Still not using wheel much

[Pebbles82]

Charlie is still not using his wheel much. I put a small piece of bedding on top of it each night to see if it has been used. It is usually gone in the morning but I've been up in the night a few times recently about 2am and he isn't out there in his wheel or in the cage. He has been in it because the piece of paper has gone, so I put another piece on and it is still there in the morning. Some nights he hasn't used it at all, but when he does I reckon it is for less than a couple of hours.

Have now got him in a routine of coming out of the cage each evening around 7 or 8pm - I just remove the tunnel and put a tube there with some food in and he walks into it.

He does seem to like his cosy 'underground' den of a house and seems very snug in there but he used to run in his wheel virtually all night! And when he wasn't he'd be exploring the cage or sitting in it. All I can think is he likes being snug in that house so much he doesn't want the space, but he won't be getting much exercise. He seems well and active when he is out of the cage but he is behaving like a little old man who is too tired for exercise! He is only supposed to be a few months old. It just seems abnormal not to use his wheel all night - or most of it - like he used to. If I come down to heat up my drink an hour after going to bed, it is all silent and he is not to be seen. He used to be up and in that wheel the minute we turned the lights out.

[Willow Wisp]

What do I know? Not a lot LOL but I do know a few people with male hamsters who act exactly like your describing Charlie. It does appear that a lot of males can be pretty lazy, honestly that was the deciding factor on my getting females :) But now I have the opposite problems to you, Ebony is just too full of beans, she's constantly on the go, I haven't worked out yet when she actually sleeps, if I'm up then so is she LOL. She's very friendly, but constantly has ants in her pants and sitting still even for 2 seconds for a cuddle is out of the question LOL. Willow isn't quite as manic, she does at least sleep LOL

[SiriusBlack]

I've noticed Sirius isn't using his wheel as much as he used to. Like Charlie he was always on it and now not much at all. Maybe like people they go through phases. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

[Pebbles82]

Ok, thanks! I reckon it is a bit of laziness and maybe a few too many home comforts. Maybe I should put that tiny little plastic pod house back in lol! At least he had to come out of that to use the potty tray! Now he doesn't use the wheel much or the potty tray - in fact doesn't do anything in the cage at all and only comes out for food or a drink. Unless I tempt him out that is. It's like he has down-sized!

[Peanut84]

You might be already doing this, but if not you could try and scatter feed, so he has to be a bit more active.

[Pebbles82]

Thanks Peanut. Yes am doing that a bit, he takes some of it but doesn't seem to just sit out in the cage like he used to. Maybe it is too boring! Perhaps I should try a hammock again. Something outside the cage to sit in. He has two sputniks and I was going to cut a cosy lining for the big one out of hemp mat, so will try that first.

[Peanut84]

I thought your cage looked great! Maybe you could try if he likes to use a flying saucer. Some hamsters prefer that to the wheel.

[Thin Lizzy]

Hi there! My hamster Archie went through a phase, for a few months he wouldn't go near his wheel, I tried the flying saucer and he didn't like it, I then bought him a bigger wheel and he's on it everyday! My other hamster Twinkle prefers the saucer to the wheel.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

My first thought is the same as Tin Lizzy's. His wheel may be too small and he doesn't feel comfortable in it after a short time. Try a bigger wheel and see if he becomes more active again.

[Willow Wisp]

My first thought is the same as Tin Lizzy's. His wheel may be too small and he doesn't feel comfortable in it after a short time. Try a bigger wheel and see if he becomes more active again.

I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure Charlie already has a large Karlie Wonderland wheel :)

[HoneyPetals]

About two weeks ago I noticed my hamster had stopped running on her wheel. I took her out of her cage, placed her into a travel cage, and while she was in there I completely changed the layout of her cage. She started running on her wheel again that night. XD Perhaps your hamster is just bored? It seemed as if my hamster was. I would suggest just changing his layout around while hes not in there. Maybe switch out a few toys to keep your hamster busy. Hope this helps!

[Teddy001]

I've noticed Teddie my Syrian ham, not using her wheel as much these past few days. I'm thinking, that her "laziness" is due to the weather change. Is the room Charlie's in a bit cooler? Even though the room my hams are in, temp in the house is @ 75 degrees, I've felt around the windows, and the area by the windows, are cooler to the touch. It's not a drastic drop in temp around the windows, to me, however maybe hamsters can sense the coolness? My house has central heat, the vents are on the floor under windows. I've ordered a few indoor thermometers, which I'm planning on attaching high up inside both of hams tanks, to monitor the inside of their tanks temp.

ETA: I've also observed this. When Teddie does come out of her nest, to go to the toilet, eat ect., she runs back to her nest, like she wants to be in that comfy warm spot.