Berry
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PART ONE:
Hey guys! So I just wanted to provide a resource of hamster wheels you can find in the USA, and what sizes and types of wheels you should look for.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional, nor have I owned or tested all these wheels that will be exampled. My information is coming from past experience and experience from other hamster owners. As well as some German care standards. Also while Chinese hamsters are technically a dwarf, I will refer to them by themselves and use the term 'dwarf' for winter whites, Campbells, robos, and hybrids.
Wheel Types:
Believe it or not, the type of wheel you choose could permanently affect your hamster's life, whether it be for the worse or the best. It's important to choose a safe, good quality wheel.
Saucer wheels should not be used as the main wheel. For some hamsters it is okay to provide as an extra form of enrichment, however, they can cause problems if used as the main wheel. Smaller hamsters, such as roborovskis also have a hard time staying on the wheel and could end up flying off and getting hurt. "The reason for why I will discourage the use of flying saucers for anything other than very short term usage or supervised playtime fun is not because their backs may curve; it’s because they are a sloped, circular running surface. Some of them are so heavily sloped that the human equivalent would arguably be equal to you running diagonally up the side of a mountain. Not just once every now and then, but every single time you went running. Now add that you’re favouring running clockwise around the mountain on top of all that. It is the perfect recipe for poor muscle development and joint issues." (Quote)
Upright Wheels are what you should use as the main wheel. A hamster should always be provided with an upright wheel unless otherwise stated for health or safety reasons. However, there are some limitations to upright wheels. Wire or mesh wheels should never be used. These can cause many many injuries. A hamster's head, limb, toe, and more could get caught. It can cause bumblefoot as well. If you are using any of these wheels take them out ASAP as they are very dangerous. Any solid wheel, such as plastic, or wood should work. However, wood wheels with raised rungs usually have bad quality and will splinter. These are considered unsafe and should not be used.
Wheel Sizes:
It's important to have a good-sized wheel so your hamster does not get injured. A too-small wheel can result in their back bending, which can cause lifetime damage if not properly resolved. You want your hamster to be able to run comfortably on their wheel.
Below are the sizes I personally find recommended amongst most ethical hamster owners and german care standards. (Since I'm talking about the USA, the sizes will be in inches)
Syrians: 11-12"+
Chinese: 10-12"+
Campbell dwarf: 8-12"+
Winter White: 8-10" +
Roborovski: 8-9" +
Hyrbids (RCD+WW): 8-12" +
You may be able to get away with a smaller wheel size depending on your hamster's personal size. Below I'll show a few examples of what your hamster should look like on their wheel. You can also provide a larger wheel than what is recommended above. A robo for example is recommended to have an 8-9" wheel, however, you can provide them with a 12" too. You can't go too large unless the wheel is bad quality and is too hard for a smaller hamster to push. The larger the wheel the less likely your hamster is to flip out as well. When I first got my hamster, she had a flying saucer, I then upgraded her to an upright wheel, however, it was only 6.5" and she kept flipping out. Now she has a 12" and hasn't flipped out since
Larger wheels are not only more comfortable but also safer in many ways.
Here is a perfect wheel size, as you can tell the hamster's back nor head is bent and it's smooth running:
This picture is a very obvious too small wheel. The hamsters head and spine are curved massively and this hamster will surely experience back issues and other problems if they continue to run on this wheel:
This is a bit less obvious, but still a too small wheel. The head is forced at an upright angle and you can see a slight curve in the back:
(Images Source)
Hey guys! So I just wanted to provide a resource of hamster wheels you can find in the USA, and what sizes and types of wheels you should look for.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional, nor have I owned or tested all these wheels that will be exampled. My information is coming from past experience and experience from other hamster owners. As well as some German care standards. Also while Chinese hamsters are technically a dwarf, I will refer to them by themselves and use the term 'dwarf' for winter whites, Campbells, robos, and hybrids.
Wheel Types:
Believe it or not, the type of wheel you choose could permanently affect your hamster's life, whether it be for the worse or the best. It's important to choose a safe, good quality wheel.
Saucer wheels should not be used as the main wheel. For some hamsters it is okay to provide as an extra form of enrichment, however, they can cause problems if used as the main wheel. Smaller hamsters, such as roborovskis also have a hard time staying on the wheel and could end up flying off and getting hurt. "The reason for why I will discourage the use of flying saucers for anything other than very short term usage or supervised playtime fun is not because their backs may curve; it’s because they are a sloped, circular running surface. Some of them are so heavily sloped that the human equivalent would arguably be equal to you running diagonally up the side of a mountain. Not just once every now and then, but every single time you went running. Now add that you’re favouring running clockwise around the mountain on top of all that. It is the perfect recipe for poor muscle development and joint issues." (Quote)
Upright Wheels are what you should use as the main wheel. A hamster should always be provided with an upright wheel unless otherwise stated for health or safety reasons. However, there are some limitations to upright wheels. Wire or mesh wheels should never be used. These can cause many many injuries. A hamster's head, limb, toe, and more could get caught. It can cause bumblefoot as well. If you are using any of these wheels take them out ASAP as they are very dangerous. Any solid wheel, such as plastic, or wood should work. However, wood wheels with raised rungs usually have bad quality and will splinter. These are considered unsafe and should not be used.
Wheel Sizes:
It's important to have a good-sized wheel so your hamster does not get injured. A too-small wheel can result in their back bending, which can cause lifetime damage if not properly resolved. You want your hamster to be able to run comfortably on their wheel.
Below are the sizes I personally find recommended amongst most ethical hamster owners and german care standards. (Since I'm talking about the USA, the sizes will be in inches)
Syrians: 11-12"+
Chinese: 10-12"+
Campbell dwarf: 8-12"+
Winter White: 8-10" +
Roborovski: 8-9" +
Hyrbids (RCD+WW): 8-12" +
You may be able to get away with a smaller wheel size depending on your hamster's personal size. Below I'll show a few examples of what your hamster should look like on their wheel. You can also provide a larger wheel than what is recommended above. A robo for example is recommended to have an 8-9" wheel, however, you can provide them with a 12" too. You can't go too large unless the wheel is bad quality and is too hard for a smaller hamster to push. The larger the wheel the less likely your hamster is to flip out as well. When I first got my hamster, she had a flying saucer, I then upgraded her to an upright wheel, however, it was only 6.5" and she kept flipping out. Now she has a 12" and hasn't flipped out since
Larger wheels are not only more comfortable but also safer in many ways.Here is a perfect wheel size, as you can tell the hamster's back nor head is bent and it's smooth running:
This picture is a very obvious too small wheel. The hamsters head and spine are curved massively and this hamster will surely experience back issues and other problems if they continue to run on this wheel:
This is a bit less obvious, but still a too small wheel. The head is forced at an upright angle and you can see a slight curve in the back:
(Images Source)