hamster............lazy

Question
hi! i read that thing about your hamster not running on his
wheel anymore........that exact same thing happened to me!
he is almost exactly one year old, too! anyway, im kinda
worried about him because he seems to be kind of lazy and
bored. ive tried out different toys and stuff but it doesn't
really work out.........he just ignores them. what's useful for
you? i just need some general advice. i may forget to check
back, so if you could just email me at philbob@usa.com
that would be good. thank you!

Answer
Hi Annie,

Make sure the wheel doesn't have rungs, which can hurt your hamster's feet.  You want a solid, comfortable wheel (that is the right size - 8 1/2" for Syrian hamsters) for your hamster.  Beyond making sure your hamster's wheel is comfortable, there's not much you can do to make him run on it.  This may just be a phase he's going through.

Also, as you've been doing, make sure he has toys in his cage to play with.  A popular choice of toy is by Super Pet.  It's called "Puzzle Pieces," and it comes in sets of 24 pieces, 58 pieces, 60 pieces, etc.  You assemble them as you wish, and your hamster will have a great time going in and out of the entrances.  And, be sure to play with your hamster often, so that he won't get bored.  If you don't already have a Run-Around Ball, I would strongly encourage you to purchase one.  Let your hamster run in the ball, supervised and away from stairs, for about 10 minutes each day.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Kelly