How far do hamsters run?

Hamsters love to run, especially at night. Let's find out just how far our furry friends will travel...

According to most experts, including Wikipedia, hamsters can run up to 9km per night. That's about 5½ miles! We're not sure it's always as high as that but it's certainly what a super-fit and motivated hamster is sure to achieve.

Hamsters need to be active. In the wild they will run many miles to explore and find food to stuff into their clever cheeks. It's their instinct. That's why providing your furry friend with a wheel is the perfect way to keep them happy and active.

Putting it into perspective

5½ miles is quite a long distance to run for a human, nevermind such a small creature as a hamster. Here's a few examples to help show how far a hamster can run - and how long it would take a hamster to travel some famous distances.

Name Description Distance Would take a hamster... Mount Everest The tallest mountain in the world 8,848 metres 1 night A marathon The famous long-distance running race 26.2 miles 5 nights Channel Tunnel The underwater tunnel linking the UK to France 31 miles 6 nights M25 The motorway around Greater London 117 miles 3 weeks River Nile One of the longest rivers in the world 4,184 miles 26 months Great Wall of China The world's longest wall 13,170 miles 6½ years

It's quite incredible to think that a hamster runs as far as Everest is high in just one night.

3 weeks to do the M25? Given the amount of traffic jams, that's faster than travelling by car!

Hamsters love to run - and as they are nocturnal it's generally between dusk and dawn. Make sure your hamster cage has a wheel - to keep your furry friend active, happy and healthy.