Jas, the hamster formally known as Jasper

It sounds to me like she is asking to come out. If she has bitten then you take her out she has learned that is how to communicate.

A camera is a great idea. You will learn so much about what she gets up to.

Hamsters get used to the room and when the lights go off so I would not worry about that.
 
From that I would guess it is maybe wanting attention, adding some more enrichment to the cage should help with that at least a bit bt also sometimes it helps just not to respond too much unless it’s time for her to come out as they can just make a habit of it.
Is there anything about the position of the cage that makes you think it might not be the best?
 
She doesn't get let out until she stops, which is fine when she is due to come out, but when she is biting 30 mins later, I find it hard not to respond. I will really try not to tonight and see if that helps. To be honest she usually wins and as soon as I've finished eating, she comes out again.
I was thinking about the position of the cage, because although she isn't that close to us, it is pretty open plan. If it is for attention, would she be better in different room? She is so social, so I don't like the idea much, but if we are stressing her out I don't know if that would be better?
I think the camera might answer a few questions
 
It does not sound like she is stressed by your presence. To me it is more like she wants your attention. Perhaps she wants to stay out her cage a bit longer?
 
I don't think you're stressing her out. And maybe it's best not to move the cage right now. That can be a stress too - a change of environment. I think it's better having them in the room with you really. Too easy for them to be a bit forgotten about in a different room. When I did have a hamster who started bar chewing (after we'd been on holiday and he came home again) I found he stopped as soon as the lights were turned out and we went to bed. If I came down again and he saw me he'd start doing it again. So partly it's for attention by the sound of it. I even tried setting a playpen up round the cage and leaving the cage door open so he could come out when he felt like it. That did stop the bar chewing but he still seemed stressed. Those were different circumstances as he'd been perfectly fine in that cage for a long time before and it was the change and different experience that got him like that - being left at a different house, with different things going on, and then coming back again.

The only thing that worked in the end was another change. I did a full cage clean in case it was scent from the other house he could still smell. And that worked and he went back to normal. Your situation is a bit different though. But I think the same principle is there - a change may shock/distract her out of it when she has the house and more to do in there. Normally changing things can add to stress or cause it, but sometimes it can stop it.

The only thing is though, I think it does sound like she likes to have a lot of out of cage time and has a lot of energy. My energetic one would happily stay out free roaming all night! But he is happy in his cage until late at night at least and settles once he's been out for a while.

What time does she wake up and start wanting to be out? There are some owners have the opposite problem! The hamster won't come out until late at night when they want to go to bed. Or won't come out at all!
 
Have you tried treat parcels? I'd still try and keep to a routine of feeding her at the same time and letting her out at the same time. Maybe start feeding her later? Is that what she gets up for or does she just get up anyway! And what time does she get up?
 
I doubt being in the room with you is a problem too & she doesn’t sound like the sort of hamster who would like to be shut away in another room.

Give her as much out of cage time as you can if that’s what she wants but you just need to find a balance & there may be times when it’s best to ignore the bar biting & walk away.
Main thing I don’t think you need to worry about it being a stress thing & although may take time just work out whats best for both her & you.
 
By the way when I said a change I didn't mean a full cage clean on this occasion! I don't think that would be a good idea right now. But the changes you plan to make. She'll be able to do a lot more in that house - organise her nesting and hoarding and toiletting areas and burrow down more.
 
I have done treat parcels, she likes them, I'll do another tonight.
She just gets up around 7, I scatter feed, while she is out playing, if my partner is about to look after her, or I'll feed her when I put her back. I usually leave her out until she seems like she is ready to go back, maybe I'm doing it too early, usually about an hour.
As long as she doesn't sound like she is stressed, that's good. We will find a way!
Thanks again everyone, it's so good to be able to get advice and help. I can't help overthinking everything
 
Hank said:
I have done treat parcels, she likes them, I'll do another tonight.
She just gets up around 7, I scatter feed, while she is out playing, if my partner is about to look after her, or I'll feed her when I put her back. I usually leave her out until she seems like she is ready to go back, maybe I'm doing it too early, usually about an hour.
As long as she doesn't sound like she is stressed, that's good. We will find a way!
Thanks again everyone, it's so good to be able to get advice and help. I can't help overthinking everything
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I don't think you're overthinking (it's a word I'm not keen on!) - I think you are being thoughtful and trying to work things out. I also think they start to get up later than that when they're a bit older - within a few months. She is still very young. 7pm is quite early for her to wake up unless it's feeding time that wakes her up. Raffy was like that the first 3 or 4 months then it got later and later and he got slightly more chilled as he matured!
 
But if that's the time she's waking up and wanting to come out then that's the way it is! I do think they settle down though in time.
 
I know I'm lucky that I get to see her, I am surprised that she gets up so early, it's very light outside still.
 
Have you tried giving her sheets of cardboard through the bars to shred? Toilet roll tubes, egg boxes, cereal boxes etc. It can take their minds off. I used to have a huge supply of cardboard handy when i had a very demanding foster Syrian called Maureen the Shredder.

My Syrian Clive is a little hyperactive but has calmed down a bit as he got older. He bar chews to communicate but doesn't when i'm not home. His behaviour is very much directed at me because i'm the one who let's him out to freeroam. He has just been out for 45 mins and pouched food that was hidden in the dig boxes then came back to me to get put back in his cage.
He'll be chewing the bars again in a little while to get let out. Depending on how many other hamsters want out, he sometimes freeroams for well over 2 hours.
I don't worry that he is stressed or unhappy because he chews the bars. He just wants out to be free, forage, run and play. Some hamsters are like that, especially female Syrians want a lot of freedom.
Somstimes i jokingly say to him "Clive, you are going to end up in a tank if you keep this up".
 
I have a supply of cardboard, as much as I can get, I do put some through sometimes. She likes the toilet rolls, but she uses them as tunnels mostly, I put a cut down them, as she would be too big to get through otherwise. She was out today, for about an hour and a quarter. She will probably want out again soon😀
 
She is keeping you on her toes. I hate to suggest this, as it's more money again, but maybe a different wheel? I looked back and she seems to have the large Savic Rolly wheel. It is plenty big enough so it shouldn't be an issue really.
 
She's been in the wheel quite a bit tonight and she uses it a lot at night. I think she likes it, but is there a better option?
 
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