Flying out of the wheel

[Redheaddegu]

@Maz hope it’s ok to post this here, but I thought it was an issue dwarf owners might come across, so the info would prove useful…….

Essentially, I managed to get a camera on my tiny critter last night, and she’s flying out of her wheel. I’m sure I’ve read about this somewhere, particularly being an issue with robos, but I can’t seem to find it on this forum (which is where most of my recent research was done). I think the solution was a bigger wheel, but I’m not sure…….. . Before extending my mortgage to enable me to get the big Niteangel wheel, I was hoping someone might know. I currently have the Bucatstate 21cm wheel, and Moth is about the size of a dwarf hamster. I have tightened up the wheel, so that may help, but I really don’t want her to get hurt!

 

[Maz]

It's fine - and yes it's a common issue with dwarf hamsters and robos. I'm not sure if a bigger wheel stops it or not. With hamsters, in my experience, it only happens initially and then they get better control of it. Although some robos still like to fly out for fun . So then it's a case of making sure they can only land on soft bedding.

However one solution might be a wheel like the trixie or silent runner wheels - the ones with a solid front and the holes in. I find hamsters are careful not to try and jump out of those and they stop now and then and check out where the edges of the holes are - plus of course they can't fly out.

The Trixie 28cm though has a spindle so presumably no good for a duprasi with a tail. The silent runner doesn't have a spindle and comes in 9" or 12". 9" is usually fine for chinese hamsters (not sure if there's much size difference?). I think the 12" would be too big - even though it spins easily.

 

[Redheaddegu]

I found the original info - it came from ‘Rachel Got Hamsters’. Apparently the slightly larger distance to the top means they are less likely to flip out…….. she was talking mainly about robos, who are very energetic.

I’ll see how she does tonight, with the slight tightening. I think the wheel should move freely enough for Moth, but it doesn’t keep spinning forever. If not, I’ll start exploring options. I wasn’t keen on the enclosed wheels, coz you can’t see them, but if Moth needs it……

 

[Lovelyness]

"They like to fly out for fun"

 

[Redheaddegu]

Thought I’d post a quick update on this for all the robo parents out there. Moth’s acrobatics got a bit excessive, sometimes she seemed to be playing, but at times I was sure she lost concentration and just went flying. So this week she moved home. Bigger enclosure, huge wheel. Excuse the non-hamster video, but here is an approximately robo sized duprasi in the xl niteangel wheel……… no flying! I can thoroughly recommend increased wheel size!

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[Socks' Mum]

Moth is looking great, clearly benefitting from her new cage and wheel. I'm very pleased she's had a wheel that suits her so well

 

[Maz]

She’s gorgeous . So the bigger wheel worked well! Is that the Niteangel XL or L?

 

[Redheaddegu]

She’s gorgeous . So the bigger wheel worked well! Is that the Niteangel XL or L?

I bit the bullet and forked out for the XL one . I’m hoping it will last for years and means I’m covered for Syrian hamsters, gerbils, or where ever life takes me. Although after seeing tiny little Moth in this huge wheel, I’m wondering if I might need an even bigger wheel if I got a Syrian……. I did see that Niteangel also do a 13 ½ in chinchilla wheel……..