My hamster puts her put in the exercise wheel?

Question

My hamster basically uses her exercise wheel as her home...

The thing is, its the enclosed kind so the food doesn't fall through and neither does her waste (p**p/pee). She sleeps with her p**p and pee under her basically and can't run in it because the food turns with her when she exercises (which she doesn't even do that often anymore)

I didn't know if this was healthy for her and I heard that by taking away the wheel when i feed her, she'll just put the food somewhere else and adjust...

Well my cage design is a bit different so I just blocked the wheel so she couldn't go in during the day (when she sleeps)

and now she's trying to dig her way into the wheel or something. and now i feel bad

What should I do? should i just let her sleep in her wheel with her own wastes/food? or let her find a new home with in the cage?

Answer 1

Have you tried moving the wheel to a different location in the cage? Perhaps you can put one of those little igloo houses in the spot where the wheel once was and she'll start using that. Maybe put some of the food she stored in the wheel in the house to encourage her.

Sometimes it's just one section of the cage they'll want to use, but then again she may just follow the wheel. But it's worth a shot!

EDIT: Oh, I didn't get from the first post that you couldn't move the wheel, sorry. I don't see it being a huge problem that she does this, although you will have to clean out the wheel more often if she loads it up with wastes of all sorts.. You could try getting another wheel, one that you can put wherever, and perhaps she'll run in that one and use the other as her little home. From that picture it doesn't look like she has anywhere else secure to go, which is probably why she chose the wheel. Maybe a little box?

Answer 2

IT's alright. You decide. your hamster is doing it cuz it probably thinks that that's the most relaxing place! MY hamster lies on the wheel when he's exhausted. DOes your cage have direct sunlight faced on? If so, your hamster won't like it, move to a shadower place. If you really think that your hamster really needs to get some exercise.. Well then move the wheel. I think it's okay personally. My hamster never runs on the wheel (only when he's hyper) and i never force him. Does he even have his own little house? Or hideout place. Hamsters need those. That's their favorite! It probably thinks the wheel is the house if you don't have one! But if you do, your hamster probably just thinks that's the most comfortable place! If you think it's unhealthy. Go ahead.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

clean out the wheel every day, and more often if you feel that you need to.

it looks like you only gave her a toilet roll as an extra toy, so she sleeps in the wheel. try giving her a small cardboard box where she can hide in and sleep. put some soft bedding like ripped up tissue or paper towels to encourage her to snuggle up in there.

ive never had hamsters before because theyre illegal in my country but i have had mice. mine love to stuff their nest box so full with bedding the entrance is always blocked. and they just sleep in the centre of it all, they have never slept anywhere else.

Answer 4

Put in a MESH wheel. Mesh wheels are the safest kind for you hamster and they are really cheap. You cna get them for a few dollars at wal-mart.