Small nocturnal pets such as hamsters and mice are often exposed to human-imposed artificial lighting environments that disrupt their internal rhythm and sleep-wake pattern, which compromises animal welfare and shortens their lifespan. Here we propose LumiHabit-an animal-centric lighting environment that allows small rodents to control their own lighting environment at different times of day. LumiHabit will enable small nocturnal pets to control lighting parameters including LED light emission wavelength (e.g., red, green, and blue) and light intensity (e.g., from 0 lux to 300 lux) in their home cage, thereby optimizing alignment with their sleep-wake cycles and behavioral states. As a proof of concept, we will build a prototype of LumiHabit for pet hamsters and collect behavioral data across the 24-h day to confirm their needs for lighting control. LumiHabit has the potential to revolutionize conventional pet housing by improving small nocturnal animals’ circadian health.
