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Old 04-10-2020, 07:42 PM   #1
Stella Maris
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Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Canada
Posts: 55
Default I made a wheel effort, but failed.

So Bean, my new Syrian, has a bilious green (no choice of colour in the store) 8” wheel which is a titch small for him. His back’s not bent, but his nose is practically getting polished as he runs. I wanted a nice, quiet 10” wheel. They’re incredibly expensive to ship from the USA, so I decided to build my own. I got together various bits and pieces, including a cast-off “fidget spinner” for the ball bearings, then spent all day making a big mess and much noise to create - ta da! - a 10” silent wheel. Job done!

Day one, midnight: Bean and his bin are gently placed in the bathtub overnight. Oreo (my Campbell’s) and his bin are gently placed on the countertop. (I live in a studio flat. Both my hammies, Oreo and Bean, make amazing noises drinking from their water dispensers. I give them both water in little candle holders. “It’s less strain on your necks!”, I say. But they prefer to mess up their water bowls, and drink from the dispensers. Sigh.) A subtle noise from the bathtub reveals that my hand-made hamster wheel, when loaded with an actual hamster, seems a bit unstable. It’s late, I’m tired. I grab a blue plastic ruler, bolt it to the stand, and . . . Job done!

Day two, midnight: Bean evidently enjoyed my wheel so much he peed in it. Sigh. Still, a quick wipe and good as new! We retire to our separate spaces for the night. “Clink, clink, clink…..” I think I can get to sleep despite the noise, but poor Oreo’s in the same room. I get up and ask Bean if I can borrow his wheel a moment. He’s reluctant, but eventually complies. A washer is a titch loose, which it needs to be to keep things spinning. I use masking tape to keep it quiet. . . Job done!

Day three, midnight: As I’m drifting off to sleep I hear jingle bells. ??? An investigation reveals that some bolts are coming loose from my wheel. (Well, I guess it’s Bean’s wheel, now that he’s peed on it!) I remove the bolts . . . Job done!

Day four, midnight: Wheel is making really loud clanking noises. I can’t sleep with that racket, the neighbours will probably complain, and poor Oreo will hate me forever! I drag myself from the arms of Lethe and investigate. Hmmm…. Evidently we needed those bolts. One AM finds me elbow deep in tools, bolts, and lock washers. Finally get the wheel stable and spinning, if not silently, at least quietly. Job done!

Day five, midnight: Bean seems to be working pretty hard to get the wheel to spin. I leave the bilious green 8” wheel in his bin just in case he prefers it.

Day six, morning: Bean is sitting in the green wheel. The handmade 10” wheel is pretty much frozen. I go on line and order two 10” wheels from the USA.

Job done!
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Old 04-11-2020, 02:51 AM   #2
Pebbles82
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
Default Re: I made a wheel effort, but failed.

Oh dear! It is amazing how much hassle hamster gadgets can be. I’ve been up till all hours before. I know it’s hard to get hamster wheels in Canada. Amazon sells the 12” silent runner which I found is a very long lasting wheel and safe and silent but prob comes from US as well with shipping costs.
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Old 04-11-2020, 04:00 AM   #3
Ria P
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
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Default Re: I made a wheel effort, but failed.

Well, you tried your best and in the process supplied us with a very amusing and well written story. I hope the new wheels arrive soon so you can catch on lost sleep.

More hamster stories please.
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Old 04-11-2020, 04:12 PM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: I made a wheel effort, but failed.

And photos!
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wheel, day, bean, job, midnight, bolts, 10”, bin, water, oreo, green, sleep, noise, noises, making, dispensers, gently, mess, reveals, he’s, i’m, evidently, peed, poor, it’s

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