Hamsters won’t run themselves to death, but that doesn’t mean they can’t. While it might seem like your hamster is running a lot, their wild counterparts run up to five miles per day, so it’s not necessarily abnormal. However, if they're running a lot in a hamster ball, this behavior can indicate stress and their attempts to escape rather than enjoying the exercise. Hamsters won’t run themselves to death, but that doesn’t mean they can’t. While it might seem like your hamster is running a lot, their wild counterparts run up to five miles per day, so it’s not necessarily abnormal. However, if they're running a lot in a hamster ball, this behavior can indicate stress and their attempts to escape rather than enjoying the exercise.