Putting a spin on things (Superpet Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel for Hamsters)

Member Name: Swift87

Product:	Superpet Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel for Hamsters
Date:	11/03/09 (349 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Silent running, no more sleepless nights

Disadvantages: None that come to mind

When I first started to keep hamsters when I was a lot younger, I was quite content to settle for the squeaky and stiff wheels that came with the cage. You know the sort? Where you have your fingers in your ears every time your little friend goes for a run. The days of reminiscing over these not so fond memories will soon be over with the introduction to the not so new silent spinner! This great hamster accessory has been around for quite a while now, and has been made available at most good pets stores across the UK. With a £6 price tag for a regular size, you can see why perhaps the hamster lover on a budget would still happily settle for the 99p standard edition. So what makes this wheel worth the price tag?

Firstly I started keeping Roborovski hamsters a couple of years ago, I had two to start with and now I have twelve! So you can imagine how desperate these guys and girls are to jump into a wheel for a couple of hours before a quick ten hour nap. Unfortunately they aren't strong enough for the normal wheels, or in fact big enough! And most of the smaller wheels available, just like their bigger brothers, emit far too much noise for my liking. This is where I first decided to have a quick look around online for quieter wheels, after sifting through the search results I finally came across an Ebay listing for this fantastic accessory. I bought four straight away, eagerly anticipating a lovely night of silence for a change, and this is exactly what I got. There is a slight noise of a light breeze that can be noted, but it adds to the soothing sensation of my dreams of nights under the stars in the Seychelles (well okay perhaps I'm going too far now!) but you get my drift.

These wheels can be attached to the side of the cage or free-standing as they come with a frame to allow this. I have always had mine attached to the side of the cage for convenience, with a nice wooden ladder leading up to it to keep the little guys fit and active. The availability of different sizes ranging from 4.5" , 6.5" and 12" allows for each division of hamster owner to utilize their capabilities. This obviously can be said for mice, gerbil and even rat owners, so the target audience is quite a wide market segment, no doubt capitalising their profits. With good reason however as these wheels take advantage of a patented ball bearing technology which is hamster wheel innovation at it's peak.

Cleaning these wheels is actually remarkably easy with the smooth surface area. A simple wipe with a clean cloth would soon have these back looking brand new, or if they get quite messy, as our small furry friends do enjoy sleeping in them, rinsing them under warm water to loosen the dirt is also effective before giving them a wipe. The ability to spin the wheel fast under rapid running water quickens the deal.

In conclusion, there isn't much to get excited about wheels these days ... because lets face it, they aren't really very exciting. This addition to the hamster emporium however makes you open your eyes a little, and think, 'wow, this really is something I could brighten up my cage with' especially if you sleep in the same room as your rodents.

Summary: Price tag may scare some off, but it's worth it