How to Exercise a Hamster

Pet hamsters need exercising, just as you do too. Providing opportunities for adequate exercise and for promoting your hamster's curiosity is an important part of maintaining your hamster's good health. Try some of the following fun ways to get your hamster to exercise.

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Exercising Your Hamster

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1
Provide the cage with a hamster wheel or "tread-wheel". This is a wheel that turns about when the hamster steps inside and causes the hamster to run as he continues to turn it around. When choosing a hamster wheel or tread-wheel, the following is recommended:
- Ensure that the wheel is solid. If your hamster chews a great deal a solid metal wheel is best. Never use a mesh or barred wheel - these can cause serious injury because the feet can get stuck between the slats or bars.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Check the wheel for size. Syrian/Golden hamsters need wheels that are at least 8" in diameter although 10" plus-sized wheels are guaranteed to be large enough for their entire life. Dwarf species require wheels to be a minimum of 6.5" in diameter. Wheels that are too small can cause severe back problems and is often a reason for hamsters not using them and subsequently becoming bored.
- Don't place a hamster wheel into a cage with a nursing mother; the mother may lose interest in her young and young hamsters tend to try to get in the wheel together and run on top of one another, thereby creating the potential for injury.
2
Give your hamster a hamster ball. A hamster ball is another great way to give your pet some fun exercise in a safe way. The beauty of a hamster ball is that your hamster cannot fit under anything and get stuck; just make sure that the lid to the ball is closed tightly so that your hamster doesn't get loose. Also make sure that there are no stairs or other drop-offs that your hamster could roll over. As with wheels, ensure that they are large enough to prevent damage to their spines.
- When using a hamster ball outside the cage, be present at all times so that you can fend off any other pets or hazards before they turn into a problem.
- It is a good idea to lay down a hula hoop on the floor to provide a boundary that prevents the hamster ball from going anywhere else. You should still watch your hamster in the ball but this makes it easier to keep your hamster in one place.
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3
Provide the ability to indulge in climbing. Hamsters love to climb, which is why providing a cage with horizontal bars on it is a great way to encourage your hamster to climb (it also provides terrific ventilation). Of course, the downside for you of a bar cage is that the mess drops out easily. Try to find ways to deal with this, such as having newspaper laid across the surface where the cage sits, or locating the cage inside a much larger base container to catch things that fall out.
- If you have a Roborovski hamster, choose a mouse cage over a metallic hamster cage because the young ones can squeeze between the bars and escape.
4
Provide toys. Play is exercise and toys are the tools of play that lead to exercise. There are quite a few hamster toys you can improvise, or you can buy them from the pet store if preferred. Here are just some ideas to get you started:^{[2]XResearch source}^{[3]XResearch source}
- A piece of sisal rope: Hang it from the top of the cage. This is great for climbing practice.
- Build hamster toys out of household items such as empty kitchen and toilet paper rolls. These are very similar to the movement provided by the hamster ball, these will delight the hamster for ages until he discovers he can chew it up too!
- A stump of wood or tree twigs taken from fruit or willow trees. These will give the hamster something to chew on (jaw exercise) as well as material to carry about and build with.
- Small smooth stones or pebbles of interesting shapes: These could act like mini-weights, as the hamster carries them about, rolls them, and tries to build things with them.
- Tin cans which have had all sharp ends removed. This can make a good metallic tube for the hamster to explore.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Jar without a lid. This can be another fun place to explore and roll around in.
- Boxes with multiple openings. This can provide good exercise through hunting and seeking to get through and around the boxes. You could also place differently sized boxes inside a large container to make an open playpen for your hamster to explore.
You can buy hamster tubes to create an elaborate labyrinth for your hamster to climb in. This gives the hamster a lot of places to climb and plenty of tubes to run around through. Buy a few to extend your cage, or buy many to make the tubes cover an entire wall. Remember, Syrian hamsters might not fit in the tubes and get stuck, so make sure your hamster is small enough to get through the tubes.

Part 2

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Knowing How To Care For Your Exercising Hamster

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Hamsters need exercise to prevent them from becoming obese and to mimic the running about that they'd be doing if they lived in the wild. Insufficient exercise for your hamster can lead to obesity,^{[5]XResearch source} and even to paralysis in some hamsters. The great thing about hamsters is that if you give them the means to exercise, they will.
Hamsters get bored if they don't exercise. They may become lethargic, irritable, and destructive. Bored hamsters can chew on the cage and destroy items in their cage. They may also be difficult to handle. Exercising a hamster will keep it happy and help prevent this.^{[6]XResearch source}
3
Protect the hamster from hazards. When your hamster is playing outside its cage, make sure you hamster-proof the room. Hazards such as electrical cords, toxic plants, small hiding spaces, pets, and drop-offs like stairs can cause injury to your hamster. Try putting your hamster in a playpen.
- If you have the hamster out of the cage, make sure you are supervising it so it doesn't get hurt.
4
Keep the water supply topped up. Hamsters need to stay well hydrated. Ensure that the hamster's water supply is adequately filled at all times.
- If the hamster is playing outside of its cage, like in a hamster ball, make sure to make the hamster take a break every 15-20 minutes so it can eat and drink water. You can place them in the ball 2-3 times a day.

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Question
Do hamsters eat dead animals?
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Expert Answer
Hamsters are omnivores and will happily snack on a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and small insects such as mealworms or crickets. Some owners do give their hamster small amounts of chicken, as an occasional treat. However, giving a lot of meat in your hamster's diet is not advisable due to the high protein content. Hamsters, however, are unlikely to scavenge and eat the carcasses of dead animals.
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Warnings

Not all hamsters will enjoy a tread-wheel. Don't force your hamster to use exercise equipment it doesn't like; it's no different from you preferring different ways to exercise.
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If you have the hamster ball outside the cage, be careful about other pets as dogs and cats are easily attracted to the constantly moving ball. Keep a watch on your hamster in its ball at all times!
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Make sure the door of the ball and cage is shut; you don't want to track down a fast-moving hamster.
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Hamsters climbing on their cage bars can be a stress behavior and it may be a good idea to provide your hamster with a different habitat instead.
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Be aware that some hamsters can become a little too attracted to their tread-wheel and turn obsessive about using it.^{[7]XResearch source} If you notice your Syrian hamster using the wheel non-stop to the point of exhaustion, take action to prevent this from continuing. Simply remove the wheel from the cage for all but a few hours each day.
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Never force a hamster into a ball, allow them to go into it and only close the lid if the hamster is willing to stay on its own. Not all hamsters enjoy balls.
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