’re active mainly at night, with periods of rest during daylight hours.

However, some hamster species (most notably the Great Hamster of Eurasia) stay up all day because their burrows remain warm from composting food below them.

In addition to being primarily nocturnal, hamsters also demonstrate a seasonal polyphasic sleep pattern where they hibernate for much of the winter season.

Since hamsters are nocturnal, you should place their cage in a dark, quiet room.

Avoid noise or sounds as well, such as keeping the TV on all night and playing with your hamster at night time. That will disturb them from their sleep.

Hamsters need to have 12 hours of darkness to be healthy. They sleep when there is light, so put a cloth over the cage if it has a window. Don’t keep lights on in the area outside of its cage, either. That will make it harder for your pet to have a good night’s sleep, and they’ll be less rested when you take them out next. The less stress put upon your pet, the better able he’ll be to get restful sleep too.

You can also use a sound machine or an air purifier to help keep the room dark and quiet. Some people set up their hamster’s cage in a closet that is not used for storage because it has no windows or outside light coming from its entrance. Putting your hamster close to the bedroom where you sleep at night time will make sure your pet gets plenty of restful sleep as well.

You want to make sure that your hamster gets lots of exercises. Get it to have more activity during the day, and it won’t be too active at night. If your hamster doesn’t seem tired during the day, then you can give it more exercise by running on its wheel before bedtime.

A stable temperature is influential too

Yes, a stable temperature is critical for hamsters. Hamsters are ectothermic animals, meaning that their body temperature fluctuates in response to changes in ambient air temperatures.

If they get too cold or hot, it can be fatal because the fluctuations make it more difficult for them to regulate their fluid and electrolyte levels and maintain their body functions like digestion, breathing, circulation rates, and heartbeat.

Ideally, they should have tiled flooring with access to an insulated nesting box so they can hunker down when it’s cold or whenever they feel unsafe.

It may also be wise not to change the light bulbs within the cage (as this can disturb if not depress them), although most people do expect some noise given how crepuscular these creatures are.


We all know that hamsters are adorable little creatures who require particular care. They need a lot of attention, and they love to play, but sometimes we can’t provide the care they need because our schedules don’t allow it.

That’s why it’s essential to learn how to get your hamster to be quiet at night, so you’re not kept up by their constant chattering or running around in their cage.

I hope I helped you figure out what will work best for your schedule with these six tips.

Last updated on May 12, 2021 by Bruce Paxton

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