What Is A Hamster Wheel Good For? Why You May Consider One

Most people who have hamsters, mice or gerbils automatically know that a hamster wheel is put into the cage to give them someplace to exercise inside their cage when they need to run due to being bored, having excess energy or just wanting something to do. Gone are the days when you only had one or two choices… maybe up to five different designs and only a couple of different colors. Today’s hamster wheel comes in both freestanding and attachable designs that hook onto the opening at the top of the cage and also come in many different colors as well as materials.

Let’s talk about the materials that a hamster wheel can be made from today and a bit about which is better. Today the wheels are mainly made from either very durable plastic or metal mesh whose openings are very, very small given the fact that the hamster’s feet and toes are so small. Some people prefer to get the freestanding wire mesh or metal wheel for their hamster so that the hamster can enjoy the solid comfort of the metal underneath of it’s feet as it runs and exercises on the hamster wheel. Other owners prefer to get the plastic hamster wheel for their furry little critter. The next question that they need to decide upon is whether they will get an attachable or freestanding wheel that goes in the hamster’s cage itself.

There are also wheels that are built into other toys like race cars so that your hamster can enjoy running on his or her hamster wheel but yet be outside of their cage for a little while to get some good long exercise and play time with you, their owner, and other pets in the house (if there are any others). These particular wheels are sure to be a big hit with your furry little companion. The question of whether a plastic or metal wheel is better all depends upon your hamster and what you feel is best for them. If you are not sure, you might want to ask the sales person at the pet store or someone else who owns a hamster for their advice.

Another thing that you will want to think about is do you want a freestanding or attachable/hanging wheel. This is something that you are definitely going to have to decide upon as well when you are looking for hamster toys in general and the wheel specifically.

Ways to Quiet a Squeaky Hamster Wheel

About a month ago, I realised that one of my silent spinner hamster wheels was not as silent as before. Squeaking sounds came from the wheel as my roborovski hamster was running on the wheel. I was puzzled because I spent a few more bucks buying a silent spinner but it ended up making more noise than the normal ones. I Googled the possible reasons and solutions as to why my silent spinner was making these loud squeaky noises and came to realise the mistakes I have made and how it can be resolved.

Ways to quiet a squeaky hamster wheel

Use non-toxic lubricant to keep your silent spinner noise free! Strip your silent spinner and detach the axle from the wheel. Use a cotton pad, dapped with some lubricant, to wipe the axle thoroughly. Fix back the axle to your wheel and your wheel will be as good as new! Some lubricants you can use: Vegetable oil
Vaseline
Butter – wears out after awhile and you would have to apply it more frequently

If this method should fail and your hamster wheel is still squeaking, then you can try the following methods to solve your problem.
Instead of using a cotton pad to dap the axle of your hamster wheel, soak the axle in vegetable oil for an hour. Make sure that the plastic part does not get into the oil. After that, take out the axle and wipe it with a kitchen towel before fixing it back to the other parts of the wheel. This will prevent the vegetable oil from over-flowing into the wheel and getting onto your hamster.
Another method you can use is to move your hamster cage into a closet at night when you are sleeping. It will not make the wheel quiet but at least the sound will be more muffled as compared to leaving it outside of the closet. Remember to leave it slightly ajar so that your hamster will have some ventilation.
Lastly, and this should be your last resort, move your hamster cage out of your room.

These are some of the information gathered while searching for ways to quiet a squeaky hamster wheel. In the process of doing so, I have also came across 2 factors that might have caused your wheel to become squeaky and how you can prevent it.

Here are some of the reasons why your hamster wheels become squeaky and how you can prevent it.

Rusting of axle I have read in forums and some ‘online answers’ advising hamster owners to use vinegar to rinse their hamster’s toys to remove odour. This is an excellent method to remove odour but vinegar will oxidise the metal and cause it to rust. Once it rusts, the process will be irreversible. So my advice is to remove the axle from the wheel before rinsing it with vinegar and water. Then make sure it is dry before attaching the axel back to the wheel.
Wheels being used for a long time Because hamsters run a lot, the axle might get worn out in the long run. This wear and tear is caused by friction and can be prevented by lubricating your wheel frequently with the recommended lubricants mentioned above.

Conclusion

In my article, I mentioned 4 Ways to quiet a squeaky hamster wheel:

Lubricate using cotton pad
Lubricate by soaking
Leave your hamster cage in closet at night
Move hamster cage out of room

I have also mentioned the 2 causes of ending up with squeaky hamster wheels and how to prevent them:

Rusting of axle
Wheels used for a long time

I hope you have learned something new from my article and I want to emphasize that the lubricant use MUST be non-toxic. This is because the lubricant might get onto your hamster’s wheel and the consequences will be fatal if it ingests it. Another thing is, prevention is better than cure. So before your wheel becomes all squeaky and noisy, wipe the axle with a cotton pad soaked with oil. This will allow you to have longer lasting silent wheels. Wishing you and your hamster happiness!

Are You Following Your Dream or Lost on the Hamster Wheel of Life?

Society’s message is that we are to study hard, work hard, be responsible, get a good steady job, make more money, climb the corporate ladder and/or be in a ‘respectable’ job. Yes, a ‘respectable’ job…whatever that is! The message is heard throughout our lives and has a dramatic impact on all of us. Most of us believe we have no choice but to jump right on to that hamster wheel and keep running. In fact, sometimes people will not even tell others what their dreams are for fear of being ridiculed. It is no wonder the notion of following a dream at best gets little attention and at worst some really bad press.

And how many people right now are feeling that what society wanted of them has jumped up and hit them on the nose? What price complying when faced with losing one’s job? So let’s turn this notion right on its head and think about fulfilling dreams. Perversely, it’s a great time to do it when there are so many people who have lost or may lose their jobs

First, let’s distinguish between a ‘dream’ and a ‘fantasy’ because so many times people are very confused about what it means to follow their dream. How many times have you heard a successful person say that they are where they are today because they did what they loved and dreamed of doing or being. That’s what we mean by following a dream.

DREAMS: YOUR INNER YEARNING

The word ‘dream’ refers to what can be viewed as a ‘calling’ or a ‘vocation’. It is the inner yearning, the burning desire that comes from deep within the core of who you are. Your dream is an authentic passion that emanates from your essence. It is not the roles you fill (mother, daughter, father, son, executive, salesperson, etc.), nor is it the product of your ego mind. To live this dream would bring you a true sense of well-being, wholeness and aliveness, enabling you to live more in the ‘now’ than in the past or the future.

As an example, let’s say your dream is to be a dancer. If you are capable of dancing well, love doing it, are willing to work at it and are willing to accept the consequences of pursuing that avenue – the ups and downs and the insecurity – then it is not irresponsible or foolish to consider pursuing this dream. It is valid, heartfelt and a statement of who you are. Yes, it’s true you may or may not become successful at it or make enough money to earn a living by dancing. However, if the passion is there and you truly enjoy dancing, you will likely gain fulfillment and satisfaction in your life. And perhaps you can earn extra money in other ways if needed. You will, of course, have to stand strong against the negative reaction you may receive from others and the negative mind chatter that may pop up.

FANTASY: BORN OF THE EGO MIND

A ‘fantasy’ on the other hand, is something that originates in the ego mind rather than in your inner being. It may be something that is impossible to achieve or it is based on what you’ve been taught to believe is significant, such as that ‘respectable job’ or making lots of money. A fantasy usually shows up as materialistic or very self-indulgent. For example, you may say you want to become a rock star. If you aren’t very good as a musician or singer and don’t have the motivation to learn and work at it, you are more than likely caught up in a fantasy. Your wish may simply be to have the fame, money and excitement you perceive rock stars to have. Even following the path you believe to be right for you can turn out to be a fantasy because when you have achieved your desire you may realize that you do not feel fulfilled or satisfied. And this can and does happen to so many people.

BE COURAGEOUS AND FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

So what about you? Are you very clear and certain what your essence truly desires and dreams versus what might just be ephemeral fantasy? If this has you feeling stressed and confused, it is not surprising or unusual. Remember, you live in a society that promotes and glamorizes certain careers and lifestyles – and who isn’t, to some extent, drawn to the materialism that is deemed so important in our society? Yet you may experience a sense of discomfort because you are not naturally drawn to the pressures this type of lifestyle induces. If you feel this way, it’s worth taking time to listen because the ‘real you’ knows what is going to help you feel fulfilled and alive. This takes some serious introspection to determine the source of the motivation – is it authentic or superficial? How do we learn to know what we truly want (the dream) as opposed to what we are expected to strive for on that hamster wheel called ‘life’?

So even if you are facing unemployment, it’s pretty certain that the push will still be towards finding that ‘respectable job’ rather than taking the opportunity to follow your dream. The key is to stand strong and you will succeed.

When you decide to follow a particular dream a lot of emotions come up. You may feel a sense of freedom and adventure, of great aliveness. On the other hand your inner critic – that ego mind of yours – may present you with feelings of great turmoil and fear just by thinking about it. Negative mind chatter comes along with thoughts such as: “I’d be foolish and irresponsible. I won’t be able to earn a living. People will think poorly of me.” Remember when the negative crops up, you need to feel the fear – that’s OK – but don’t let it get in your way. This is where your inner strength comes into play.

In an ideal society, right from the start as a child, you would have been encouraged to follow your inner guidance, your inner desires to develop them throughout the various stages of your life. This may well not have been your experience. It is not too late, however, to remember that you, like every other human being, are unique and have special gifts and capabilities that when developed are of benefit to you and society. Ask yourself if you have consciously encouraged another person to follow their dream, or have you shown them the way to the hamster wheel?

NOW OR LATER: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

A few points to bear in mind – following your dream doesn’t mean that you will always love what you are doing in every given moment; there will be times when you may be required to do things to fulfill your passion that you do not love. And don’t fool yourself by thinking you won’t have to work hard or that everything will be exactly as you plan it. Following your authentic dream however does mean that you will experience an overall sense of direction, purpose and fulfillment as you pursue your dream. This has to be far better than ignoring your inner yearnings or putting them off until a ‘later’ that never arrives. And if the universe has presented you with the opportunity of unemployment, it’s given you the gift of choice – to follow your dream or return it to the back burner.

CHECK OUT IF YOU HAVE A DREAM OR ARE LIVING IN FANTASY LAND

Reflecting on the questions below can be a great help in determining whether you are following your dream or caught up in a fantasy.

o Do you continue to feel the same yearning from within?
o What are the feelings that accompany that yearning?
o Has the yearning faded and/or do other desires keep popping up?

When a yearning is really coming from your essence it will usually continue over the course of weeks, months, years, and so on. A fantasy may be more impulsive and fade away…a materialistic desire may keep coming up but it tends to me more erratic and changes depending on your mood or what the latest “in thing” is.

? Are you excited and alive in what you are doing right now or is what you are doing leaving you feeling drained and depleted?

An authentic dream would give you satisfaction and fulfillment and not leave you drained and tired. If you feel drained and tired, there is something amiss-you may be putting in too much effort or trying to make something happen that isn’t in alignment with your essence. Perhaps you are putting pleasing others before yourself.

? What are your expectations of your dream? Are they realistic?

If expectations are unrealistic and ‘out there’, that’s a sign of a fantasy. A dream may ‘seem’ to be unrealistic because of the inner critic and negative mind chatter that you may experience; however, when looked at thoroughly, you will find that your dream is a possibility. If you have thoughts such as, “That can’t come true for ‘me’ (yet it does for others)”, that’s a real sign of the inner critic at work-it is not a sign of a fantasy.

? Are you willing to accept the consequences of living your dream? Life gives us no guarantees.

When your authentic self truly desires something and you are able to recognize it as authentic, then you need to be willing to live with the consequences. By contrast, when you are engaged in a fantasy, you will want everything to go according to your plan with everything being perfect. You will not accept anything less because a fantasy is idealistic…a true dream is not.

? What would your life look like if your dream became a reality?

Envisioning how life would look can be a wake-up call. A fantasy can be uncovered when your vision shows you how totally idealistic, materialistic, and inauthentic your desire is. The fulfillment of a dream will make you feel good inside.

? What, if anything, do you have to give up to live your dream? . . . and to what extent are you prepared to deal with this?

When you realize what you have to give up to achieve your dream, it can cement your determination or it can uncover a fantasy. Fear is inevitable – so treat it with care, but don’t let it stop you from following what is truly a dream.

? Look into the future, how would you feel if you did not pursue this desire? Regret? Relief? Or something else?

If your desire is an authentic dream you would know that you would feel regret in the future if you didn’t pursue it. Instead, if you are holding on to a fantasy, you may realize right now that if you didn’t pursue it, it wouldn’t really matter much to you in the future. Or, perhaps you’d even feel relief if you were to decide to let it go.

The Curious Case of the Happy Hamster Rolling His Wheel on a Moving Walkway

Folks, I have great news for you. Forget what astrology told you. You’re neither a taurus, a fish, a pig or a snake, you’re a happy hamster rolling your wheel on a moving walkway.

The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, said that “you [could] never step in the same river twice” and so gave a timeless image of the linearity of life: time is always moving like the ever-changing water flowing in the riverbed.
But then rivers flow into the seas, water evaporates and condenses into clouds, the clouds bring back the fugitive under the form of falling rain. And that’s the circularity of life.

Stone monks from Tibet ODed one night and woke up the next day with the doctrine of reincarnation. That was the first cool attempt to combine the two perspectives. It was even cool enough to convince some of us sceptical braindead materialists to buy a tibetan dress and avoid walking on ground insects. The ant you nearly crushed could be Yitzhak Rabin’s second cousin and you don’t want to be called an anti-Semitic bastard, do you?

My metaphor of the hamster rolling his wheel on a moving walkway avoids such mishappenings and it has the advantage of depicting the whole life process. Two perpetual motions coexist without interacting. A first movement you can control (you roll your wheel at your own speed), a second movement you can’t control (that’s the moving walkway).
Rolling his wheel provides the hamster with an illusion of freedom, while the moving walkway sets the limits of this freedom, and gives to every hamster the same main tempo.

This fair combination of self-determination and bound temporality makes every hamster happy. The element of fun is brought by the race (the fit hamsters can try and overtake the unfit hamsters) and the fact that in the end there won’t be a winner or a loser (every hamster will fall and die at the far end of the walkway) ensures a friendly atmosphere.

So every hamster on his starting block: one, two, three, go!

Dwarf hamster has started peeing only in her wheel. How can I train her not to?

My dwarf hamster has always used a certain area or two in her cage for peeing, etc. She has always been clean like that and kept herself trained. The last couple of months though she has decided to use the wheel as her bathroom. She specifically runs to the wheel, jumps in, pees, and jumps out and goes about her business! Has anyone had success with those hamster potties? Or have a suggestion for what to do?

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My Hamster Has Decided To Only Go To The Bathroom In His Wheel?

It’s not one of those wheels that’s inside the cage; it’s connected to the cage by a little tube so it’s sort of like a different room from the cage.
This is annoying because some of the hamster piss gets on the TV tray his cage is on, and that smells bad. What is up with my hamster, and how do I change this behaviour?

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My Hamster Can Not Manage To Stop Spinning In His Wheel

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Look at that! one of my hamsters breaks its speed record and can not slow down any more!!! To get the hamsters’ speed : divide the speed written by ten, then you will have it in km/h.

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