Wheel Dilemma!

PumpkinSpice92 · 08-28-2018, 12:31 AM

Hello,

My hammy Podge currently has 3 wheels - a Trixie wheel (currently in the cage), a medium flying saucer and the wheel that came with the hamster heaven cage.
My problem is that she does not seem to use the wheel that's currently in her cage as much as she used the previous two. She seems to get on the trixie wheel run for about 3 seconds then get off. I think it could be because it wobbles quite a bit as she runs - is there a solution to this?
She loved the flying saucer, went on it for ages! But from what I've read on this website the medium is too small? How true is this? Also, does anyone have an accurate measurement of the HH wheel? I was thinking of possibly swapping the trixie for the flying saucer and the HH wheel, as she is a fairly small syrian and her back wasn't arched on the HH wheel.
What are peoples opinions/ideas?

Pebbles82 · 08-28-2018, 02:26 AM

Even a small syrian needs at least an 8" wheel and a 12" flying saucer. The flying saucer is a totally different kind of running and even on a 12" they can run a bit curved. I would take the HH wheel and the medium flying saucer out. But the trixie wheel shouldn't wobble. Do you mean the stand is wobbling? ie not stable - or the wheel is kind of scissoring on the stand? She would be better with one good wheel that's the right size. She's probably only using the smaller ones if there's a problem with the trixie wheel. The HH wheel like most wheels supplied with case is only about 6 to 7" I think which is incredibly small and only suitable for a dwarf hamster - as is the medium flying saucer. One good option in the Hamster Heaven is the 11" wodent wheel hung upside down

The stand slots through the top of the cage and you attach a couple of cable ties to keep it stable. It is very stable and no issues then with it sitting on the substrate or not enough room for substrate. I had the larger wobust wheel fixed like that for a while and it ran really well. The 11" wodent wheel is the smallest/most compact of the wodent wheels so it fits well in the Hamster Heaven. If you get another wheel you could maybe send the Trixie wheel back for a refund if it's faulty. Pet planet sell the 11" wodent wheel but sometimes it's not in stock.

There may not be room for a 12" flying saucer and an upright wheel in the Hamster Heaven (depending on what else you have in there) although it might be possible. The 12" saucer is excellent as an additional wheel but not as a main wheel - they really need an upright wheel for the main wheel so they can run properly (and even with a 12" saucer they can run a bit bent sometimes and at a funny angle).

Just attaching some sample photos of the difference between a hamster running in an 8" wheel and an 11" wheel to see the straight back thing

That particular hamster is too big for the 8" wheel really

They tend to run better in a bigger wheel also.

Attachment 46301

PumpkinSpice92 · 08-28-2018, 02:35 AM

Apologies, don't think I explained myself properly!
She only currently has the trixie wheel in her cage as that's the only one I've read is suitable (and you've confirmed

). The flying saucer I got when I bought the ham back when I was misinformed about wheel sizes, and obviously the other wheel I got with the cage and only used until the trixie wheel came.
When I say wobbles, I mean that as she runs on it the wheel and stand sort of rock from side to side, as though not on a stable surface even though it seems pretty secure! Do you think I could attach the trixie wheel to the top of the cage like you have done the wodent wheel, as the trixie is pretty similar to the wodent wheel? I would have to potentially zip tie the stand to the top of the cage... what do you think?
Thank's very much for your quick reply!

Pebbles82 · 08-28-2018, 03:02 AM

Sorry! Someone else may be able to answer that - I only had a trixie wheel once and had to send it back as the wheel kept coming unattached from the stand. Does it run ok out of the cage? Some people use velro or tape to tape the base to the base of the cage and then pile substrate over that - it stands reasonably high enough to still have some substrate under the wheel that way. I believe some people have attached it to the bars but I'm not sure how - I couldn't manage to.

I was always a bit worried about using tape in the cage (some hamsters will chew anything!). An alternative is to put something heavy on the widest bit of the base of the stand to weigh it down - eg a ceramic tile or something - with the substrate on top.

Hopping in and out of a wheel is normal - they get more casual about their wheels as they get older sometimes - she probably runs in it a lot more at night. Our hammy used to like jumping in, running for a minute, jumping out doing something else, going back - particularly when he was older (maybe he didn't want to overdo it!)

PumpkinSpice92 · 08-28-2018, 03:47 AM

It runs great out of the cage, I've had her running on it in her playpen so it's not faulty or anything - I'll have to have a play around to see if I can mod it somehow or put something heavy on top of the base as you suggested as she is a huge chewer - would not trust her with tape in the cage! With the base of the HH jutting out from the bars you can't attach it to the bars which is a shame - I worked out how to but it doesn't spin! Haha. Had a look for a wodent wheel and they're not in stock anywhere, so will have to make do!

She's only 3 months old, so still a baby, my other hams have always used the wheel much more frequently that she does which is why I'm a bit worried. Perhaps as you say she's on it whilst I'm asleep or not watching!

Thanks for the pictures btw - very informative

Pebbles82 · 08-28-2018, 07:47 AM

I would try that - stand the wheel on the base of the cage, not on the substrate and use a tile or something else similar to hold the stand down then pile the substrate on top as much as it will go up to the wheel. At one time my wheel was so low I had to slope the substrate up away from it

Rodipet sell wodent wheels and also a 9" wood wheel which does screw to the bars - but their postage is expensive - £8 on top of the wheel price and they charge 22 euros for the wodent wheel - I copy and paste into google translate to read the item details

https://www.rodipet.de/shop/laufraeder/wodent-wheel/

flowerfairy · 08-28-2018, 02:57 PM

Ooo those wodent wheels come in such great colours and the stand is just brilliant!

Pebbles82 · 08-30-2018, 07:53 PM

I know

The stands are brilliant! But they only really work well in tanks with straight sides. I have the stand for their wood wheel but it didn't fit well in a cage base (it was in a tank previously). If it's a really large cage it would be ok but you end up with it quite a way from the back/side of the cage due to the base sloping so not as space saving as a wheel that screws to the bars

And sticks out a bit more than a wheel stood on the base. Keeps the wheel stable though, raises it above the substrate and makes a nice hidey place

Also the cage needs to be tall enough to fit the wheel on the stand!

flowerfairy · 08-31-2018, 01:34 PM

Ah the complexities of the perfect setup!