Suitable Wheel? (link inside)

aragneer · 08-15-2016, 12:50 AM

Hi guys!

Some of you have already chatted to me about suitable wheels and I have taken everything into consideration. I will not be getting a saucer, due to the fear of side arching and I now just want a wheel.

For those who do not know my issue - I have a new robo - 8-10 weeks old and he is tiny but super fast. We have a 6.5-7 wheel and it rumbles like crazy and my partner takes it out at night because he cannot sleep. I want to get Waffles a new wheel immediately as he is so active and shy and he loves coming out for his wheel. At the mo, all he does is dig and throw around toilet tubes cause he only has his wheel during the day and up until midnight.

Basically, my partner is sooooo picky about wheels and what he wants in Waffles' cage. He doesn't want the wodent wheel and would prefer not to get a wooden wheel - which I really want. So I've been looking up some options - can any of you tell me which one of these could be best?

We had this version of the silent spinner: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kaytee-Supe...exercise+wheel and it won't work...which I have now been told about.

Here are the options so far:

Silent Spinner - Bestpets

Comfort Exercise Wheel - JTENGYAO

Any plastic wheel would be great tbh...Also, I am on a bit of a budget as I am waiting for pay day!

I live in Ireland - so deliveries to Ireland would be good too.

Also - what size in CM should I be looking for? Especially with a wodent wheel as I may just get one of them if we cannot find a nice plastic one that works.

I just want Waffles to be happy!

Thank you guys.

Pebbles82 · 08-15-2016, 01:56 AM

It can be difficult finding the right wheel

Ok silent options:

1) Silent Runner 9" (might sound on the large side but it is light and spins really well and a few dwarf hamster owners use them because they're good

). It's light and easy for even the tiniest of hamsters to run in. I have the 12" one and love it. It has a safe, sturdy metal stand, and can also be fixed to the bars with special fixing plates (which cost extra). Downside is the cost - it's imported from the US. I got mine from this ebay seller. The sugarglider shop sell it for £2 to £3 cheaper but also charge £2 to £3 extra postage so the cost is swings and roundabouts and the sugarglider shop are out of stock. Only comes in yellow! It looks a bit like the wodent wheel but there is no spindle and no fiddly pin. The front and back pull apart and the running track fits in between. It is totally silent (has ball bearings). I like the large holes which make it easy to wipe out inside. The first time you assemble it it's slightly fiddly but once you've done it a couple of times it's quick and easy.

EN Silent Runner 9" wheel and/or accessories - Mice/Hamsters/Sugar gliders | eBay

2) This new wheel from Karlie. I am itching to try it. They make lovely silent wheels, also with bearings. This is a plastic open one, mounted on the wood karlie stand. If you're worried about the wood getting peed on you can paint it with plastikote (details below). It comes in 6", 7" and 11". I reckon the 7" would be best. 6" is a bit too small even for a tiny robo (the silent spinner you have is 6.5"). The 6" might be ok, but they do tend to run better in a wheel that's a little bit bigger. 7" would be a great size. Downside - again not cheap - postage is more because it comes from Germany.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Karlie-Bogi...+plastic+wheel

NON_SILENT - possibly quiet

1) 8" Trixie wheel. A wodent look alike wheel but the front pulls off and no fiddly pin. Some people find them quiet - some find them noisy and rattly! Or starting out quiet and becoming noisy. No ball bearings.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Exer...s=Trixie+wheel

Comfort wheel, Savic Rolly wheel - usually rattly.

3) Pets at home version of the Silent Spinner. Velma reviewed this and found the wheel was ok but the stand wasn't. She put the wheel on a silent spinner stand which apparently worked well - that might be an option if you already have a silent spinner. No idea if it is silent or not.

Small Animal Silent Exercise Wheel Medium | Pets At Home

If it was me I would be tempted to fork out for the new 7" Karlie wheel - it looks stable and sturdy and has the ball bearings for being quiet. And if you don't like it you can send it back (although no refund on postage probably).

This is the plastikote paint - this one is clear but you can get coloured versions as well. If you buy it from a hardware store, make sure it's the water based one. A couple of coats leaves it wipe clean and it's pet-safe - doesn't smelly of anything much and is like thin milky liquid so it goes a long way and is quick and easy to paint on. I do one coat, leave it overnight and then do the second coat. It's dry in a few hours. I get it from one of the other sellers (A& P Motor stores) rather than as an Amazon add-on. I juse use a standard half inch paint brush (costs pence).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you want a tried and tested silent wheel then I'd go for the silent runner - they're really good

aragneer · 08-15-2016, 02:12 AM

Ooo the new Karlie one is actually lovely looking! I may look into that one or the silent runner. Are those sizes both big enough/small enough for a robo?

I think I am going to look into the Karlie one, the silent runner or the comfort wheel. I know that maxizoo near me do sell Karlie products but they are limited so I may pop in and if not, I'll get it shipped with some plastikote.

That is great and a great variety for my picky partner to look at too!

We have a big enough cage too so we'll make it work with sizings as long as the little one can work in it!

Thanks so much for putting the work in and sending those links. <3

velma · 08-15-2016, 02:51 AM

That comfort wheel and it's stand looks very similar to the p@h version so (in theory) you'd be able to put that on the silent spinner stand. I found that my robo ran just too fast that with the plastic stand it was too flimsy and pulled over. Might just be be though. The small one will be too small so you'd need to pick the medium, if you go,for that wheel. I don't know about the others but I do like the look of the silent runner though, I keep toying with that for my chinesey

cypher · 08-15-2016, 03:25 AM

I thought those wheels at the links looked pretty much identical to the P@H ones too!

The silent runner does look very big but it's light & spins so easily I'm sure a robo could handle it, all mine (Chinese & Russian) have them & we all love those wheels

I don't know if anyone has tried the new karlie one yet so who knows if they're quiet or not, they might be but appearances can be deceptive.
I found the 8" trixie wheel to be horrendously noisy, I think it's luck of the draw as some seem to be ok.

aragneer · 08-15-2016, 05:43 AM

@Velma: That's what I thought! My robo runs like crazy - he goes so high in the wheel and when he stops he backflips because of the speed he was going at! So I'll have to try out stands - it may be able to attach to the fixture our old wheel is on actually. Medium size - perfect! I think our silent spinner is small actually..we thought it'd be ideal for our campbell's but they couldn't move it and just used it as a toilet haha!

@Cypher: The silent runner does look fun... I want to see it in person rather than order it - same as the Karlie one. I am gonna try maxizoo on Friday and see if they possibly have one!

I have also heard Trixie can be so noisy! I won't be risking that one anyway haha

AmityvilleHams · 08-15-2016, 05:52 AM

I'd honestly have to agree with a Silent Runner

They're a bit pricey at first like some other wheels,but they're safer than a Wodent Wheel and higher quality than Comfort Wheels and Silent Spinners.The Silent Runner would also be relatively simple to set up too unlike a wooden wheel that requires even more work before you can put it in a cage,so that is definitely a big consideration.

aragneer · 08-15-2016, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmityvilleHams

I'd honestly have to agree with a Silent Runner

They're a bit pricey at first like some other wheels,but they're safer than a Wodent Wheel and higher quality than Comfort Wheels and Silent Spinners.The Silent Runner would also be relatively simple to set up too unlike a wooden wheel that requires even more work before you can put it in a cage,so that is definitely a big consideration.

You have a good point! I think I may have a look at a comfort wheel as a temp option until I have been paid and get a silent runner once pay day rolls around

i've got quite a few things to save for at the moment so a temp option might be best

AmityvilleHams · 08-15-2016, 07:11 AM

Spare wheels can always be useful anyways,such as in playpens or if you need to have a spare cage set up(usually for travelling)

Pebbles82 · 08-15-2016, 09:39 AM

Can't show you a Silent Runner in the flesh (unless you live in the North East

) but I did a video review of one if it helps. It's a review of the 12" one though, so it's big - just imagine it smaller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFussTX5PuE

I have actually ordered the Karlie Plastic one - (well I do have a bit of a wheel fetish), to try out and as Velma says, always good to have a spare wheel

The comfort wheels you linked do look rather small. The medium one is only 5.5". The Pets at home medium one would be a better size and does look the same. Spending over £20 on a wheel does feel awful though - but if it's one that lasts it might be worth it.