# Mike wont run on his wheel! what do I do??



## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

I am concerned. I have had mike for over a week now, and he has only run on his wheel twice. It was the first two days I got him. Now he wont run on it. I have put wet kitten food on it in a spot that I know his little feet wouldve touched. I also put a small peice of banana on the top, which was left untouched. He likes to sleep UNDER it, but wont go on it. He has the big comfort wheel, which is big enough for him with room to spare, so I know it isnt too small or anything. What do I do if he isnt running to get his exercise? He gets played with everyday, but is that enough? Thanks! :?


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

I would probably leave the food off of the wheel....he may think it is a food bowl, or just doesnt think the smell of the food is that apealing. Trust me, you will know when he runs. His wheel will be a huge poopy mess...lol. I would take the food out, wash it really well to get all of the smells off of it and just set him in it every time you put him back in his cage, he will eventually get the drift. Also, make sure the room is dark and quiet at night, if it isnt he may feel vulnerable and just wont come out of hiding to run. Even the tv being on is enough to keep Dora from coming out to play. Just hang in there and he will come around, some just take a little time to get the hang of it.


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

He'll figure out what the wheel is for and will run if he feels like it. Some never take to wheels, some take some time to start using them. Like dorasdaddy said, leave the food off. In the meantime, just made sure the food he's eating isn't really fattening (below 15% fat content) and wait to see if one day you wake up to a poopy wheel.


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## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

Okay, I washed the wheel, cleaned it well. I only put the food on it last night make sure he wasnt runing on it. I dont know what the content of his food his? I threw the bags away- I use Iams kitten, Royal canin and spikes delight.... I switched it a few days ago when I was informed zoo vital wasnt good to use in my mix. I took out the science diet and zoo vital. Ill try to put him in his wheel tonight when I put him back, along with turning all the lights off. What else can I do for exercise if he wont take to the wheel? I play with him a lot and he gets out time, but I know that isnt the same as the wheel


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

some hedgies like to swim...dora can take it or leave it....i would probably get away from teh kitten food since it is alot higher in fat. Pick one from the dry cat food list in the diet and nutrition forum, they are your best bets....maybe leave in the royal canin and slowly add a lower fat to his diet


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

Ingredients:
Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Meal, Corn Grits, Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Dried Beet Pulp (Sugar Removed), Fish Oil (Preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Brewers Dried Yeast, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Inositol, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Rosemary Extract.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude protein (min.) 34%, crude fat (min.) 22%, crude fiber (max.) 3%, moisture (max.) 10%, ash (max.) 7%, magnesium (max.) 0.095%, taurine (min.) 0.16%, omega-6 fatty acids* (min.) 2.5%, omega 3 fatty acids* (min.) 0.25%.

Not only is it WAY too high in fat, it also has a high corn content and chicken by-product meal is the second ingredient....both of these are not very good, as corn is very hard for hedgies to digest adn the by product jusnk is just plain nastiness.....guts, feel, feathers, beaks and such coocked at a high temperature and ground up into a meal...just a filler with no nutritional substace...i would get rid of the Iams immediately and get one of the others from the list to start mixing in


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## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

k, will do. Can I just do spikes and royal canin? The other option was chicken soup... will that be a good mix? This is why Im glad I found this forum, or I would end up with a fat, sick hedgie...lol


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

What type is the Royal Canin? If it's an adult formula and not a kitten formula, it's probably fine.
I tend to keep the bags in case there's a recall on foods (although I always hope not, of course). They don't take up much space, and I have a storage container where I keep extra hedgie toys and liners so I just put them in the bottom of that.
Spike's Delite is fine with some cat food in the mix, but should definitely be second to cat food and not fed on its own. If it's cheaper for you to buy a bag of another good cat food, then you could just leave Spike's totally out if you wanted to do so.
You can do Chicken Soup and Royal Canin along with the Spike's, if you want. Many people use several different foods in their mixes, and this is useful in case the hedgie decides it doesn't like one or one is discontinued--that way you have something to fall back on. I personally like the Wellness foods , and my hedgie has both Chicken Soup and Wellness in his mix. When you buy, take a look at the labels. The values you're looking for are about 30% protein and 15% fat or less. The first few ingredients should also include a meat source. This list covers all those requirements: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15

It sounds like you're doing fine, don't put yourself down. You'll learn a lot as you get more time with your hedgie. Just read the forums and learn as much as you can, and feel free to ask questions when you're unsure of something.


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## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

Thanks! I am going to buy new food today, where do you get wellness from? I see it mentioned on here a lot. I was using royal canin baby cat, but changed it to adult (cant remember the exact name, sorry). I would never use spikes alone. That isnt good. I mix about 1 lb spikes with 2 different 2 lb bags of cat food. I will get spikes, royal canin cat (adult, not kitten) and wellness or chicken soup.... oh and good news! He was running on his wheel last night!!! I was so excited!


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## Zalea (Sep 12, 2008)

Check with your local pet stores. I get mine at Pet Supplies Plus.
This might help. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/ On the menu at the top, there's a button that says "where to buy" that will tell you store locations for your area. They also have a newsletter "club" called the WellPet Club where, if you sign up, you can get coupons in your email every few months for like $5 off a bag of dry food.

Glad to hear he's running!


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## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

okay, so mike is running on his wheel- he ran about 1/2 hour this evening and will probably run more tonight/early morning. I again switched his food to royal canin adult, spikes delight wellness and chicken soup. He is still getting his 3-4 mealies a day and loves those! He isnt big on any fruit, veggies or antyhing like that. Is it absolutely imperative that he eats fruits and veggies? He has normal poops, and a ton of energy, but hes mostly a cuddler. He just lays on the corner of my arm/elbow and sleeps or on my leg. I honestly never realized how absolutely adorable and loveable they are!


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## rjhammy (Oct 9, 2008)

Hi Stephanie! *waves* 

Glad to hear Mike is running on his wheel. At first, Steve refused to run on his wheel when I'm in the room. I know he's running because I hear him in the middle of the night. But right when he senses me in the room, he stops!

One day, I tried to play "who is more stubborn" and heard him wheeling. Then I went into the room, and he stops in his wheel and stares at me. I stayed in the room, doing other stuff... hoping he would start wheeling. NOPE! My stubborn little guy curls up and starts sleeping in his wheel! He wins!

But right around a year old, he's finally accepted me as more than just a mealworm dispensing machine. Now he doesn't care who's in the room and will continue to wheel.


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## stephanie (Feb 23, 2009)

yay!! rj hammy! its always nice to see a familiar face  He loves his wheel now... i wake up to a poopy wheel everyday. I have also realized Mike is a cuddler, and not so much an explorer. He curls up and sleeps on my lap all the time- hes doing it now even.... He gets mad at me and nudges if I dont pet him... I love his personality!


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