Every hammy needs an exercise wheel in its cage -- to run (or, rather, waddle very fast) in, relieve stress, and fight off everyday boredom.

There is a multitude of wheel types on the market -- and unfortunately, some are not very good for hamsters at all! If you have a metal wire wheel, please read the warnings and tips towards the end of this page!

Get Your Hammy Computerized!

What about going a bit over the top and add some electronics to your hammy's wheel just for fun? Today, you can get hold of cheap bicycle computers that may just as well be installed on your hamster's wheel. This will produce a wealth of unnecessary data for you to collect and process!

1. Get a bicycle computer. There is a large variety for sale, but all perform basically the same task. Nice features to look out for:
   • Being allowed to set the wheel circumference to small numbers, so that it can be set to directly match the hamster wheel size. (Otherwise, you have to set the wheel size as a multiple of the actual size and perform some arithmetics when you read the results).
   • A stop-watch function that starts and stops automatically when the wheel is moving - then you'll now exactly how much time your little friend spends on the treadmill!
2. Attach the magnet to the backside of the wheel (where the hammy can't get at it).
3. Attach the sensor to the cage.
4. Fix the wheel in place so it doesn't move around in the cage, since the gap between the sensor and the passing magnet must be small and consistent. This is easily done in a wire cage - turn the wheel stand upside-down or sideways, and attach it to the roof or side of the cage (see picture). The way I have done it, Jane can't get at the magnet or sensor -- also, make sure the cable from the sensor is away from the cage, so the hammy doesn't pull it in and chew it up.

Now, all you need to do is to get out that log book and start the research!

Note: There are commercially available wheels with the same type of computer already built in. But this way, you don't have to compromise with the quality of the wheel.

Things I Haven't Yet Attached to the Wheel

• Electric generator
• ABS brake system
• Fireworks
• In-flight entertainment system

Modifying a Wire Wheel for Safety and Speed

Sadly, many hamsters to not have access to the wheel they need (or deserve).

The small plastic wheels that you get along with many cages are often flimsy and too small, at least for Syrian hamsters. The hamster should be able to run without having to curve its back downwards in order to fit inside.

At least in Sweden, the most common wheel sold separately is of the "open metal wire" type, with a metal stand, axles on both sides, and wire rungs to tread on. This is bad in more ways than one:

• A hamster's feet are too small. It will constantly place its feet between the rungs, which may damage the feet and legs.
• A hamster prefers a wall to hug while running. In a wheel with two open sides, it will run "sideways" in an unnatural way, constantly seeking for the wall that isn't there, and risk getting caught between the wheel stand and spokes.
• Even if a hamster learns how to work the wheel, it will still not get up to anything near natural speed.

Note that there are many alternatives to wire wheels that work better for your hamster right out of the box, but the procedure below provides a pretty good fix to the problems, at least temporarily. Fellow hamsteress(?) LuvDFuzz has a good wheel page with info and pictures of various wheel types. Take note of her warnings!

Jane now has a ready-made, solid wheel, but this is how I fixed up the original metal wheel while looking for a replacement:

1. I put a strip of transparent plastic around the outside of the rungs, and simply taped it together. This provides a solid surface to run on.
2. Also, I covered one side of the wheel with plastic -- just cut out a disc with the same diameter as the wheel, make a hole in the middle to allow the axle to come through, and tape it in place. This gives the hamster the "directional support" it needs.
3. Finally, the wheel stand was attached to the top of the cage. This way, there is virtually no risk that the hammy gets caught between the wheel stand and the spokes, even if it decides to jump sideways suddenly and at speed.

Modified wire wheel (seen from below -- the stand is tied to the cage top)

Note: When you have finished, you should study the hamster carefully at first, and make sure it doesn't gnaw at the plastic or tape. But done properly, and with the wheel fixed to the side of the cage so it doesn't get to the outside of the plastic-covered side, it should work OK.

Tip 1: Apart from washing the wheel, you could also replace the plastic now and then, if it gets too worn and ugly.

Tip 2: If the wheel starts squeaking, grease the axles with some vegetable oil (such as olive oil). Your hammy will probably lick off most of it, but enough should stay in place to stop the squeaking.