The Importance of Wheel Sizes!

[student1304]

Hey so quick question, does this apply to flying saucers?

My syrian is on a 6" one but his nose hangs off the end and so I've ordered a huge wheel for him that should be here anyday now.

However on the 6" flying saucer his back doesn't arch, so I was wondering if anyone could explain the health problems caused by a small flying saucer?

Sorry if this seems silly but I'm curious

[Sammybingo]

Hmm I don't know if it will cause health problems, but I'd imagine trying to land with such precision when running would be tricky? Fur-nando has the big Flying Saucer and adores it, I'm sure your little one will too

I'm a full Flying Saucer convert now! Love them

[samzyzg]

I think it would still be an issue and its just simply with fitting on it properly, so theres a risk of a mistep and falling off, maybe hurting themselves... like hitting off the side of it whislt its still spinning.. But its a good question to raise, curious if anyone knows a more definite answer rather than just speculations.

[Puchiko]

I've been wondering about this as well lately. I put Chibi's 8 inch wheel back in (lined with duct tape to cover the mesh) and he looked a lot like you hamster on the 11 inch wheel. I bought an 11 inch wodent wheel at another members suggestion but it was way too large for his current bin cage and for himself as well. I assume he is gonna get bigger but since he is a male Syrian (8 weeks) is he full size now and the 11 inch unnecessary?

He really missed his wheel cause as soon as I put it back in he ran in for half an hour non stop and was able to get up to twice the speed with the mesh covered up.

[Sammybingo]

Nooo, he'll still be growing . The 11" wheel will be ideal for him soon enough.

[racinghamster]

Really good comparison`s Erin and your photos are lovely! My syrian (male) has a senior wodent wheel and loves it. He was 7 months old when I adopted him from my nephew and he was using one of those add-on Rotastak wheels. Needless to say, he was swiftly upgraded!

[Gizmodo ^_^]

I love the massive trixie wheel this is a great post, really highlights the important of a big wheel, i just wish more people would take notice :/

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Thanks everyone I've always been so edgy when I see hamsters in tiny wheels, I mean the tiny cages are bad enough but at least they aren't a danger to them. I also find when you tell people that their hamster needs a bigger wheel and explain why they end up having to buy a much bigger cage to fit it in. Two birds one stone
The size of the 11" is amazing though! I knew it would be big but it still doesn't prepare you for seeing one in person

Puchiko - yes your hammie will be growing for a long time yet I got my Syrian when he was nearly 5 months (20ish weeks) old, he kept growing until he was 8 months (32ish weeks)

[StarlightSerenity]

Flying Saucers can cause as much damage when small as a normal wheel can - it's just the bend in their back is sideways.

The only FS suitable for a Syrian is the large, 12inch one

I vote this thread gets stickied btw Great resource for those new to hammies

[madstitcher101]

My kids school has a pet hamster, a syrian. Both the cage and the wheel are too small for it in my opinion. I would say the wheel is about 5" (not sure) but it is small. I have pointed this out to the Head of the school who thanked me and said they would sort it. Several weeks later nothing has been done. I would donate my spare 8" wheel but the cage that the school hamster is in is too small and it wouldn't fit in.

As for my hamsters, Sweetie has a 8" wheel in her zoozone1 cage (will soon be changing to a Ferplast Criceti 15 cage) and Captain Barnacles has a 12" Flying Saucer wheel in his Zoozone 1 cage. He used to have the same as Sweetie but he kept jamming it up at the bottom in order to climb to the top and try and escape.