Exercise wheels are an essential part of every hamster’s cage setup. Without them, hamsters wouldn’t have enough to do, lacking the physical and mental stimulation needed for life as a pet.
Hamsters like exercise wheels due to their natural desire to travel long distances. Also, they sleep 12 hours daily, so they have lots of energy when they awaken.
Exercise wheels minimize boredom, burn off weight, and prevent stress-related stereotypies, such as bar biting and monkey barring.
Exercise wheels must be large enough to accommodate a hamster’s size and prevent its spines from curving, as small wheels can cause spinal damage and joint pain.
Do Hamsters Need an Exercise Wheel?
All captive hamsters need an exercise wheel, regardless of species. A wheel is almost as important to a hamster’s physical health and mental well-being as food or water.
If hamsters don’t have enough to do in captivity, they become bored and stressed. Stress can be fatal because their hearts can’t cope, so owners must do everything possible to prevent it.
Wheels have other vital uses, which is why hamsters love running on exercise wheels:
Physical Activity
According to Live Science, when wild hamsters are awake between dusk and dawn, they spend their time:
- Foraging for food
- Digging burrows
- Breeding
- Running away and hiding from predators
Pet hamsters must have plenty of opportunities to be physical, as it enables them to express their natural behaviors and live as closely as they would in the wild.
Simply exploring their cage night after night and burrowing doesn’t provide enough stimulation.
Prevent Obesity
Without an exercise wheel, hamsters would spend their days eating and sleeping, increasing their risk of weight gain. Experimental Animals describes how obesity is well-established in hamsters due to their unhealthy, high-sugar diets.
Not only do wheels keep hamsters in shape, but they ensure their hearts remain healthy, meaning they’re less likely to develop health conditions, such as diabetes.
Ease Boredom
We’ve mentioned how hamsters become bored if they don’t have enough to do.
Even though hamsters are small, they rely on enrichment to relieve stress and anxiety. A bored hamster will engage in self-destructive behaviors to entertain and self-soothe itself, such as:
- Bar biting
- Excessive grooming
- Monkey barring
- Pacing up and down the cage
Do Hamsters Like Running on Wheels?
Exercise wheels enable hamsters to cover a similar distance to what they would in the wild.
Even the largest hamster cages don’t provide enough unbroken floor space for hamsters to run the miles they’re instinctually programmed to.
Wheels are a great way for them to burn off excess energy and sharpen their cognitive function.
Running also releases the same endorphins that we experience when exercising. This makes hamsters feel good, which explains why they’re so happy to run on their wheels for hours without stopping.
Because most hamsters sleep for approximately 12 hours throughout the day and take naps during the night, they have lots of energy to expend before dawn.
What Kind of Exercise Wheel Is Suitable for Hamsters?
Choosing the right size wheel is essential. Laboratory Animals discovered that hamsters prefer larger wheels measuring 35 cm in diameter.
Small wheels cause spinal damage and long-term issues, such as arthritis and fractures. As a result, any wheel that makes your hamster’s spine curve is too small.
Due to the potential health issues, hamsters have specific wheel size requirements depending on their species, which consist of the following:
| Hamster Species | Wheel Size |
| Syrian hamsters: | 28 cm (11 inches) in diameter |
| Chinese hamsters: | 26 cm (10 inches) in diameter |
| Dwarf hamsters: | 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter |
Circular wheels are far better than truncated shapes. Not only that, but the wheel shouldn’t have a mesh surface because it causes bumblefoot and painful sores after prolonged periods of running.
Wire gaps are also dangerous as hamsters get their limbs stuck, which is among the most common causes of broken bones. Wood or plastic wheels are the most popular and safe for hamsters.
When setting your hamster wheel up, place it on the lowest section of your cage so that bedding doesn’t get trapped and stop it from running.
It’ll also prevent the wheel from falling on your hamster if it decides to burrow underneath it. Alternatively, place it on a wooden platform with dowels to minimize the risk of accidents.
How Do Hamsters Know How To Use a Wheel?
Hamsters are curious creatures who’ll explore every inch of their cage.
They have poor eyesight and can only see things close enough to them, so they rely on their sense of touch to determine what’s what. They’ll instinctively run as soon as they step onto the wheel and notice the ground move underneath them.
Some hamsters need help finding where their wheel’s located. If you’ve built a bond with your hamster, you can pick it up and place it on its wheel. Otherwise, try enticing it to step on the wheel with food.
Why Do Hamsters Run at Night?
Hamsters are described as both nocturnal and crepuscular.
The latter is more accurate as hamsters awake between dusk and dawn. Hamsters are active at night, so you’ll rarely see your hamster on its wheel during the day.
Your hamster runs at night because it’s too dangerous and hot to come out during the day in the wild. Captive hamsters aren’t too far removed from their wild cousins, so they haven’t lost these instincts.
If you notice your hamster running on its wheel during the day, it’s likely because its natural sleeping pattern has been altered. Keeping the lights on 24/7 will cause this unbalanced behavior.
Do Hamsters Run on Wheels When Stressed?
All hamsters deal with stress differently, as they’ll have different personalities.
Running is one of the main ways hamsters keep themselves stimulated. However, a hamster running on its wheel too much is one of the most noticeable signs of stress.
Happy hamsters should explore their cage, clean themselves in sand baths, and run on their wheel. Hamsters without enough to do will use their wheel as an outlet for stress.
While running shouldn’t cause any problems, monitor your hamster’s environment to determine whether there’s anything else you can add for enrichment.
Can Hamsters Run Themselves to Death?
Many hamsters run furiously on their wheels. Because of their small size and stature, it can seem as if their small bodies will give up at any moment.
Fortunately, hamsters will stop if they feel unwell, but you must provide adequate nutrition and a constant supply of fresh water to keep your hamster healthy.
While hamsters are unlikely to run themselves to death, excessive running causes:
- Painful foot sores
- Exhaustion
- Dehydration
Hamster wheel addiction also causes females to abandon their young, putting their lives at risk. Similarly to running due to stress, ensure your hamster has enough to do with its cage.
Why Does My Hamster Run On Top of His Wheel?
While their activity levels vary depending on how energetic they feel, they can run for hours.
Depending on their personalities, hamsters run continuously until they’re ready to do something else or take regular breaks to eat and explore.
You can determine how your hamster behaves by setting up a night vision camera and monitoring its movements. Put the camera where you can fully see the wheel.
Many hamsters climb to the top of their exercise wheel to escape their cage. The wheel provides them with enough height to reach the roof, where they attempt to make a getaway.
However, they rarely succeed unless the wheel’s stuck with bedding or another obstacle. Hamsters could also hurt themselves if they fall onto something hard.
How Long Can a Hamster Run On Its Wheel?
While hamsters’ activity levels vary depending on how energetic they feel, they can run for hours in captivity. Depending on their personalities, hamsters will either run continuously until they’re ready to do something else or take regular breaks to eat and explore in between sprints.
You can determine how your hamster behaves by setting up a night vision camera and monitoring its movements. Position the camera where you can observe the wheel.
Exercise wheels are vital for a hamster’s physical health and mental well-being. Choose one large enough to accommodate your hamster’s size.
If unsure, opt for a bigger wheel that won’t affect your hamster’s running ability.
