Silent Runner - Easy to Clean?

[Mr Pudding]

I'm in the market for a new wheel and I'm considering getting a Silent Runner. How easy is it to take apart and clean?

I used to have a Senior Wodent Wheel but I ended up replacing it with a Fly 'n' Saucer because Fudge kept peeing inside the Wodent Wheel and it was a PITA to continually have to take apart in order to clean.

Fudge loved the Fly 'n' Saucer. (Fudge was Pudding's predecessor.) Pudding seems to love it but he has broken two of them now. (I witnessed him break the second by dangling from the cage ceiling and landing on the wheel.) I'm not sure it would be a case of 3rd time lucky.

[Pebbles82]

I think it's worth getting a Silent Runner - mine lasted really well (still looks like new). It does need taking apart for cleaning but it's easier than a wodent wheel. There is no spindle and no pin. I guess a lot depends on how much your hammy pees in it. Ours only rarely did that and mostly I just wiped it out inside through the large holes. I just took it apart to clean it recently and it's quite easy but not as easy as open wheel that doesn't need taking apart for example. I found the first time I put it together and took it apart it was a fiddle - after that it was quite quick and easy.

To fully clean it you would pull the front and back off, take the joining strip off the running track, wash all four bits then put them back together again. The front and back need pressing together firmly so there is no gap either side of the joining strip.

A Trixie wheel would be the easiest to clean probably. The back and running track are all one piece and the front pulls off. A lot of people are happy with them but it depends if you want a silent wheel or not. Some Trixie wheels are quiet, some are not, and some stop being quiet after a while.

Is it for a Syrian or a dwarf hammy? If it's for a Syrian I wouldn't use a flying saucer as the only wheel - they don't always run straight in them so not good for their spine - they're nice as an extra if you have space for both.

The thing I like best about the Silent Runner is being able to attach it securely to the bars and have it at the height I want and know it is stable and won't fall over. Although the bar attachment plates cost another fiver or so. Also it depends how clean you want the wheel all the time. I don't think it needs to be 100% clean all the time - in fact if I gave the wheel a full clean our hammy wouldn't use it! And took a week to be tempted back in once. I found just a wipe round was enough really. Then maybe every 2 or 3 months take it apart (because pee will get in under the edges and go crusty But mostly just wiping it worked for me - and the large holes make it easy to get your hand inside and wipe it.

[Cinnamon Bear]

I like the Silent Runner as well. I have 2 of them and both of them needed the bearings dhanged out. The company sent me 2 bearings at no cost. It was real hard to get the old bearings out. I used a hammer, don't know if that's the correct way but it worked and when I put the new bearings in, the wheel worked great again.

The cleaning isn't that bad as far as cleaning goes.

[cypher]

It's very easy to clean, I have four & three of my hams pee in the wheel so they need taking apart & cleaning weekly but even with that many it doesn't take long at all!
You do need to be a bit careful cleaning the back plate as you don't want to get the ball bearings wet but as long as you realise that it's not difficult by any means & the front & running strip are just plastic & no bother to clean at all.
Taking it apart & putting it back together are really easy, I've struggled with a wodent type wheel with the annoying little metal pin.

[flowerfairy]

I have a couple of silent runners for two of my syrians and really like them. So nice and quiet. I just wash them so pretty easy. Only take them apart occasionally. It is a bit of a pain in the a.

[Pebbles82]

There's no spindle and no pin with the Silent Runner Front and back just pull off.