Hamster stopped running on his wheel?

[xiaojie1]

Hi! We have a dwarf hamster whom we got in February. About week ago, we got him a new wheel, and he seemed to love it—I could hear him running on it periodically all night. This was also in line with his running schedule before the new wheel; I wake up 2-3 times a night and can usually hear him running. However, the past three/four nights, I haven't heard him running at night at all! I was initially pretty worried, but after I cleaned his cage he started running again in the evenings. More recently, he's resumed running for a little bit while we're still up, but he's still not running after we go to bed.

Last night, for example, he woke up at around 7pm and started running. He ran off and on until around 9:30, when I changed his food. As a test, I put some bedding on his wheel when I went to bed and it was still there this morning, so he definitely wasn't on it at all last night.

My dad did accidentally spook him a little last night by putting his hand in the tube while the hamster was in it (my brother and I have been doing all the hamster care so my dad doesn't really know how to handle hamsters, and I told him immediately not to do that but it was too late), but he usually isn't freaked out for an entire night after something like that happens! Plus, the fact that I haven't heard him for a few nights makes me think that this has been happening for longer than just last night.

There hasn't been a *huge* change in his activity level; initially, he seemed a little more lethargic, but the night I cleaned his cage he was as energetic as normal so I think he just felt a little dirty. And he's always been moody about coming out of his cage; some days he wants to, some days he absolutely does not.

Sorry for the long post, but I just want to make sure he's okay! Am I just being paranoid, or is there some explanation for the way he's suddenly stopped running on his wheel?

[cypher]

Hams do sometimes change schedule a bit, it may be something that’s upset them or it could be the weather (temp/time of year) as long as he’s eating, drinking & active at some time during the day or night I wouldn’t worry too much. Just check to make sure the wheel always spins freely & doesn’t get blocked by substrate or anything, provided it does & is an adequate size, 8-9” he should be fine.

[xiaojie1]

Originally Posted by cypher

Hams do sometimes change schedule a bit, it may be something that’s upset them or it could be the weather (temp/time of year) as long as he’s eating, drinking & active at some time during the day or night I wouldn’t worry too much. Just check to make sure the wheel always spins freely & doesn’t get blocked by substrate or anything, provided it does & is an adequate size, 8-9” he should be fine.

That makes sense, it has been cooler the past few days as we enter fall (though we are supposed to get one last heat wave this weekend). And his wheel is definitely big enough! Thanks for the reassurance