If your hamster isn’t running on wheels, it’s most likely due to something elemental.
One of the most common reasons is lack of ventilation. Since wheelies only contain a single air flow channel, it can be challenging to ensure that all of the airflow reaches the wheel.
So, why is hamster not running on wheel?
A research on hamster running on wheel found that hamster is not running on wheel.
The reason is hamster does not like running on wheel. According to researcher, hamster does not like running on wheel because it doesn’t make hamster feel good while running on wheel.
However, hamster loves playing with balls. It feels good to hamster when hamster is rolling on ball while playing on ball.
Why Is Hamster Not Running On Wheel?
Contents
Old Age
Inactivity is not usually caused due to lack of exercise; it is caused by old age and illness in hamsters.
Hamsters become inactive when they are old and weak, or sick with respiratory diseases. This is usually a gradual process in which your older pet’s activity level declines from its normal behavior until it becomes totally inactive in the cage.
The most prevalent illness that causes inactivity in hamsters is respiratory infections (usually caused by the herpes virus).
When hamsters reach the age of two, they become more susceptible to viral infections such as herpes virus, which can cause them to become lethargic, have difficulty breathing and eventually die within a few weeks of infection.
Insufficient Nutrition
When deprived of critical nutrition, hamsters can become inactive and listless in their cages.
Although this is not common for pet parents to see, it does occur with some frequency in some pet stores.
If your young pet seems unusually active and energetic one week and then completely lethargic the next, it may be suffering from malnutrition or dehydration resulting from improper diet.
If you suspect this to be the case, contact your veterinarian immediately for a check-up and assessment of your pet’s condition.
Injury or Illness
Your hamster might be wounded by the owner or another animal and may be hiding from its predators or from its own pain by remaining motionless in its cage.
Hamsters may also become injured in an accident or through abuse by another animal in the house, so be sure to check for any injuries on the animal.
If that’s the case, it’s very important to contact a veterinarian as soon as possible so that the wound can be properly treated before it gets worse.
The Squeaky Wheel
While less frequent, a loud or squeaky wheel can cause a sedentary behavior in your pet.
A noisy squeaking sound coming from the wheels can scare your tiny friend into not using them at all.
If your wheels are noisy or have squeaky parts, try lubricating them with Vaseline, oil, or even butter to reduce any noise.
You can also try covering them with cloth or a sock to muffle the sound even further. If that doesn’t work, consider replacing them altogether with a set that doesn’t have this problem.
Hamsters have weak vision so they need their exercise wheels to be bright and colorful to help them navigate easily while they’re running on their wheel.
An Inappropriate Wheel Design
You can get the greatest results from using a wire-framed exercise wheel in your cage because this type of design is quiet and doesn’t cause a lot of vibration for the small mammals to use during their workout sessions.
Also, the wire construction allows the small creatures to run up and down the sides of the cage without causing much damage.
So if your hammy doesn’t like its exercise wheels and you have a wire-framed one, you can try putting it back in the cage to see if it makes a difference for your hamster’s behavior.
However, if the shape of the wheel is wrong for your little pet, then you may see all kinds of strange behavior like constant running in circles and shaking the wheel non-stop for hours at a time.
The Wheel Has Ceased to Turn.
Perhaps your hamster’s wheel has been jammed by toys or other items in the cage, causing it to cease to spin properly.
If this is the case, you may be able to fix it yourself without calling a professional repairman.
But keep in mind that a broken or damaged exercise equipment can be dangerous for your pet if it continues to spin freely in the cage after it has stopped working.
So it’s a good idea to fix this problem right away, even if it means replacing the item entirely with a new design.
If your hamster finds it difficult or painful to move about on the broken wheel, it may become depressed or anxious as a result.
The Wheel Has Been Damaged.
A damaged wheel will hinder your pet from getting the much-needed physical activity it needs to stay healthy.
As a result, the energetic creature may stop using its wheels and just remain idle in its habitat instead. This can also result in its inability to reproduce normally as well.
So if the wheels of your rodent are damaged, call a professional to have it fixed right away.
Make sure to buy new wheels to avoid this problem in the future as well.
Consider the pet climbing onto the wheel but failing to spin it: this can be a sign that your hamster’s wheels are damaged or malfunctioning in some way.
Hamsters are quite clever and they may figure out ways to move their wheels around in attempts to make them work again even when they’ve become broken or defective.
Small Wheel Size
The most frequent reason for hamsters not using their exercise wheels is the size of the equipment itself.
They’re just not big enough to support the weight of an adult hamster! Consider getting a larger size for your critter if yours is too small for it.
If the size is correct but the wheel still isn’t being used, the problem may be that the bearings are worn out. Try replacing the bearings with new parts and see if that helps the situation.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, you might have to call in a professional to repair the wheel for you.
Sometimes, hamsters can be so stubborn about wanting to use the exercise wheel that they won’t use it if it’s damaged.
How to To Help Hamster Not Running On Wheel
Regularly Comfort Your Hamster
They adore being snuggled, therefore by keeping close contact with your hamster you may help to make it feel less alone and less frightened when it is not using its wheels.
Additionally, you will help it to feel more relaxed and less stressed when it is around people and other pets in the household.
This may reduce its desire to use its wheels and may help it to sleep more soundly at night.
The objective must be to pet them and reassure them, not punish or scold them when they don’t use their wheels.
Put Them in the Hamster Wheel.
Try this a few times a week for a few days or weeks to see if it makes a difference for your pet’s behavior.
Try placing one of your hamsters inside the roller with the door closed and see how it does with its activity level.
If it uses the equipment by itself, that’s a good sign that your critter needs to start using the rollers more often!
You can also place a few toys inside the roller to encourage your pet to use it more regularly.
If they begin to run within the hamster wheel, give them some praise and then put them back into their cages to let them rest for a while.
Alter Their Diet
If your hamster isn’t receiving enough nutrients from its normal diet, then it may have less energy to use the exercise equipment.
You may be able to fix this problem simply by adding more food to its daily diet.
This is a straightforward response to what is probably a dietary deficiency issue.
Adjust the Hamster Wheel
The location of the wheel within your home can have a big impact on whether or not your furry little friend will use it on a regular basis.
If it’s too close to another room where there are no hamsters present, for example, it might decide not to use it at all.
Or, if it’s located somewhere that’s too noisy for it to feel comfortable using, it may not want to use it at all either.
Adjust the location of the device to a different location to see if that helps the situation.
Otherwise, you may have to stow it away until you can find a better place for it to live in your home.
Make Use Of a Hamster Ball.
They will appreciate being able to run about in a hamster ball as opposed to just spinning around on a metal or plastic track all day.
Just make sure that your furry little friend is able to get in and out easily and safely from the ball itself.
Also Read: How To Move Hamster To New Cage?
Conclusion
If your hamster used to enjoy running on its wheel but has recently stopped doing so, then there may be a problem that needs to be solved before it gets any worse.
Your hamster may be unwell or injured, so it is important to take immediate action if this is the case.
Additionally, ensure that your pet’s wheel is of the proper size for your pet and that it is always kept clean.
You should also ensure that your hamster is regularly checked by a vet to make sure that it is fit and healthy.
Finally, given its nocturnal nature, assess if your hamster has truly ceased utilizing its wheel or if it is simply asleep during the day.
