Nocturnal squirrel?

[Asteria]

Hi everyone. I have noticed that sometimes Murphy seems to be much more active at nighttime than in the morning. This can depend too as her sleep schedule changes so much. I always try to get her out in the morning for at least a few hours and then again at late afternoon. Sometimes this schedule might change a bit and I can only get her out a later time. It seems that she lately has been wanting to lay on top of her cage more than play. But she can also be the complete opposite and have tons of energy and wants to play and run and chew her trees. She has a box filled with different things on top of her cage which she will also just stay in instead of playing or chewing. The issue is too if I try to maybe put her back in her cage and see if she wants to sleep she will go crazy. She just likes to stay on top of her cage and will stare at me. Usually at night time we will play more than the morning. Sometimes because of work I may get home so late but still want her to have time out so I may keep her out until like 12 am and then put her in the cage but she will stay awake for a while playing in her cage. She is not a morning squirrel at all and I feel that maybe I am the cause of it. Sometimes though even just all day she will not play with me and won’t chew her sticks and will run around and sit on top of her cage. She is still eating and has energy. Maybe she is maturing more and wants to do her own thing? She still lets me let her and cuddle. Should I worry about this?

[Asteria]

So about 20 minutes after posting this Murphy started playing with me lol. She always seems to prove me wrong. I did check her teeth and they seem to be fine so nothing is wrong there

[sundoesshine]

She is not a morning squirrel at all and I feel that maybe I am the cause of it.

I believe we made our release a pretty non-morning squirrel too. I swear even after moving outside I'd see him roll out of bed soo late!

[McCarthy]

They go by light, hence sunrise and sunset. When you change the sunset time with artificial light, you change the time of the sunset and her desire to go to rest. When that time fluctuates, their routine becomes messy.

[Asteria]

Could that be why she won’t play or sometimes likes to run around and won’t chew any sticks? I know she still is chewing sticks but I think she does it in her cage for the most part.