Hammie who just won't use wheel!

[crawleytown]

Title says it all really, my Syrian girl will never use her wheel. She is in a Savic Rody, I am pretty sure the wheel is big enough but she never uses it. It possibly might be due to the fact the she has made a nest behind the wheel... Can anyone give a possible explination as to why, it might be nice for her to find something different to do!

[BatKat]

Some hamsters never use their wheels. Don't worry about it just give her toys to play with, kitchen roll tubes, rope bridges and chews can all keep hammie amused. If she comes out to play lots then she may not need any other exercise.

[vnewman236]

Bowser never used a wheel until I got him a Wodent Wheel(and he was just under a year old at that point). He still doesn't use it anywhere near as much as the others use theirs, but he does seem to like it.

[Matty Day]

some of my chinese guys only go for a run in the early hours so she might do the same i dont know why but i have two who only run after midnight how do i know there the ones alway active when i get up in the night for a drink etc

[Noodles]

Noodles is exactly the same as Bowser - she never used her wheel (I stayed almost up all night watching her once and the noise would wake my boyfriend so lack thereof shows she didn't use it!!!) until I got the WW and even now she doesn't use it loads but does a couple of 30 second spurts every night!

[souffle]

Youngsters seem to run a lot but as they get more settled and older they don't seem to use the wheel quite as much. They just start acrobating across the roof and bar chewing instead

[suga]

Lilbear is a total acrobat - uses her wheel only occassionally from what I have seen. I guess some do use them and some don't but as long as there are lots of things to do in the cage, hammie will keep trim and entertained.

[xkaytix]

Alfie and Lola are the same. So we bought them flying saucers. Can't get them off of the saucers now!

[happysaz133]

My last hammy Squirt refused to use his, I think he just didn't like excersizing! So I used to make sure he had lots of tubes and things to climb on, and also let him have plenty time in his ball too.

[Gust0o]

Youngsters seem to run a lot but as they get more settled and older they don't seem to use the wheel quite as much. They just start acrobating across the roof and bar chewing instead

This sounds very familiar!

To be honest, as with humans, it's a matter of preference - I enjoy playing football, whilst Al enjoys her running; and, personally, I wouldn't swap!

Same with our animals - they have their preferences, and these can change as easily as ours. Wesley had nothing but contempt for her wheel, at the outset, but is now a massive fan; whilst Bob, an early addict, is now much quieter.

Leave it in, and see if they develop a fancy for it.

I will note, that my boys seem much more active on their wheels than the girls do - is this a general trend, or just mine?