What would happen if a hamster stopped using the wheel?

Answer 1

"Because the cage is too small for it to run in a straight line. They do this to get rid of energy. Sounds like you have a healthy hamster." <--- Incorrent answer for moron...

Correct Answer from a scientist:

(Preface: Okay, that's kind of a stupid answer if you ask me. Please stop the ignorance of Wiki-Posts, PLEASE, and learn to use complete sentences. Don't you people realize how many morons rely on these answers for the illusion of fact?)

Mice, and almost every member of the RODENTIA family become hyperalgesic when they lack the G-Protein called Go and display a severe motor control impairment (falling from rotarods and 1-inch wide beams). In spite of this deficiency, these rodents are hyperactive and exhibit a turning behavior that has them running in circles for hours on end, both in cages AND in open-field tests. Except for one, all neurologically imbalanced mice tested turned only counterclockwise. These findings indicate that Go plays a major role in motor control, in motor behavior, and in pain perception and also predict involvement of Go in Ca2+ channel regulation by an unknown mechanism.

It could also be due to an ear infection or a stroke.

Answer 2

because the cage is too small and the legs have gone to sleep so they have figured out that they can can run on that spinny thingie on the wall of the cage to get their blood pumping. (wheel) to them it is opitunity to run like the clappers

Answer 3

Clearly you have stereotyped your hamster to act like they do in films and on TV. He/she probably just doesn't want to do some exercise right now. If this behavior continues then consider going to the vet, without exercise your hamster could become unhealthy and die.

Answer 4

This was explained a long time ago by Isaac newton, in his famous laws of motion. Objects that are in motion will tend to continue that motion unless some force acts to change it. This is a property of matter that is known as inertia. Hamster wheels have inertia. They keep moving until friction slows them down.

Answer 5

sometimes as hamsters get older they dont need as much exercise as they use to need but still carry on giving it exercise by putting it in the ball

Answer 6

Hamster run on their wheels as they are quite active animals and need to exercise. Wheels let them pick up more speed than running on the bottom of their cage.

Answer 7

Yes, Hamsters do like to run on their wheel because it is good exercise for the Hamster.

Answer 8

to give them excersise as theyre used to scurrying arround underground

Answer 9

Probably gain some weight.