Fluffy still seems to prefer flying saucer

Fluffy_Unicorn · 06-11-2022, 04:01 PM

So I have ended up with three wheels. Fluffy shows interest in the vertical wheels when in his playpen, but in his cage he is still just running on the flying saucer all the time.

Should I just take the 11inch out as it is taking up space and he is not running on it?

Is the 20cm pink trixie wheel big enough?

Ria P · 06-11-2022, 04:24 PM

I'd leave an upright wheel and the flying saucer in his cage. Which upright wheel does he prefer in the playground? The 20cm or 28cm one? If he's a small dwarf the 20cm wheel should be fine.

AmityvilleHams · 06-11-2022, 04:26 PM

An 8 inch/20cm wheel would be fine for a dwarf hamster. I'd just take the flying saucer out since clearly trying to let him have continued access to it isn't working, and in this situation going cold turkey is probably the only thing that's going to completely work.

Fluffy_Unicorn · 06-17-2022, 03:24 PM

I have taken the flying saucer out the cage. I feel bad about it because it was like his favourite toy. He straight away went to the other wheel when he realised the saucer was missing.

I'm monitoring him. I was wondering about letting him on the saucer during out of cage time or would you discourage it altogether?

Do you have any more information about why flying saucers aren't suitable even for dwarfs?

Lilafernim · 06-17-2022, 04:16 PM

Considering the smaller upright wheel is suitable and already accessible, couldn’t you take the larger wheel out, move the slope on the shelf a bit and put the flying saucer in the space the large wheel currently is?

AmityvilleHams · 06-17-2022, 04:24 PM

Flying saucers have inherent design flaws, one being that they don't allow a proper natural running position which would lead to side arching - something an actual upright wheel wouldn't have.

Flying saucer style wheels also have a major design flaw when it comes to the actual usable running surface. It's significantly smaller than it would be on the same diameter upright wheel with flying saucers having roughly 1/4 of the total diameter being usable running surface(some may seem closer to 1/3 at most), while an actual upright wheel would be 1/2 the inner diameter in running surface.

This basically turns into an 8 inch flying saucer having only 2(~2.6 inches maximum if we're generous and go to 1/3) of usable running surface. That's a lot different to the equivalent 8 inch upright wheel having 4 inches, so the upright wheel size that would be completely fine for the larger dwarf species doesn't necessarily translate to flying saucer size. That 2(~2.6 maximum) inches of running surface is nowhere near enough for a hamster that'd be ~4 inches in body length! Even a 12 inch flying saucer would have 3(4 maximum at the 1/3 mark) inches of usable running surface. 3 inches of course is not enough for a 4 inch long hamster.

Even if you're being generous and going with the 1/3 of diameter being usable running surface, you still have the side arching and lack of natural running position.

Fluffy_Unicorn · 06-17-2022, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilafernim

Considering the smaller upright wheel is suitable and already accessible, couldn’t you take the larger wheel out, move the slope on the shelf a bit and put the flying saucer in the space the large wheel currently is?

I have taken the flying saucer out because I'm worried it might be harming him. I don't understand why he likes it so much though.

Fluffy_Unicorn · 06-17-2022, 05:33 PM

Thanks Amity for explaining that. I have left only the 20cm upright wheel in the cage now. I replaced the big wheel which another tunnel. He loves tunnels.

Ria P · 06-17-2022, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffy_Unicorn

I have taken the flying saucer out because I'm worried it might be harming him. I don't understand why he likes it so much though.

A flying saucer as an additional wheel has never harmed any of my dwarf hamsters but like with many hamster related topics, opinions vary.

Fluffy_Unicorn · 06-18-2022, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

A flying saucer as an additional wheel has never harmed any of my dwarf hamsters but like with many hamster related topics, opinions vary.

Maybe I should just let him have it then. He must be getting something out of it or he wouldn't use it so much. That helps to know it hasn't harmed any of your hamsters.