Running wheels for rodents - species-appropriate exercise for hamsters, mice & co.
A safe and quiet running wheel is essential for many rodents to fulfil their natural urge to move. Our Getzoo running wheels offer the highest quality and safety - whether wooden running wheels, cork running wheels or plastic running wheels. Thanks to their quiet ball bearings, they run particularly quietly and are pleasant to use, even at night.
Our range includes different variants: Light wooden running wheels for a light, natural alternative, cork running wheels for a soft running surface and cork running wheels with metal inserts for particularly active rodents. We also offer plastic impellers for easy cleaning and impeller inserts to replace worn treads.
All running wheels are equipped with a closed back to prevent injuries. The stable base ensures a secure hold in the enclosure. Thanks to high-quality materials and craftsmanship from Germany, our running wheels are durable and ideal for species-appropriate rodent husbandry.
Discover the variety of our Getzoo running wheels and offer your rodent a safe, quiet and durable option for daily exercise.
Why shop at Getzoo?
- Made in Germany – Lovingly handcrafted
- Fast shipping – Processing within 24 hours, shipping next business day
- 30-day return guarantee – Try without risk
- Buyer protection – Secure payments via AmazonPay, Klarna & PayPal Plus (Invoice & installment payments available)
- Over 100,000 satisfied customers! Known from Amazon, Fressnapf & more!
- Species-appropriate rodent supplies – Approved by breeders & associations
The Getzoo wooden running wheels, only the best quality for hamsters, rats, mice and co.
When keeping pets, we naturally want our rodents (and other pets) to be as comfortable as possible. We at Getzoo would like to help you with species-appropriate hamster keeping, rat keeping, mouse keeping, chinchilla keeping, gerbil keeping and degu keeping. A running wheel is essential for these agile rodents.
In the wild, degus, hamsters, mice and the like move around a lot during their waking hours. This urge to move is therefore a completely natural desire of these animals, in order to be able to fulfil it and to offer our rodents a species-appropriate life, we have developed our wooden running wheels andcork running wheels for you. With years of experience, we already manufacture our high-quality wooden running wheels for hamsters, mice and other rodents.
A running wheel is essential for small rodents to be able to fulfil their urge to move. Important here: the right diameter. But how do you recognise which diameter is the right one? The following applies to all: the animal's back must be straight when running. There must be no hollow back, which would lead to health problems in the long term.
We offer the right wheel diameter for everyone:
Ø 21cm - Roborowski dwarf hamsters
Ø 27cm - small dwarf hamsters and small mouse species
Ø 30cm - large dwarf hamsters, small golden hamsters, mice
Ø 33cm - golden hamsters, larger mouse species (e.g. gerbils)
Ø 42cm - large golden hamsters, degus
Our recommendations are only guidelines! Are you unsure which diameter is best for your animal and are wavering between 2 sizes? Simply order the larger wheel. Thanks to the built-in quality ball bearings, the wheels run so smoothly that a larger wheel is no problem for your pet. The rule is: Better a little too big than too small!
Species-appropriate running wheels for rodents
Most running wheels found in pet shops are not species-appropriate. They are often far too small and this leads to back problems as the hamster has to adopt a forced posture that permanently bends its back when running, which can lead to health problems. You can prevent this by using a running wheel that is adapted to the size of the rodent, further information on this can be found on the article pages. Another major drawback is the running surfaces in regular running wheels, which are often fitted with rungs or only consist of rungs. Both can cause serious injuries to your cute little rodent. That's why our wooden running wheels are absolutely cleanly finished and sanded to create an excellent running surface. Our cork running wheels are a special luxury for hamsters (or other animals).
Rodents place high demands on their running wheels
Rodents run a lot. This is due to their very pronounced urge to move, which all rodent species have in common. Nevertheless, the term " hamster wheel" is usually used because it is the most common way of keeping them in a species-appropriate environment. However, increasing awareness and, fortunately, the internet are now ensuring that more and more rodents have access to these exercise options.
A rodent covers 20 to 30 kilometres, or in other words around 30,000 revolutions per night , in its running wheel. And that almost every day. Every now and then they deviate from the norm, so almost all females run even more when they are ovulating. The reasons for this can all be found in their nature. During ovulation, females cover many kilometres in search of a mate. They also spend several hours on their feet to find and collect food.
Ideal design prevents scissor effect
The wide, flat base leads directly into a mounting that runs behind the running wheel. The back is completely closed, preventing the rodent from jumping out of the wheel on either side. This means that a stand is only required on one side. This optimised design of our running wheels prevents the scissor effect from occurring.
This effect describes a painful and dangerous incident in which a rodent climbs out of the still-moving running wheel but becomes trapped in the base. Its body is crushed and the animal usually suffers internal injuries.
Our design allows your pets to hop in and out safely! At the same time, the wheels are stable and sturdy.
All of our running wheels are height-adjustable
Thanks to a height-adjustable running drum, each of our running wheels can be optimally adapted to the needs of your small rodent. At your request, the base of the wheel can be placed completely on the ground and the wheel can then be covered with high litter.
Rodent accessories made from softwood
You will come across this term again and again when you find out about keeping various rodents: Softwood. Coniferous wood is not a favourite among rodent keepers. But what exactly is softwood? Coniferous wood is raw wood, which is usually untreated and still has bark (sometimes glued on with a harmful adhesive) and is used to make rodent accessories. There are houses made of softwood, but softwood running wheels are also available. Untreated wood and bark can resinify, the resin that escapes can badly irritate the sensitive mucous membranes of our rodents and if they ingest too much of the resin it could poison them. For this reason, we only use high-quality wood that has no bark and is not resinous. We only use safe materials so as not to harm your rodent.
Wooden and cork running wheels, the advantages
- Stable: The stable and large base makes the wheel particularly stable regardless of the surface (wood, stone, glass...). This means that the wheel cannot tip over even if several animals are fighting over it.
- Safe: Thanks to the closed back, all parts that rotate against each other are always separated from the animal and therefore cannot become a hazard. So there is no dangerous scissor effect!
- Flexible: The height-adjustable base makes it possible to choose a flexible location in the enclosure. The height on the back of the wheel can be easily adjusted to the ground. Even in deep litter, the wheel has a secure footing.
Frequently asked questions about the wheels
It is often discussed whether the wheel should be made of beech wood or poplar wood, but for the rodent this is irrelevant. Because once it has acquired a taste for it, the beech wood won't stop it. That is why we have been using poplar wood for our wooden balance bikes for over 10 years.
We always measure the noise level at least one metre away from the balance bike. Because they don't sleep right next to the running wheel, do they? Once the rodent sets the wheel in motion, all you can hear from this distance is the sound of the animal tapping. The cork wheels are even quieter, as the cork layer acts as natural insulation.
Definitely! However, there is something to bear in mind. We use the natural raw material wood or Cork as the running surface for our running wheels and the wooden running wheel is pre-treated by us with a clear varnish, so the regular wooden running wheel can be wiped off with a damp cloth. We use a DIN 71-3 compliant clear varnish that is safe for rodents. If you have a particularly strong wheel pincer, we would recommend treating the wooden and cork wheels with at least 3-4 coats of DIN 71-3 clear varnish and, if necessary, repainting after wiping the running surfaces. This way you can enjoy your running wheel for a particularly long time. And so will your hamster.
Unfortunately, there is often a misconception that it is a quality defect when a wheel starts to wobble. Incidentally, the term "egging" is always used when an impeller appears out of round, as the imbalance generally causes the impeller to move slightly. This can result in additional noises, such as a humming or rattling noise, which is usually very slight. How much an impeller can vibrate depends on the diameter of the impeller drum. The larger it is, the more pronounced the wheel can eject. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with the product quality.
Wooden wheels "work" because wood "lives". This means that the material can warp slightly depending on the temperature. This does not bother the rodent and is not harmful to it. If it reacts nervously, then this is because you are watching it very closely because of the wheel that is egging. Give your pet time and you will realise that it is very enthusiastic about the wheel!
Every now and then, of course, a wheel may need to be re-oiled. But you can easily do this yourself! All you need is a cotton bud and a drop of cooking oil on the cotton wool. Rub this directly into the ball bearing and it will run completely noiselessly again - in the truest sense of the word!
First of all: our condolences!
There are many objects that a hamster can take over directly from its predecessor if they are cleaned well beforehand. This applies to the rodentarium, for example, if it is made of glass. Once everything has been wiped down and disinfected, aired out for a good week and it can be used again without hesitation.
Unfortunately, it's a different story with a wooden running wheel or a small house and the like. Especially as many hamsters are often wheel-peckers, the odour is stored in the wood via the urine. The following hamster would notice the odour and feel directly threatened in its territory.
Absolutely not! We only use types of wood that are absolutely safe to nibble on. No nails, staples or similar are used and only non-toxic wood glue is used to glue the wheels together. So you don't need to worry if your rodent gets hungry for one of our running wheels.
The running surface of the cork running wheel is lined with cork, which effectively dampens the running noise of rodents. Furthermore, we have already treated the wooden running wheel with a layer of clear varnish, which is of course non-toxic for rodents in accordance with DIN 71-3.
No, this is a widespread misconception. As a rule, animals always stop running when their urge to move has been satisfied. Only when they are under great stress do they continue to run even when they are exhausted.
As already answered in the question about which running wheel is needed for a golden hamster, the wheel should offer enough space for the animal. It must be able to stand absolutely straight in it without having to bend its back. However, if this happens, it is called a hollow back. And this can lead to serious physical damage, including a slipped disc. Did you know that herniated discs are one of the most common causes of death in hamsters?
There are definitely differences in size, even with golden hamsters, but we would always recommend the Getzoo Ø 33 cm cork running wheel (Ø 31.4 cm inside) or the Getzoo Ø 33 cm wooden running wheel (Ø 31.8 cm inside). There is definitely enough space for every golden hamster. But as each of our running wheels can be used by all rodents, you can of course also use the larger Ø 42 cm wheel.
Our running wheels all come with a high-quality wooden base and the running wheel is also height-adjustable. It therefore makes little sense to attach it to a cage. You can also place the wheel on one of our levels, for example.
We only offer our balance bikes in a natural wood colour. Of course, the wheels can all be decorated with wood varnish or acrylic paint according to your wishes. To do this, you should use a varnish or acrylic paint that complies with the DIN 71-3 standard. This is often referred to as toy paint or children's paint.
The Getzoo products are made from a natural product, so we cannot influence the colours and grain of the wood. Every accessory is therefore unique! Minor colour impacts, knotholes and structures in the wood, as well as slight traces of processing due to the high degree of manual work are normal and unavoidable.
