[ladyntramp002]

It is perfectly normal for your hammie to not want to run in his ball. It all depends on the hamter. Just because he likes to run in his wheel/cage doesn't always mean that he will like the ball.

For instance, Kornelia(our Syrian hamster), may she rest in peace refused to run in the ball. She would just sit inside it and shake. She wouldn't move. She was soooo scared. However, when she was inside her cage she loved running on her wheel and exploring her cage setup.

Calypso(another of our past Syrian hamsters) however adored her ball. We always had a hard time getting her out of it. She was totally fine.

Each hamster is different just like us humans. Some of us don't like certain rides at the amusement park but other do. It is just preference. Seeing as the ball is not an essential, I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can save the ball for your next hammie.

As for the hamster waking up late and going to bed before you wake up, that is completely normal. They wake up really late and have their fun during the time we are normally asleep. Then when we wake up, they go to bed. This is normal. My suggestion is you could either stay up later or or wake up earlier. If this is not possible, you could see if your hammie will let you wake it up to play. However, this is not the preferred option as most hammies get grumpy and cranky(ex. Kilian and Leo). Though in some cases (ex. Kornelia & Calypso) are fine with it.

Hope these tips and suggestions help you and your hammie.