Any comments on these wheels?

JaneP · 02-06-2021, 04:12 AM

Hi everyone. So we are new to hamster keeping. Coco is a ten week old Syrian and I desperately need some advice on a wheel for her. We started out with a supposedly silent wheel from Pets At Home - the Small Animal Silent Exercise Wheel Medium. However have quickly realised this is too small for Coco, and also there is absolutely nothing silent about this wheel. I’ve tried gaffer taping it to the cage floor as it kept moving and banging against the cage ladder, but once she picks up some speed on it, it makes a huge racket and has been keeping us all awake as we can hear her through the walls, it’s that loud!

I’ve just spent literally hours researching the best silent wheels in the UK and have narrowed it down to the Trixie wooden exercise wheel or the Super Pet Silent Spinner. From what I can gather, these are both ball bearing types which appear to be the most silent.

Can anyone provide any advice or experience about either of these before I buy one? Thanks so much in advance!

lottieS · 02-14-2021, 04:47 PM

wheels in the UK and have narrowed it down to the Trixie wooden exercise wheel or the Super Pet Silent Spinner. From what I can gather, these are both ball bearing types which appear to be the most silent.

Can anyone provide any advice or experience about either of these before I buy one? Thanks so much in advance![/QUOTE]

The Trixie wooden wheel is what most people I’m friends with use, I haven’t personally used it but I know sometimes they can have an issue where something comes loose at the back and the wheel goes slightly up and down as it turns. Rarely, it can even scrape on the back post after a while. It doesn’t happen with all of them, so it’s a bit of a gamble, but they’re not too expensive compared to a lot of wheels so it’s sort of you get what you pay for. However if the wheel is faulty when it’s brand new, zooplus will refund you if that’s where you bought it. Last thing about this wheel is that it has a cork running track so when it’s been peed on it just soaks in and makes it stink, you will need to seal it with clear plastikote or another non toxic varnish.

In regards to the silent spinner, I’m not sure if they stay silent or not. But the one piece of advice I can give you is to get the 12 inch instead of the 10 inch, the 10 inch is known to have an issue where the fixing at the back breaks.

I personally use the silent runner for my hamster, I’m not sure if they’re in stock or not but you can get them from sugarglidershop.co.uk for £25 or I’m sure if you type silent runner into google you can get them way overpriced since they are imported. But they are silent and never break!

cypher · 02-14-2021, 11:11 PM

Trixie wooden wheels are usually silent but do need coating with Plastikote water based enamel paint to protect against pee.
The silent spinners just don’t work well any more so I wouldn’t go for that.
The best quality & quietest wheel is the silent runner.

LunaTheHamster1 · 02-15-2021, 05:09 AM

Highly recommend the Silent Runner
Unboxing, Setting Up & Reviewing The Silent Runner Wheel - YouTube

I returned my silent spinner, it was the worse wheel I ever got, not quiet at all. very clunky.

JaneP · 02-16-2021, 01:17 AM

Thanks all for your replies. I’ve ordered the Trixie wooden wheel (and a tub of Plastikote) so I’ll let you know how we get on. I’d love to have gone for the Silent Runner, but as hammie’s home is over two levels, there wouldn’t be enough clearance for it to fit in the cage.