Hello! I've had my dwarf hamster Bobo for a few months, so I think he's around 5.5 months old, and he has pretty much adapted to my schedule, so he comes out of his burrows in the afternoon, hangs out as he sees fit, and then, closer to my bedtime, burrows back into his bedding where I assume he sleeps. Yesterday afternoon, I put some new Niteangel sprays in his enclosure because he hasn't had more than one or two flowers in his enclosure for a week or so while the new ones were in the freezer. He was immediately very curious and sniffed them, running around and diving into them and playing, which I didn't really expect, because in the past he's kind of ignored his sprays. Granted, most of these were flowers, so maybe he was just excited by the new scents. But anyway, I left him be for an hour or so, and when I came back, he was running on his wheel. That's also fine, but keep in mind that he usually runs for a bit and hangs out and then burrows, and he doesn't usually spend so long out and running, so I was surprised.
Fast forward fourteen hours, and he's still running! He gets off his wheel sometimes to run around the enclosure, sniff his sprays and water bowl (the water bowl is new as well, but I washed it thoroughly before giving it to him) and maybe go through a tunnel or two, and then runs right back onto his wheel. He does get a drink sometimes. He spends maybe half a minute off his wheel every time he gets off his wheel. I've also seen him run a circle around his wheel a few times before he jumps back on.
What the heck?! This is way past his bedtime, and he almost never spends such a long time up from his bedding, let alone just spending it all running. Obviously I haven't been sitting and watching him for all these hours, but his enclosure is in my room, and from 6 pm to midnight, and now when I woke up at 7, every time I look at him, he's running. He has a vet appointment today just for a check up, and I thought I might mention this sudden increase in running to them. Is it worth mentioning? Is this normal behavior after receiving new sprays?
I included a picture as well!
Fast forward fourteen hours, and he's still running! He gets off his wheel sometimes to run around the enclosure, sniff his sprays and water bowl (the water bowl is new as well, but I washed it thoroughly before giving it to him) and maybe go through a tunnel or two, and then runs right back onto his wheel. He does get a drink sometimes. He spends maybe half a minute off his wheel every time he gets off his wheel. I've also seen him run a circle around his wheel a few times before he jumps back on.
What the heck?! This is way past his bedtime, and he almost never spends such a long time up from his bedding, let alone just spending it all running. Obviously I haven't been sitting and watching him for all these hours, but his enclosure is in my room, and from 6 pm to midnight, and now when I woke up at 7, every time I look at him, he's running. He has a vet appointment today just for a check up, and I thought I might mention this sudden increase in running to them. Is it worth mentioning? Is this normal behavior after receiving new sprays?
I included a picture as well!
I notice you mention he goes to bed when you do. However hamsters are awake most of the night and asleep most of the day. Some dwarf hamsters do get up during the day so he has a nice routine with you. But he will be up for quite a bit of the night as well. Do you have a petcam? When I've watched playback on the petcam from most of my hamsters, they tend to spend the night doing a bit of foraging, a bit of grooming, a lot of wheel running, and going back to the house for a nap on occasion.