Periodes of activity
Every species has its own period of activity. If you bother your pets or make a lot of noise in the room, the rodents will be stressed which can shorten their lives.
Don´t try to change their activity period! Choose only such pets which fit you in their activitiy period!
Not every single species is bound to one activitiy period. There are species which are for example strictly nocturnal like jerboas. But there are also some more flexible species. Fancy mice for example are said to be crepuscular and nocturnal. If bribed with treats, they will also appear during daytime. So have a close look at the activity period before choosing your pets.
diurnal
Diurnal animals are active as long as the sun shines. They sleep during twilight and night.
Most of this species have small eyes. Among rodents kept as pets there are only few strictly diurnal ones, for example stripes grass mice and several voles.
nocturnal
These species leave their nest after dawn and go to sleep as soon as sun rises. Many rodents kept as pets are nocturnal, for example jerboas.
Many of the nocturnal species can be recognized by their big eyes.
crepuscular
These species are active during twighlight and dawn. Usually they are not only crepuscular. Many nocturnal species leave their nest already during sunset.
These species also can be recognized by their big eyes.
cathemeral/alternate active
Alternate active rodents are not bound to a special time of day. The have a some hours long period of activity in change with some hours long periods of sleep.
Alternate active rodents are Mongolian gerbils for example.
Translation
Angelus Noctis
Proofreading
Jedediah
