Mamma's Girls!

[Vonni911]

i just got home from working third shift and I just couldn't wait to take my girls out to love on them. I work the third shift on the weekend and when I come home on Saturday, I just hop in the bed. I don't have time to play with my fur-babies. I check on them when I get home and right before I leave; but I don't have time to take them out and play with them.
I think Hamlet and Niblet know my schedule because they are always awake and waiting at the front of the cage when they hear me walk in! Marga is my lazy one, so she is still asleep. I dig for her so I can check on her and make sure everything is alright before I go to sleep and before I leave.
I missed them a bit more than usual and just couldn't wait until i could get home and take them out. I decided not to go to sleep so I could spend some time with them.
Marga and Hamlet are in the play-pen and Niblet is just runnng around on the bed outside of the play-pen. Marga started running in the wheel; which is usually Hamlet's favorite activity, and Hamlet tried to get in it with her! LOL I took Hamlet out so Marga could get some run time in, (I am pretty sure that Hamle hogs the wheel in the cage and barely gives Marga a chance to get in it!); that';s why I took Hamlet out so Marga could run.
Now Marga has decided that she wants to sleep in the wheel and Hamlet is trying to push her out, Marga is chirping at Hamlet as if to say, 'I had it first!!!!' It is pretty funny. I am going to put the second wheel in there so Hamlet will have one to run in and Marga can sleep in the other one if she wants to.
I have NEVER seen a hamster as active as Hamlet. I am really no sure when she sleeps as I can hear the wheel going at all hours of the day. She runs during the day, she runs at night; she is literally always running. While Marga and Niblet are both a bit plump, Hamlet is very lean and muscular. I am wondering if all of her running has to do with her being so aggressive. Anybody have any thoughts on this? Is it normal for a hamster not to have standard wake/sleep times and to be so fixated on the wheel?
I would hate to take it out as I know that hammies need the wheel to exercise; but I want to make sure that her obsession with the wheel doesn't have anything to do with her having a nervous disposition. She behaves just fine when she is out of the cage. She lets me pet her and love on her. She isn't skittish or anything even remotely close to that.
Does anyone else have an extremely hyperactive hamster? Is there anything that I need to do for her? Is she unhappy r unhealthy? I am slightly worried and I would love for someone to set my mind at ease. I love my babies and I just want them to be happy and healthy.

[SinNyx]

I'm not sure about the wheel being a bad thing, but it may just be her personality and that's what you will have to live with. I have heard of some hamsters becoming 'addicted' to their wheels but I have never personally experienced this or had a hamster become aggressive for it. I did notice with one of my previous hamsters that as he got old and I took his wheel out he became quieter and when I put it back in he became more active.
The thing is, he was a Syrian and yours is a dwarf, and I assume, in a pair? I would not take the wheel out as if she is happy with it, then taking it away may give her a cause to be more hyper with her partner and may lead to fighting...
I would suggest more but I don't know what to do with her being paired.
I hope someone with more dwarf experience can help you!

[Vonni911]

SinNyx, I would definitely not want to do anything that may cause them to fight. As long as Hamlet's incessant running isn't as a result of anything negative, I'm no concerned about it. My main goal is to have happy and healthy babies. I just was unsure because I've never had or heard of a hamster running as much as she doe. She is just extremely hyperactive, inside the cage and outside of the cage.
Maybe someone will have a little bit of insight as to why she is so active. Thanks a lot for your input, Sin!

[Kelibr]

Maybe she gets a runners high and just likes it. It happens with people.. (otherwise I wouldn't do long runs) Endorphins are awesome. Plus there could be a lot worse things she could be doing. Do you think the others are getting their fair time on the wheel? I'd put in a second wheel for the others.