Animals

Running wheel for a hamster with his own hands

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In the article I will describe the process of making the wheel for running a hamster from the available materials. I'll tell you about hamster simulators: what they are and why they are needed. I will give recommendations on how to teach your pet to the jogging wheel and how to do it yourself.

How to make a running wheel with your own hands

Hamsters are very energetic. In nature, they sleep during the day, and at night they go in search of food, while they are able to travel several kilometers. Some hamsters also fall or numb.

It should be washed 1 time in 2 weeks.

It is not necessary to buy a simulator for running in a pet store. It is easy to make at home.

Having an unnecessary hard drive from a computer, you can make a silent, durable, fast-rotating product.

Dimensions of the running wheel must fully comply with the size of your pet.

Materials and tools for manufacturing

  • non-working or old hard drive
  • thin screwdriver
  • tin (aluminum) clean drink can, with a flat bottom,
  • a knife or scissors for cutting metal
  • superglue or hot melt glue
  • soft rough material
  • wire or plastic ties.
Materials and tools for the wheel

Assembly instructions

  1. Disassemble the hard drive by unscrewing the screws from the cover and plates. The twisting element inside the disc is a spindle. It must also be freed from the screws and pulled out.
  2. Cut the jar at the desired distance from the bottom (5-7 cm). Edge process to become smooth. If the tin bends, at the bottom of the jar you need to attach a circle or slats of plastic, thin wood to the glue.
  3. Stick the spindle in the center of the bottom of the jar precisely. When properly positioned, the spinning accessory does not vibrate.
  4. From the inside, cover the treadmill with a soft protective material against sliding and erasing of the legs, securing it.
  5. Thread the wire or tie through the holes in the spindle and carefully fasten it to the bars of the cage.

Varieties

There are different running simulators. What unites them is that these are circles set in motion by a small animal running around. They are either open on one or two sides, or they have slots on them to enter inside.

There are the following types that differ:

  1. The material of manufacture. For sale, usually made of plastic or metal, homemade can be made of wood, cardboard, etc.
  2. Method of attachment. It can be one-sided on the wall of the cage or stand, two-sided on the stand, in the form of an inclined disk.
  3. Sizes. Circles with a different diameter and width of a path are issued.
  4. At the cost of.
Usually rodents are with great interest to the new accessory

Requirements for running wheels

It is a mistake to hope for its resistance to active use and rodent teeth. Plastic product will serve less wood or metal.

Criteria that need attention:

  • suitable size: the pet is loose in the drum, its back is not bent when moving. The diameter of the circle is 14-16 cm with a width of 5 cm. The track is suitable for a small animal, 18-24 cm with a width of 7 cm - for a large one,
  • reliability of construction and fastening: the accessory should not loose, swing, fly off the ground if the stand is double-sided, the required distance to it is at least 1 cm. Otherwise, the hamster's body parts could get into the connection with injury.
  • ease of travel: the pet will appreciate the fast rotation, and the owners will appreciate the noiseless,
  • material safety: it should not contain dyes and harmful substances, be slippery, with sharp edges,
  • the ability to push off when running: suitable track from a fine grid or solid with notches, low crossbars.

Therefore, a drum with a grill or slats is undesirable - there is a possibility of injury if the pet's paws fail between the bars.

The hamster wheel is an indispensable accessory that you can buy or make yourself

How to teach a rodent to use the accessory

The likely reason is that the animal does not know how or does not want to move in a circle.

In the first case will require training. To do this, they put their favorite food inside the simulator in front of the hamster to force them to move forward. Put the animal in the drum and gently nudge. Close the exits of the accessory for a while so that the hamster will get comfortable.

In the second case, it is worth finding out the reason for inattention. If the pet is not old and healthy, perhaps he does not like something - size, material, difficulty of access, tight rotation, noise. Eliminating the causes will arouse interest.

It often happens that after the first use of an accessory, the hamster suddenly loses interest in it

Habituation and training of a young animal takes up to several days. If the hamster does not run in a circle, you should choose a replacement - a special disc, a walking ball.

It is necessary to approach the choice intelligently, taking into account the size of the animal and the safety requirements. The running wheel can be purchased ready-made or made from improvised means. And if your hamster bites, you can wean him from this bad habit.

What is a hamster wheel for?

Practice shows that the overwhelming majority of hamsters are active at night, not counting the rare exceptions, preferring the daily lifestyle. The silent running wheel will be an excellent addition to the rodent's cage, providing it with the ability to run as much as the steppe nature of the animal, which is used to run over a dozen kilometers per night, getting food for itself. At the same time, the constant activity of the pet will become invisible to the owners, since the wheel made by the hands will be a full-fledged counterpart of the store that does not create extraneous sounds.

Before you begin to design a simulator for hamsters, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for running wheels, as described below. An important point will be the preparation of the rodent for a new object in the cage, since the animal will first have to learn how to use the wheel, and then teach it. So, first things first.

To prevent the hamster from getting injured the wheel must be the right size, without sharp edges

For the convenience of the hamster, the surface of the future wheel should be flat and contain small serifs so that the rodent can hold onto it and move without sliding. A ribbed surface made of corrugated cardboard will be an acceptable option. If slippery metal is used as the base material for the simulator, it should be wrapped with a soft cotton cloth, securing the covering with glue.

A quality wheel should be like this:

  • silent in work,
  • suitable diameter
  • with serifs inside,
  • easy to rotate
  • do not create vibrations
  • firmly fixed.

The diameter of the wheel must be selected in accordance with the size of your pet. Do not forget that for large breeds the size should be not less than 18 cm, and for dwarf ones - not less than 12 cm. As a basis, you can use a bulk tin can or a thick piece of cardboard. Pay attention to the surface of the product: ideally, there should be no dyes on it at all. If the running wheel is planned to be made of cardboard, then the basis can be a regular CD-ROM, which must be glued to the bottom of the container. It is desirable for this purpose to take a transparent disk.

Basic requirements for wheelbase:

  • choosing a metal circle as a frame, consider the smooth edges of the product to protect the hamster and yourself from possible cuts. It is better to deal with cutting tin bottles or other containers with special scissors designed for metal,
  • rotational element of the wheel can be made from the spindle taken from the hard disk, or use the engine of the old drive. It must be firmly attached to the bottom of the container with hot melt,
  • if thin tin is taken as a basis, prepare an additional bottom of plastic or wooden strips attached transversely to the surface. Make sure that the spindle is attached exactly in the center of the product, which will ensure its quiet operation. Even the millimeter error will lead to the opposite result.
Pay special attention to the wheel mount.

At the end of the topic about the quality home wheel, it is important to say about the mounts. Making the simulator of metal, you only need to glue the spindle and fix the wheel on the cage, so separate fasteners are not required. But in the case of a cardboard product, fixation of the walls along the bottom is required. For this purpose, it is necessary to make small holes along the perimeter of the bottom of the workpiece, into which wall protrusions will be inserted afterwards. You can attach the wheel to the cage walls with wire or plastic ties. To do this, use the free space in the spindle, attaching wire to them and securing its edges from the outside of the cage.

Running wheel from the hard drive

A domestic rodent will certainly appreciate the item that the owner will try to make comfortable for hamster training, and will devote most of his time to running exercises. To make a simulator with your own hands, you must comply with the conditions of the sequence of work. So we start tinkering:

  1. We take out the old hard drive, take a screwdriver and remove the cover from it.
  2. Remove all the bolts that hold the mirror plate.
  3. We take out the spindle and unscrew the bolts, disconnecting it from the holding frame.
  4. We cut out the tin capacity around the circumference, having previously calculated the required diameter.
  5. We fasten cotton fabric (or other material with a porous structure) on the inside of the product with glue.
  6. One more layer is fastened along the whole bottom, so that the wheel can become noiseless.
  7. Next, fix the spindle on the bottom.
  8. It remains to install and fix the finished wheel to the cage walls.

Video: how to make a wheel for a hamster with a hard disk

By the way, in addition to the metal case, you can make a running drum of plastic objects. To do this, you need to stock up with a plastic box from CDs and a curved construction dowel with a nail (90 ° bend). From tools you need an awl, jigsaw and drill. The conditions of the problem are as follows:

  1. We take out a plastic box, we measure a distance of 5 cm from the top.
  2. We draw a flat line around the entire circumference of the box and, moving along the measured line, we saw it with a jigsaw.
  3. In the next step, we will need a drill with a diameter of 0.6 cm, with which we begin to make holes using a drill.
  4. Next, with an awl we make small holes around the entire circumference of the box, not exceeding a diameter of 0.3 cm. We maintain a distance between them of about 5 mm. Punctures do exclusively from the outside of the product.
  5. On the ground cut pass through the skin, smoothing the sharp roughness.
  6. Insert the dowel in the center of the box and fasten the wheel on the rodent cage.

Running wheel with generator

Other owners are armed with various wheel-making techniques and come up with a wheel for a hamster with a bearing, equipped with an additional bonus in the form of a generator. Make such a wheel is not very difficult if you follow the instructions step by step. So:

  1. First you need an old CD drive. This device initially has a convenient form, suitable for mounting in a cage and will not require cutting with a jigsaw, achieving the desired size.
  2. It is necessary to remove the trim from the drive carefully, then the board and get to the bearing.
  3. Running wheel, if it has wide spaces between the twigs, we cover with a strong transparent film.
  4. To attach the bearing, you can use a normal disk (preferably transparent or light tone). The disc must be glued to the wheel with superglue.
  5. Then we glue the bearing to the disk on a small round pad.
  6. Fasten the device to the wall of the cage on the bolts or in any other convenient way. To do this, you can use the metal circle taken from the can. The circle is applied to the grille from the outside and secured with small screws or bolts.

There is one more simple way to make a home rodent wheel, but the condition of the existing skills is important here, since the simulator will have to be cut out of wood materials. We need 2 pieces of plywood, from which we need to cut 2 circles of the same size. Do not forget that the diameter of the circle is selected in accordance with the size of the animal. Next, the resulting blanks are connected to each other, intertwined with rods and fastened to the walls of the cage.

We learn a rodent to use a wheel

If your pet gets a running wheel for the first time, you need to tell him how to use the simulator correctly.

Place a rodent's favorite treat inside the work surface, repeating the procedure several times. With each approach, try to lay a piece of food on a higher level, so that the animal starts to turn the wheel, delving into the principle of its work. If the delicacy was powerless, try to block the exit from the drum, then the pet will be forced to look for a way to get out and start running around the wheel.

When a rodent gets acquainted with a new subject and fully recognizes how to use it, the simulator will become its usual occupation, and fascinating running exercises will be an integral part of every day!

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Features of the structure of the running wheel

In order for the pet to be comfortable, the wheel must be designed in such a way that it has a flat surface with small gaps, thanks to which the animal will be able to move along it and not slide off. It is best to use corrugated cardboard, whose surface is made in the form of edges. In the event that you make a wheel of slippery material, you will need to treat the surface with a cotton cloth, putting it on glue to the main structure, which will allow you to remove the slip on the simulator.

Features of a good running wheel:

  • No noise.
  • Right size.
  • The presence of internal serifs.
  • Lightweight when rotating.
  • No vibration.
  • Availability of strong and reliable fastenings.

Dimensions of the running wheel should fully comply with the size of your pet. It is worth remembering that large hamsters fit wheels at least 18 cm, but for representatives of dwarf breeds need at least 12 cm in diameter.

The basis for the simulator can serve as a metal can, or a piece of cardboard of sufficient density. You also need to take into account the fact that the materials used for the design of the wheel should not have any dyes and toxic substances. If you decide to design a wheel out of cardboard, a CD-ROM pre-glued to the bottom of the container is quite suitable as a base.

The nuances in the manufacture of running wheel

During the selection of the frame made of metal, you need to pay attention to the fact that the edges of the structure were smooth. It is best to use scissors for metal during production - this will allow to prepare the material correctly, and will save the pet from possible injuries.

A spindle from a hard disk will be suitable as an element of rotation, or it is possible to use a drive engine. The part needs to be fixed to the bottom of the structure with the help of hot glue.

If you use material from thin tin, you need to additionally strengthen the bottom. To do this, you can use a suitable piece of plastic or strips of wood. It is necessary to carefully fasten the spindle strictly in the center of the design, since due to such an attachment, the running wheel will work silently, and it should be borne in mind that a deviation of even a millimeter can cause squeaking.

Another factor that you need to pay attention to during the search for an answer to the question of how to make a wheel for a hamster with your own hands is the presence of high-quality fixings. Running metal simulator does not imply any additional mounts, except for attaching the spindle to the center of the structure, and fixing it in the hamster's dwelling. But the cardboard product requires additional mounting of the simulator walls along the bottom. You need to create around the perimeter of the bottom of the recess, in which you can insert the projections of the walls of the structure. You can use plastic ties or wire as an attachment to the pet cage.

Begin assembly of the running wheel design

The wheel for the Syrian hamster, as well as for its other relatives, made by hand, will certainly please the pet, and it will spend a huge amount of time in it. Для того, чтобы правильно создать конструкцию, необходимо выполнять все очень внимательно, следуя такой последовательности:

  • Нужно взять старый жесткий диск, и при помощи отвертки удалить с него крышку.
  • Убрать все болтики, держащие зеркальную пластинку.
  • Вынуть шпиндель, откручивая все болты, крепившие его к устройству.
  • The capacity of the tin must be cut to a pre-calculated diameter.
  • Fasten cotton fabric to the container walls using hot melt glue.
  • Attach an extra layer to the bottom - this will allow the simulator to work silently.
  • Fix the spindle at the bottom of the structure.
  • Attach the finished simulator to the home hamster cage.

For a treadmill, you can also use plastic objects. You need to take the storage capacity of the disks and the dowel with a nail, the bend of which will be 90 °. It is also necessary to prepare a drill, jigsaw and awl. It is necessary to observe the following sequence:

  1. Prepare a plastic box and measure a distance of 5 cm from the top on it.
  2. Draw a line across the entire container and cut the box with a jigsaw.
  3. It is necessary to make holes with a drill and a 6 mm drill.
  4. It is necessary to create an awl of no more than 3 mm across the entire surface of the workpiece, and the distance between the holes of approximately 5 mm should be observed. Pierce the container from the outside.
  5. Places punctures need to smooth out and remove all irregularities.
  6. The dowel must be inserted into the center of the structure and fastened to the cage wall.

Another way

Some breeders create a home trainer for their hamster using completely different methods, while using a bearing and a generator. To create such a running drum, you need:

  1. Prepare a CD-drive, which already has the desired shape and does not require additional processing and fitting the desired shape for the simulator.
  2. Remove the casing and board from the drive, thus reaching the bearing.
  3. If the wheel has a large gap between the rods, it is necessary to additionally provide it with a dense transparent film.
  4. To fix the bearing you need to use a transparent or light disc, which is attached with glue.
  5. Next you need to glue the bearing to the disk.
  6. Attach the home treadmill to the cage in any suitable way. For example, use a tin wheel from a jar, which is attached to the outside of the cage with a screw or bolt.

If you have certain skills in working with wood, you can make a running drum out of wood. Need to cut two circles of plywood of the same diameter. It should be remembered that the size of the circles should be done in accordance with the size of the pet. After that, you need to fasten plywood circles to each other, at the same time twine them with twigs, and then attach them to the rodent's cage.

Schooling hamster to the race wheel

If your home hamster turns the wheel for the first time, you should help him properly use the simulator. You can put your favorite pet food in the drum and repeat this process several times. Treats should always be placed at different levels, so that the animal tries to get to it and understand the principle of the drum. Another method of training is to close the exits from the wheel, which will force the animal to move around the simulator in order to get out of it.

After a short period of time, your pet will surely get comfortable and will be happy to spend time on your new favorite simulator that you did with your own hands.

What should be a good wheel for running

Requirements in the selection of a place for an animal are to comply with the following recommendations:

  • Hamsters are afraid of drafts.
  • Do not like too hot and cold places.
  • Dampness.
  • It is not recommended to put the cage on the floor or windowsill.
  • It is important to put the cage in a non-smoky room.

The bottom of the cage must be covered with dry wooden sawdust. Should ensure the activity of the hamster, for this it is necessary to put in a cage:

  • Rope for climbing.
  • Swedish wall.
  • Running wheel.
  • Labyrinths.

These devices will help your pet meet their motor needs, which will help extend its life and improve health.

How to choose a wheel for a hamster?

The pet store provides a wide range of products for the pet, including a variety of wheels for the hamster cage. But It is worth noting that the choice of this type of device must be guided by the following basic rules:

  • Pay attention to the size of the wheel.
  • In the selection, be guided by the size and age of the pet.
  • When rotating the wheel mechanism there should be no squeak and hesitation.
  • Pay attention to the structure of the wheel itself, it must be solid, without gaps, since the hamster can injure the foot.

Material of manufacture of the rotary mechanism:

  • Environmentally friendly wooden mechanism and parts manufacturing.
  • Stainless steel.
  • Plastic.

Getting treadmill running wheel

Each of the owners of small pets is committed to providing them with decent care and to give all their love. But it should be borne in mind that the hamster is a night animal, so it is necessary to ensure the need for its activity. Following our recommendations, you will be able to create the perfect wheel for the hamster with your own hands and without spending a single penny.

How to make a hamster wheel from a computer disk and tin can

Material for making their own hands:

  • Disk computer internal (system) in a faulty state.
  • Can.
  • Insulating tape.
  • Clay Moment.
  • Wire.

First of all, at home, unscrew the lid of a broken computer hard drive, disconnect the metal cylinder, then cut the can so that its height is about seven centimeters in height. After all the manipulations done to the bottom of the cut bank, glue the device to create a rotational movement from the broken hard drive. To ensure the safety of the hamster, the sharp edges of the jar should be lined with cloth and insulating tape.

Cardboard wheel

This is one of the easiest options for creating a wheel. To do the work you need the following materials:

  • metal thin tube, spoke,
  • cardboard sheet
  • scissors,
  • glue,
  • ruler,
  • compass.

At the first stage of work it is necessary to apply two identical circles with a compass, then it is necessary to cut off the base and the wall of the wheel. On the circles cut rectangular holes. Next, you need to cut a long strip of cardboard. It will be cut from cardboard paper track. After all these actions, we proceed to the assembly of the mechanism of the device itself. We take the two resulting circles, glue our straight path between them, then we determine the center and thread the wall with a needle. Then we attach the mechanism to the cage with a wire so that the wheel does not come off.

Plastic Bottle Wheel

This method of wheel for a hamster from bottles is quite elementary. To make a hamster wheel, you need the following materials at hand:

Cut the plastic container so that it is about seven centimeters high. Then take a dowel with a diameter of one centimeter and a curved nail. Insert the nail into the dowel. In the center of the bottom of the bottle, make a hole and insert a nail cap into it. Secure the rotating mechanism in the cage with a dowel.

In the creation of your pet's cage accessories, it is not necessary to go to specialized pet stores, you can make them yourself, while making the wheel yourself from scrap materials. Be sure to process all components with soda and soap solutions to comply with all sanitary and hygienic standards and rules for the care of animals. Ensure the safety of your pet by revealing all sharp edges to prevent injury.

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