# forgetting he's nocturnal?



## lindaannie (Jan 20, 2009)

Little Beastie, after running on his wheel a good part of the night, as usual, is still at it, 9:00 a.m., all the lights on, etc. His night seems to have normal (eating, pooping), but I'm a bit concerned that something might be wrong, because I've never seen him do this before. If anyone can shed light on this, I'd sure appreciate it.

I love the info and posts re behavior. I didn't expect a cuddly animal, what with the quills and all, but posts elsewhere, friends' expectations, etc. let me to think I was somehow "setting my sights too low." I adore that he's his own little beast, tolerating attention or not, as he sees fit. Of course, the thing I love about cats (to which I am too allergic) is not the cuddling, but the attitude, so . . .


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

hedgehogs can be nocturnal or diurnal. From a dictionary Diurnal means recurring every day, but in an animal can mean that it is awake during the day.
A hedgehog that is not scared of light can become diurnal much like a domesticated cat can. If he decides that his day time is from 2am to noon, that will be his daytime. 

Hedgehogs may change their sleep patterns depending on when they are handled. If you often handle him during the day, he will be forced to sleep during night, and then have to play during the day. This is effectively a forced change from nocturnal to diurnal. If you handle your hedgie a lot at night and in the morning, he may have a longer awake cycle ranging from when you start playing with him at night, and he will play all through the night and until you leave in the morning.


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

Is he still eating the same he normally does? And how old is he?
If hedgies are sick, they usually eat less than normal so that's one way you might be able to tell if he's feeling okay or not.
Odds are he just didn't feel like going to sleep. Babies/young adults often get up more during the day than adults do. I catch my little guy out in the middle of the day with all the lights on in the room chowing down sometimes, and he's about 9 months old now. Just keep an eye on him, and if he goes bed before too long and does his normal routine again in the night there's probably nothing to worry about.


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## Luck (Sep 4, 2008)

I thought I had seen on a psot once that a forced change from nocturnal to only daylight could kill them.Maybe I'm just not remembering right but I still dont think you should force a change.Anyway my guess is that he just didn't feel like sleeping just like how some little kids stay up all night long.


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