Hammy Habits

Question
whenever my hamster runs in her wheel she will always carry her food to her wheel (in this case up a straight tube, and through a half moon to get to her wheel) and run with the food in the wheel hitting her in the face and making tons of noise! I know how  to fix it, and it doesn't bother me, I am just wondering why she does this--its so funny!

Answer
Hi Kelly

I honestly don't know why some hamsters do this.  You'd think that they wouldn't want their food crashing around with them.  I have a hamster who will always rush to fill her cheek pouches every time she comes out of her cage - as though she's packing a lunch to take with her!

In the wild hamsters can run as far as 5 miles a night in search of food, and perhaps it is just an inbred habit from their past in that they like to take food with them as they are running.  I find that if I try to remove any food from the wheel, they only put it straight back in again.

Sorry I can't give you any definitive answer.

Regards