# Hedgie no longer running on wheel?



## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

Ollie used to always run on his wheel. A few months ago he stopped running on it. I took him to the vet and he said he may just be having some off time. Is this something I should be nervous about? Is there any way I can encourage him to start running? It's not because he is come because we have a space heater keeping him at the right temperature. He still eats and drinks like normal.


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## Hedgies<3 (Dec 2, 2012)

Look a his legs and feet for any abnormal things! Are his nails too long... they could be hurting him and that is why he isn't running. Are his stools normal?


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

He got his nails cut at the vet a week ago, he looked at his legs and everything and said he was fine. He's stools are all normal.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Has anything changed in his living space? New smells, new animals, cage position, lights on where they weren't before, etc? Has anything changed about the wheel or has he had a bad experience (falling out of it) with it? Is he moving around in other ways than on his wheel, like running around in his cage more? If he's not been using his wheel for a few months now and not been running around his cage much either, I'd be a bit concerned at the lack of activity, even if he's eating/drinking. You might consider bumping the temperature up a couple of degrees too, just to see if it helps.


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

Well my cousin has been staying with us and she usually keeps a small light on and the tv on. Could that be making him not want to come out?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It definitely could, especially if she's doing so where his cage is. Sounds like something needs to change there - I'd either see if she could do that somewhere else, move his cage somewhere else, or try putting a thick blanket between his cage and the light/tv, or over his cage to help block the light. That might help him be comfortable with coming out again.


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

The blanket doesn't seem to be helping.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You may need to ask your cousin to refrain from tv/lights after a certain time, then, or move his cage, and see if that helps at all. Has he still seemed to be active around his cage (running around the cage, etc.) and just not using his wheel? Or is he eating/drinking/sleeping with no activity?


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## OllieTheHedgie (Aug 4, 2012)

he is drinking eating sleeping with not much activity :\


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I dunno then...that would really be my only guess, is that your cousin's activity is bothering him. Is there anywhere else you can move his cage where he'll get absolute dark for 10-12 hours each night? I would be inclined to say take him to the vet, except you just had him there recently, so it seems like the vet would've caught any issues. Hopefully someone else will jump in with more ideas/opinions, if they can think of any.


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