Trixie 61011 Running wheel, plastic, ø 28 cm (Assorted)

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Rhodes, J.S., Gammie, S.C. and Garland, T., Jr., 2005, Neurobiology of mice selected for high voluntary wheel-running activity, Integrative and Comparative Biology, 45: 438-455. It is a criminal offence to ignore the requirements of The Animal Welfare Act: – to provide a suitable environment and to protect your pet from pain, injury and suffering. When selling unsuitable products retailers are misleading you as a customer to break the law. Rayner, Matthew (2004). Hamster. Milwaukee, Wis.: Gareth Stevens. ISBN 9780836846171 . Retrieved 21 June 2020.

Choice tests with mice have also shown a preference for larger wheels (17.5cm over 13cm in diameter) and a preference for plastic mesh over rungs and over solid plastic as a running surface. [4] More acrobatic species, such as the canyon mouse ( Peromyscus crinitus) and the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus) can develop preferences for wheels that force the animals to jump, such as square wheels or wheels with hurdles along the running surface. [5] [6] [7] Use by animals [ edit ] An ocicat on a running wheel Wheels which are smaller than 28cm (11″) should not be advertised as being suitable for a Syrian Hamster. Gattermann R., Weinandy R., and Fritzsche P. 2004. Running-wheel activity and body composition in golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus). Physiology and Behavior 82: 541-544. To make it worse, hamsters are nocturnal creatures too, which means you can often say goodbye to sleep and hello to midnight marathons.Blue Cross is one of the UK’s leading animal charities established over 125 years ago, they recommend the following hamster wheel sizes for different species: Choice tests with Syrian hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus) have shown that they prefer larger wheels; the animals chose a wheel diameter of 35cm (14in) over 23cm (9.1in), [2] which itself was preferred over 17.5cm (6.9in). [3] The majority of hamster wheels are made from either plastic or metal. Metal is obviously a stronger material and is far more durable than plastic, but it is also harder to clean. Wooden wheels are also available and usually the quietest, however, they require varnishing to prevent stains and don’t last as long. Stands/ Fitting Beaulieu, A.; Reebs, S.G. (2009). "Effects of bedding material and running wheel surface on paw wounds in male and female Syrian hamsters". Laboratory Animals. 43 (1): 85–90. doi: 10.1258/la.2008.007088. PMID 19001065. S2CID 22308514. A hamster in a running wheel equipped with a generator can generate up to 500mW electric power, enough for illuminating small LED lamps. [ citation needed] Use in science [ edit ]

Mrosovsky, N.; Salmon, P.A.; Vrang, N. (1998). "Revolutionary science: an improved running wheel for hamsters". Chronobiology International. 15 (2): 147–158. doi: 10.3109/07420529808998679. PMID 9562919. Tierärztliche Vereinigung für Tierschutz ( TVT) recommends wheels should be at least 20cm (8″) for Dwarf Hamsters and at least 30cm (12″) for Syrian Hamsters, since smaller diameters lead to permanent spinal curvatures, especially in young animals. “ The research also found that hamsters use their wheel for an average distance of 8.3km per night. Kolb, E. M., E. L. Rezende, L. Holness, A. Radtke, S. K. Lee, A. Obenaus, and T. Garland, Jr. 2013. Mice selectively bred for high voluntary wheel running have larger midbrains: support for the mosaic model of brain evolution. Journal of Experimental Biology 216:515-523. Smaller dwarf and roborovski breed hamsters don’t require a huge wheel, and something between 16 cm and 18 cm should suffice! This would not be comfortable for larger breeds such as Syrians though, and if your hamster is a portly species you’re best off purchasing a wheel of 20 cm or more. Design

To provide a suitable environment and to protect hamsters from pain and suffering the following changes need to be made so that pet keepers are not breaking the law:

A related exercise device is a running disc. This is a rotatable shallow bowl, or slightly concave disc, which is set an angle to the horizontal. [40] Some commercial refuges for caged rodents have a disc mounted on the roof at a slight angle. The rodents run on the rim of the disc in a similar way to running in hamster wheels. a b c Reebs, S. G.; St-Onge, P (2005). "Running wheel choice by Syrian hamsters". Laboratory Animals. 39 (4): 442–451. doi: 10.1258/002367705774286493. PMID 16197712. S2CID 21311908. The Hamster loving community get frustrated to see tiny wheels being advertised as suitable for both Dwarf and Syrian Hamsters (This is probably because it would only fit a tiny cheap cage).

Reebs, S.G.; Maillet, D. (2003). "Effect of cage enrichment on the daily use of running wheels by Syrian hamsters". Chronobiology International. 20 (1): 9–20. doi: 10.1081/CBI-120018329. PMID 12638687. S2CID 21925891. Sherwin, C.M., 1998, The use and perceived importance of three resources which provide caged laboratory mice the opportunity of extended locomotion, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 55: 353-367. The neurotransmitter systems involved in wheel-running behavior have received considerable study. [29] Recent evidence suggests that changes in both dopaminergic and serotonergic tone alter running-wheel activity. For example, one study in mice has shown that several antidepressant medications (all of which directly or indirectly enhance serotonergic tone) suppress running-wheel activity without suppressing general locomotion. [30] The endocannabinoid system also contributes to wheel running in a sex-specific manner in rodents. [31] Mice from lines that have been selectively bred for high levels of voluntary wheel running have altered responsiveness to drugs that alter dopamine and endocannabinoid signalling, and enlarged midbrains. [32] Animal welfare considerations [ edit ] A hamster wheel or running wheel is an exercise device used primarily by hamsters and other rodents, but also by other cursorial animals when given the opportunity. Most of these devices consist of a runged or ridged wheel held on a stand by a single or pair of stub axles. Hamster wheels allow rodents to run even when their space is confined. The earliest dated use of the term "hamster wheel", located by the Oxford English Dictionary, is in a 1949 newspaper advertisement. [1] Preferences [ edit ]Often, hamster wheels sold along with a hamster cage are too small. Despite this fact, hamsters will continue to use the small wheels and over time it can cause damage to the spine. Therefore, these wheels should be replaced with a suitable alternative. Any wheels with spokes or mesh should also be replaced, due to the risk of feet getting caught. https://www.hamsterwelfare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Tiffany-video-how-a-hamster-should-look-in-a-wheel.mp4 Cages which are too small to accommodate at least a 6.5″ wheel should be banned. This wheel size is only suitable for a Roborovski hamster (the smallest type). A cage that is too small to fit a 6.5″ wheel can not provide a suitable environment for any species of hamster. Recent theory suggests that hamster balls are not recommended for exercise outside of the cage. The balls prevent the rodent from using touch (whiskers) and smell to navigate the area. It also restricts airflow and can catch toes/tails in the slits meant for airflow.