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Hamsters have a great instinctive need to run and exercise. In the wild they lay Routes of about 15 km back in one night. They like to do short sprints.
To meet these needs of the animal, a running bike is ideal.
So a wheel is a must basic equipment a species-appropriate enclosure for hamsters.
Danger: Running wheels are important for the hamster. However, they replace no species-appropriate hamster enclosure! A hamster’s enclosure must be at least one square meter in size so that the animal can move freely.
The following article provides information about the requirements for the wheel, the different types of wheels and their disadvantages.
impeller requirements
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For a species-appropriate and safe impeller, this must be big enough and off Wood, plastic or aluminum consist.
The suspension should be provided by heavy legs. The running surface of the wheel must be closed and have a structure made of a natural material (e.g. cork).
Owners need to be aware of these when purchasing a running wheel for their hamster respect requirementssince many wheels are not species-appropriate and/or too small, even in pet shops.
The size
The impeller should have at least one diameter of 30 centimeters have. Hamsters are also happy about larger running wheels.
Running wheels that are too small can cause herniated discs in hamsters because the animals bend in the spine in small running wheels in order to be able to walk. This causes pain and is not species-appropriate.
The material
The material of the impeller must be wood, chip-resistant plastic, or aluminum consist. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Danger: Under no circumstances may wheels made of metal (with struts, holes) be used, as these do not have a closed running surface. This can result in serious leg injuries!
Wood
Wood has the advantages that it naturally is and therefore fits well in natural enclosures. The hamsters cannot injure themselves on a wooden running wheel, even if they chew on it.
The material also has advantages for the owner: the wheel is made of wood runs quietly and without background noise.
The disadvantage of wooden running wheels is theirs lack of hygiene: Some hamsters urinate into their wheels, making them difficult to clean. As soon as the impeller starts to smell like urine, it must be replaced with a new one.
Tip: In order to at least protect the running surface from the urine, it can be varnished with beeswax. This is natural and moisture absorbing.
plastic
If the impeller is made of plastic, it absolutely has to be shatterproof to protect the hamster from injury. Even if the rodent gnaws on the impeller, it must not splinter under any circumstances. If this is the case, good workmanship and longevity of the material are its advantages.
Other advantages of a plastic wheel are one easy and hygienic cleaning from this one, especially with “wheel peepers”. Plastic impellers can be easily dismantled for cleaning.
Disadvantages are a risk of injury if the impeller is poorly processed and a high noise level through the plastic impeller, as these often squeak during use.
aluminum
Arrange wheels made of aluminum all the advantages of plastic and wooden wheels. This makes them hygienic, easy to clean, shatterproof, noiseless and smooth-running. Aluminum impellers are particularly durable and indestructible.
One downside is that high price when buying the bikes.
The fortification
In order to avoid the scissors effect (that means the hamster is squeezed between the suspension and the struts), the wheel must always be attached to only one side, namely the closed side. Suspension of the bike on both sides must be avoided at all costs!
are even better Wheels with legs. When buying, make sure that the impeller stands securely on the legs without wobbling or even being tipped over. Heavy wooden legs are best.
Some wheels can also be hung from the ceiling of an enclosure, but this is not recommended. This construction is often shaky and noisy.
In order to avoid a loud background noise for people and animals, when buying the impeller on a good ball bearing to respect. Quality is preferable to a low price in order to be able to enjoy a quiet and smooth running bike for a long time.
The tread
The tread must completely closed be so that the hamsters cannot get their paws caught.
Under no circumstances should an impeller be bought with lattice bars as a running surface. These can lead to serious injuries and fractures in hamsters if the animals get caught between the bars.
The entire running wheel must also be completely closed on one side to protect the hamster from injury.
The tread must be a natural structure for walking have. A topping is recommended here corksince hamsters can walk on it calmly and evenly.
Many commercially available hamster wheels have rungs glued to the tread. These are not recommended, as the hamster can stumble or fall if the rungs are too far apart. Injuries or bloody paws are the result.
If there are rungs in the wheel, these may be a maximum of two millimeters high and the size of a paw. The distance between the paws must not exceed three millimeters. The rungs themselves should be filed slightly round.
At best, should rungs or steps in the impeller avoided or removed by the holder and replaced by cork.
Different types of impellers
There are different types of impellers to buy on the market. are recommended Wooden wheels, cork wheels, plastic wheels and aluminum wheelsas long as they meet all the prescribed requirements for a suitable bike.
Metal impellers must not be used.
wooden running wheels
Wooden wheels are made of wood. They are fitted with a quality ball bearing quiet and smooth-running in their use.
When buying a wooden running bike, a good quality Please note: Some wheels are made of sawdust or similar compressed and can splinter. Even softwood wheels can splinter or leak resin, so their use is discouraged.
Experts recommend wooden wheels from the manufacturers Rodipet and Getzoo.
A disadvantage of the wooden running wheels is that they have to be cleaned when the hamsters urinate. In addition, the urine can cause dark edges in the impeller, even if it is cleaned regularly.
cork wheels
are cork wheels natural and easy. They are special because of their tread, which is also made of cork paw-friendly and offer a soft and animal-friendly running.
This makes cork wheels particularly suitable for hamsters that have problems with their legs or paws.
The cork can be cleaned with a damp cloth. Dark residues from urine can also remain with this natural material.
plastic wheels
Plastic impellers are easy to disassemble and clean. They are particularly common in hamsters that urinate into their running wheel hygienic.
Over time, however, the plastic wheels can wear out and cause an unpleasant background noise (squeaking, rattling). With proper wheel care, plastic wheels are durable.
There are many plastic wheels on the market, but many do not meet the requirements of a good wheel and are more reminiscent of children’s toys than adequate furnishings in a hamster enclosure.
Experts recommend the Wodent Wheel/Wobust Wheel balance bike and the Silent Runner balance bike for these reasons.
Important: When buying a plastic impeller, it is important to make sure that it is Hard plastic, chip resistant and non-toxic plastic consists. Soft plastic wheels can splinter and hamsters like to chew on them. This can lead to life-threatening injuries (e.g. in the intestine).
Wodent Wheel impeller, Wobust Wheel impeller
The Wodent Wheel or Wobust Wheel running wheel is recommended for use in the hamster enclosure, as it meets all the described requirements for a running wheel.
Particular advantages are the ease of movement of the wheelas the wheel adapts to the movements of the hamster and stops immediately when the hamster stops walking.
In order to maintain this ease of movement for a long time, the Wodent Wheel/Wobust Wheel requires special wheel care in the form of greasing the axles with Vaseline.
The impeller is plastic and as such can be easily cleaned and disassembled for this purpose.
A disadvantage of the Wodent Wheel/Wobust Wheel is its unsteady stance. To compensate for this, a non-slip mat under the wheel on a separate level in the cage is suitable. If the impeller is in the litter, it can quickly be buried.
Silent Runner impeller
With the Silent Runner impeller, the name says it all: it is thanks to its high-quality ball bearings quiet during use and pleasant.
This impeller is also smooth-running and meets all requirements. The bike is attached to metal legs. A separate level is suitable for this, since the hamsters also like to dig up this impeller when standing in the bedding.
The running surface of the hamster wheel consists of fine grooves, allowing hamsters to walk comfortably, safely and evenly.
The Silent Runner wheel is available in a normal width (eight centimetres) and a extra wide width (over nine centimeters) to buy.
aluminum impellers
Aluminum wheels are rather unknown on the market, although they meet all the requirements of a good wheel.
They are either made entirely of aluminum or a material mix of wood and aluminum. The size of the running wheels can be made as desired, large running wheels with 60 centimeters are also available.
The treads of the wheels are completely closed and rounded on the inside and outside for comfortable running.
With a price of around 100 euros, aluminum wheels are more expensive than other types. That is what they are for through their material durable and put one one-time purchase represent.
metal impellers
Metal impellers are characterized by their suspension, construction and steps harmful to health and animal welfare.. The Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare also says so.
Hamsters can be seriously injured when using metal wheels. The scissors effect (which means that the hamster is squeezed between the suspension and the struts) often occurs with these wheels.
Important:: Metal impellers must not be used for hamsters…