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Old 08-24-2015, 01:50 AM   #11
Teddy001
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

Thanks everyone for your advice. I've tried the flying saucer, but my robo could not get it to spin.. Also, she has mild neuro condition, which I believe Racinghamster had mentioned, triggered her robo to do circling, after her robo ran on a saucer, from another thread that I'd posted.
My robo has 2 Wodent wheels in her cage, and does use both of the wheels.
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Old 08-24-2015, 02:15 AM   #12
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

Glad you remembered my posting about the Flying Saucer wheel Teddy. I thought I was doing a good thing by giving my adopted Robo Fred one to play on and imagine my horror when I found him leaning and stumbling to one side after using one. I totally blamed myself for putting one in his cage and ever since then I have advocated using upright wheels for ALL hamsters. It`s probably fair to say not all hamsters will end up spinning as a result of using a flying saucer wheel, but it`s also worth remembering that some underlying neurological conditions may be triggered by a hamster running in a sideway action (to the left or to the right) in a tight fashion. Fred was a healthy little lad until he ran on one of these wheels for only a few days and his spinning became part of his life afterwards. x
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:19 AM   #13
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

I originally got his saucer for his playtub so it wasn't too tall to risk him climbing up it. But he does love it so he sometimes has it in his main cage. I understand why people don't like them though, especially if you've had a bad experience like Racinghamster. But Hector seems to be small enough (or the medium saucer big enough) that he doesn't pull to one side when he runs. But I think if I had a neuro problem hamster I'd probably avoid. I like to get Hector out for a bit of variety when I clean him out as he has quite a small cage but a detolf is plenty big enough that with enough tunnels & toys, you're robo will be fine in there. Personally speaking, I don't think robos need to come out in the same way other hamsters might. I think they just want a nice environment & they're quite happy.
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Old 08-24-2015, 03:49 AM   #14
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

It was the medium saucer Fred had Velma and what frustrated me more was the fact he was near enough two years old when I rehomed him from Gumtree in a mini Duna with a `stuck` plastic wheel that seemed welded to the shelf. He was a normal, happy little chap and was moved into my Gabber Rex tank for obviously more leg room. Looking back, I often wonder if I should have kept him in his mini Duna and just provided him with a silent spinner wheel, but chose to use a flying saucer, like everyone else, just for something different. I regret that now.

Just as an added thought, robos as a species do seem to be more inclined to develop spinning moreso than Russian dwarfs or Chinese hamsters, so perhaps the sidewinding way flying saucer wheels work may not be the best body position for a robo to run? Just a theory I have but something robo owners might want to consider. x
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Old 08-24-2015, 05:15 AM   #15
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

Yeah, I forgot to mention they are only safe for robos if they now how to run on it. I had to tech Tori how to, but now she is a pro! But, I don't place it in her cage because 1) I agree with Velma and the 12" would allow her to easily escape 2) I am a worrier and after reading what you said Racinghamster... As I always say, rather safe than sorry!
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Old 08-24-2015, 06:13 AM   #16
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Default Re: Ball for Robo?

Oh I don`t want to worry anyone who uses a ball or a flying saucer wheel, just saying what my own preferences are and experiences were. Prevention is better than cure so if something has the potential to harm, it makes sense not to use it. From what I`ve learned, a ball has the `potential` to harm and a flying saucer `could` trigger spinning in a susceptible animal, but you don`t know whether using a flying saucer will cause any unwanted health problems until they show and with spinning, it`s not reversible.

So in a nutshell, a ball or a flying saucer wheel will always be a tempting toy for a hamster, but they don`t have to use them if there are safer alternatives. x
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