Light on?

[Veer]

Do you have a light on near the hamstercage?
This time of the year it gets dark in the livingroom around 3pm.
We are not always there to turn the light on, and when we come home later, i think it coul disturb her if we put the light on when it was already dark.
Is it good to have a light on from the afternoon till evening?
Or do you think it is better for the hamster to have a normal daylight routine?
also, when not provide a light; can shorter days cause torpor?

 

[RainbowBrite]

I just put my light on when I need it for myself. You do not need to put the light on just for your hamster so do not worry about that. When you come home and it is dark, if you need the light then I would put it on. Yes, having a daylight routine is what I do myself.

Torpor is caused by cold temperature and the light will not cause that so please do not worry.

 

[Veer]

Will she be fine if it is dark in her room from 3pm? I doen't feel ok to have her in the dark that early on some days. But maybe that is just my idea about it. Shorter days aren't causing problems?

 

[RainbowBrite]

I think that is fine. Just think of all the people who are not home until the evening. You are still having daylight up until 3 so she is getting daylight too.

I think it is natural in the winter to have shorter days. To me this is natural and should not bother a hamster at all.

 

[elusive]

If it’s dark during the afternoon that’s fine, they don’t go into torpor unless they are cold or short of food, they react to the shorter days by storing more food sometimes but otherwise it doesn’t really change anything, it’s entirely natural for them.
I wouldn’t worry about putting the light on when you need to use the room, even if it’s been dark earlier in the day they soon adjust to lights going on & off when we use them.