A study by the Royal Society in 2014 aimed to answer the question of whether or not hamsters, mice, and other small rodents would still run on a wheel if they were in their natural habitat.
Here's what they found...
Scientists set up wheels in a public urban park and a protected dune area and set up a motion detector and lighting (that would not be detected by the rodents) and took measures over the course of 4 years.
Wheel running was intentional and frequent, with some mice returning to run multiple times and sessions lasting up to 18 minutes.
Wild mice ran in exercise wheels placed in nature, even without food rewards - proving the behavior is natural, not just a captive habit.
The findings debunk the idea that wheel running is a stereotypical or neurotic behavior caused by confinement, and support its use in scientific research on exercise.
Myth? Debunked!!