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Pebbles82 · 10-31-2015, 02:51 AM

Excellent Keith! All those links of yours that I couldn't find! Penguin that's a good idea. I just listed the well known tried and tested ones with some of their pros and cons. You are right - safety is a big issue.

An unsuitable wheel is:

1) One that is not large enough for the hamster - one size doesn't fit all. You can get small syrians and large syrians. You can't really go wrong with a larger wheel but a wheel that isn't large enough can cause spinal problems, pain and possible deformity and this can lead to vet bills.

2) One that has a mesh or grid running track - the running track must be solid. With mesh or grid running tracks, toes and feet can get caught and cause serious injury.

3) Placement of the wheel needs thinking about. For example if you had very deep substrate of 15cm or more with a heavy wood wheel sat on top, a hamster might tunnel under it and it could fall on them. Better to have a free standing wheel in a lower substrate area, fenced off, or stood on a platform of some kind. Or fixed to the bars or hung from the bars.

Wodent Wheels have been passed as a safe wheel in the US and Germany and the type of plastic used is considered safe if chewed. I personally feel they are safer hung upside down from the top of the cage, for a larger hamster so they can't wedge themselves between the stand and the wheel if they go behind the wheel.

Wheels need checking for safety and proper running now and then. I've seen stories of Silent Spinners 'unspinning' the nut on the back and the wheel flying off its hub, so wheel nuts like that need checking now and then.

Wood wheels like the Karlie Wonderland wheel are quite solid and sturdy but can have splinters and some people have found their hamsters with bleeding feet - so they need checking for rough splintery areas and light sanding if splintery areas are found. Plastikoting them also seals them a bit. It's a shame they don't come ready sanded and waterproofed!

I think those are the main safety issues but if anyone wants to add, feel free!

10-31-2015, 02:51 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Guide to suitable hamster Wheels Excellent Keith! All those links of yours that I couldn't find! Penguin that's a good idea. I just listed the well known tried and tested ones with some of their pros and cons. You are right - safety is a big issue. An unsuitable wheel is: 1) One that is not large enough for the hamster - one size doesn't fit all. You can get small syrians and large syrians. You can't really go wrong with a larger wheel but a wheel that isn't large enough can cause spinal problems, pain and possible deformity and this can lead to vet bills. 2) One that has a mesh or grid running track - the running track must be solid. With mesh or grid running tracks, toes and feet can get caught and cause serious injury. 3) Placement of the wheel needs thinking about. For example if you had very deep substrate of 15cm or more with a heavy wood wheel sat on top, a hamster might tunnel under it and it could fall on them. Better to have a free standing wheel in a lower substrate area, fenced off, or stood on a platform of some kind. Or fixed to the bars or hung from the bars. Wodent Wheels have been passed as a safe wheel in the US and Germany and the type of plastic used is considered safe if chewed. I personally feel they are safer hung upside down from the top of the cage, for a larger hamster so they can't wedge themselves between the stand and the wheel if they go behind the wheel. Wheels need checking for safety and proper running now and then. I've seen stories of Silent Spinners 'unspinning' the nut on the back and the wheel flying off its hub, so wheel nuts like that need checking now and then. Wood wheels like the Karlie Wonderland wheel are quite solid and sturdy but can have splinters and some people have found their hamsters with bleeding feet - so they need checking for rough splintery areas and light sanding if splintery areas are found. Plastikoting them also seals them a bit. It's a shame they don't come ready sanded and waterproofed! I think those are the main safety issues but if anyone wants to add, feel free!