Hamster Wheel Loader
A hamster scurries on a spinning exercise wheel, legs blurring and body bobbing, for waits that are clearly somebody working hard. The rungs are a rotating dashed border.
Also known as: hamster running animation, running wheel loader, hamster loader css.
HTML
<div class="ldr-hamster-wheel" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span class="ldr-hamster-wheel-wheel"></span> <span class="ldr-hamster-wheel-hamster"></span> </div>
CSS
.ldr-hamster-wheel {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
position: relative;
width: var(--s);
height: var(--s);
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
left: 30%;
bottom: 0;
width: 40%;
height: 50%;
background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 35%, transparent);
clip-path: polygon(50% 0, 60% 0, 100% 100%, 0 100%, 40% 0);
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel-wheel {
position: absolute;
left: 5%;
top: 2%;
width: 90%;
height: 90%;
box-sizing: border-box;
border: calc(var(--s) / 20) solid var(--c);
border-radius: 50%;
background: radial-gradient(circle, var(--c) 0 calc(var(--s) * 0.032), transparent calc(var(--s) * 0.037));
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel-wheel::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
inset: calc(var(--s) / 40);
box-sizing: border-box;
border: calc(var(--s) / 14) dashed color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 45%, transparent);
border-radius: 50%;
animation: ldr-hamster-wheel-spin 1s linear infinite;
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel-hamster {
position: absolute;
left: 30%;
bottom: 18%;
width: calc(var(--s) * 0.4);
height: calc(var(--s) * 0.23);
border-radius: 60% 70% 45% 45% / 75% 85% 35% 35%;
background:
radial-gradient(circle calc(var(--s) * 0.022) at 78% 40%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 25%, #000) 90%, transparent),
var(--c);
transform-origin: 50% 100%;
animation: ldr-hamster-wheel-run 0.25s ease-in-out infinite alternate;
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel-hamster::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
right: 22%;
top: calc(var(--s) * -0.04);
width: calc(var(--s) * 0.08);
height: calc(var(--s) * 0.08);
border-radius: 50%;
background: var(--c);
}
.ldr-hamster-wheel-hamster::after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
left: 22%;
top: 88%;
width: calc(var(--s) / 22);
height: calc(var(--s) * 0.07);
border-radius: var(--s);
background: var(--c);
box-shadow: calc(var(--s) * 0.18) 0 0 var(--c);
transform-origin: 50% 0;
animation: ldr-hamster-wheel-legs 0.25s linear infinite alternate;
}
@keyframes ldr-hamster-wheel-spin {
to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}
@keyframes ldr-hamster-wheel-run {
from { transform: translateY(0) rotate(-3deg); }
to { transform: translateY(calc(var(--s) * -0.03)) rotate(2deg); }
}
@keyframes ldr-hamster-wheel-legs {
from { transform: skewX(35deg); }
to { transform: skewX(-35deg); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-hamster-wheel, .ldr-hamster-wheel *, .ldr-hamster-wheel::before, .ldr-hamster-wheel::after, .ldr-hamster-wheel *::before, .ldr-hamster-wheel *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.