FAQ: Wheels for small pets

Usually yes, as small pets rely more on smell and touch than on sight. Keep the wheel in the same place, low and stable, so the animal finds it easily and climbs in safely.

While the leg heals, a vet may advise removing the wheel temporarily so the animal does not overload it. Return the wheel only after talking to the vet, once the animal moves freely again.

They are fabric or rope tunnels hung at the top of the cage that animals can climb through and rest in. They are especially popular with rats, degus and chinchillas, while tunnels on the floor suit hamsters better.

Calmly try to cut or take the tunnel apart carefully, without pulling the animal by its legs or tail. If you cannot free it safely or it is injured, see a vet, and choose wider tunnels in future.

Yes, some owners link the cage and pen with a tunnel so the animal can choose where to be. The tunnel must be wide enough, firmly attached and gap-free at the joints, and the pen must be safe without constant supervision.

Sturdy tunnels made of untreated wood, ceramic or hay, and fabric hanging tunnels suit chinchillas and degus. Plastic tunnels are best avoided, as these animals chew them up quickly.

Yes, ceramic tunnels are heavy so they do not tip over, are easy to wash and cannot be chewed, and they feel pleasantly cool in summer. They suit hamsters, gerbils, degus and chinchillas, provided the diameter matches the animal’s size.

Yes, rabbits love tunnels in a garden pen too, but the tunnel must be wide and sturdy and stand inside an enclosed, predator-proof area. Avoid tunnels that heat up quickly in the sun.

Natural tunnels made of hay or cardboard are replaced when they get damp, soiled or fall apart, while plastic and ceramic ones are washed during the general cage clean. If the animal pees in a tunnel, it needs cleaning more often.

Rats need as roomy a pen as possible where they can run, climb and explore, so a whole safe room is often more practical. Since rats climb and jump well, the pen must be tall or covered.

Gerbils jump well, so they need tall, smooth walls or a covered pen. Add a box of bedding for digging and some hideouts, because gerbils can feel unsafe in an open space.

Lay a waterproof base or washable mat under the pen and an absorbent fabric or bedding on top. A litter box can go in a corner, because many small pets tend to go in the same spots.

Only in suitable weather, in the shade and under constant supervision, because a balcony quickly gets too hot or too cold. Check that the animal cannot squeeze through the railings and that the pen is covered against birds and cats.

After use, a foldable pen is cleaned, dried and stored in a dry place. Wash fabric pens thoroughly before folding them away so they do not start to smell or go mouldy.

Fabric pens are light and convenient, but small pets can chew through them and escape. They suit short supervised sessions for calmer animals, while a metal pen is better for keen chewers.

Yes, degus and chinchillas chew furniture, cables, wallpaper and books, so valuable items in the running area must be removed or covered. The safest option is a specially prepared space with chew items.

A dig box is a container of deep bedding, sand or coconut fibre in which a small pet can dig. Digging is a natural physical activity for gerbils, hamsters and degus, so it complements a running wheel well.

Instead of putting all the food in a bowl, scatter or hide some of it in the bedding, tunnels and on shelves. Searching for food makes the animal move, sniff and explore more, just as in the wild.

For climbing animals such as rats, mice, degus and chinchillas, several levels offer more ways to move. For hamsters and guinea pigs a large floor area matters more, and high levels can be dangerous for them.

Yes, rats learn well, so tricks, obstacle courses and treat-search games are excellent physical and mental activity. Sessions should be short and treat portions small so the animal does not gain weight.