Several questions...

[JamesEnsor]

Okay, I believe I will start at the beginning. I got my first hamster a week ago saturday, and I am very happy. My problem arose the second night I had her. Her cage is in my bedroom, and I believe all of you seasoned hamster owners can tell whats coming next.....

Her wheel is SO loud. Her cage is a CritterTrail 1, which is plastic on the bottom and top, and wire in the middle. It came with a plastic wheel that attaches to the side of the cage. If I spin it with my hand, it is silent, but the second she gets on it, it rattles like all get out. As far as I gather, it is rattling against the plastic of the cage.

Okay, so I decided to buy a metal wheel to solve this problem. Well, I got one of those wheels with the wire mesh in the middle instead of the bars, and the hooks to hang it on the wire or set it in the cage upright. I thought this would work, but no. First it squeaked, so I lubed it with veggie oil (didnt work and made my hamster, Cedar, look like she had survived an oil spill). Then I noticed that it rattled on the bottom of the cage and then on the side of the cage when I hung it up.

My next option, and this is where my question is, is to buy one of the external hamster wheels, like this: http://www.petsmart.com/images/product/large/in510012.jpg or the spiffy habitrail version. First, are these any quieter? Will they solve my problem? Second, Will she use them?

My second concern is sort of a branch off of the wheel concern. I would put her downstairs at night, but it gets a good deal colder down there, like 68-70 degrees. Is that too cold for a hamster? She has plenty of bedding material, and the cage has a little enclosed area at the top.

My cage
http://www.petsmart.com/images/product/large/inP019210.jpg

The Squeaky Wheel
http://www.petsmart.com/images/product/large/inP032784.jpg

Any help would greatly appreciated. Either through the thread or feel free to email me.

Oh, PS-If I cant solve the noisy wheel situation, I have talked to my roommate and we are going to precision machine an all aluminum silent sturdy hamster wheel, perhaps even with bearings. :)

[qazwsxedc]

if its a baby syrian or a dwarf buy and external wheel

[JamesEnsor]

she is a young, almost fully grown syrian. Shes right about 1 3/4 mos old, I believe.

Is she too big for an external wheel? They look like they're the same size as normal wheels.

[BlueSandpiper]

You can use vaseline or a piece of wax (like from a non-scented candle) to keep the wheel from squeaking. Put the wheel away from the sides of the cage and make sure that bedding doesn't get stuck under the wheel and make it difficult to use. Maybe you can tape the wheel to the bottom of the cage to stabilize it?

You can also get a Wodent Wheel. Here's the link www.transoniq.com/ These wheels won't squeak.

IMO, the cage you have is way too small for a full grown Syrian hamster. A better way is to house the hamster in a 10 gallon or larger aquarium with screen lid. Your hamster will have more room in aquarium and be much happier. You can get screen lids that allow for the use of tubes so if you wanted to, you can hook the aquarium to the crittertrail using the tubes. The aquarium doesn't have to be new. An old leaky aquarium from a yard sale will work just as well as a brand new one.

68-70 degrees is fine for a hamster. Just make sure that the cage has plenty of bedding and that it is not in a drafty area.

[qazwsxedc]

it's not too small a cage my friend has a hammy which got realy depressed after moving out a cage into an aqueriam

[hamz]

might want to try a plastic wheel with a stand

[Mitchandozzie]

my hamsters wheel rattles too. its just the way the hamster runs. like mine. i think it just means u have a fast hammy cause i no i do.;)

[BlueSandpiper]

If you want to move the hamster to a new cage/tank, you should put something from the old cage/tank into the new cage/tank so that the hamster doesn't get too stressed out and depressed. Something familiar will help the hamster adjust to a new home.

The crittertrail by itself is too small, IMO. It's like you living in a small closet. Give the hamster more room by housing it in a bigger cage/tank or connecting the crittertrail to an aquarium using the tubes. Or just attach lots of tubes to the crittertrai to give the hamster some more room. That's just my opinion, though :agree:

[JamesEnsor]

Well, thanks!

Actually, Blue, I am planning on tubing it up. But like I said, I have only had the hamster for about a week and a half. In time there will be plenty o' tubes, trust me :)

Again, thanks for all the help peoples!

[BElannaTorres79]

I have a female Syrian hammy (still unnamed!) and she has a plastic wheel that connects to the side of her house. It made noise the first night I had her in it. Then I took the wheel apart and put some liquid soap on the spindle and put it back together. (the spindle is the part that goes inside the plastic tube-like part) The wheel is silent now. Hope that helps!

[BlueSandpiper]

Don't use soap to lubricate the wheel. Soap can be toxic if ingested and make your hamster sick. Use cooking oil instead.

Then I took the wheel apart and put some liquid soap on the spindle and put it back together. (the spindle is the part that goes inside the plastic tube-like part)

[Mitchandozzie]

u can get this stuff.........i saw it at the petstore.............i cant remeber what its called but if i see it again ill post the name

[Gilly]

I think Crittertrail cages are too small.. :eek:

My hamster has a lot of fur and there was just no room in her Crittertrail 2 cage - I got that external wheel for her - as shown on the first page but she just kept on putting her food in it. She hated the tubes in this cage also - instead of going down them she would just jump off of the platforms. Subsequently I got her a larger metal cage with 3 floor and ladders and have clipped another Crittertrail wheel onto the side - this makes some noise but I can still sleep with her in the room, she runs about like a nutter!!! ;)

[Mitchandozzie]

i no that my habittrail safari cage is bigg enough for ozzie . corkey wouldent be able to live in 1 tho. its too short 4 him.

[BElannaTorres79]

:idea: On my hamster wheel, the soap is only a thin film covering the spindle. There is NO way that my hamster can get to it, Unless she takes the wheel apart by pulling the black peg out (I have trouble with it because it fits so snugly) and then lick the spindle. And I made positively sure that there is no soap residue anywhere else that she can possibly reach.

I do thank you for your concern though :bouncy:

[Mitchandozzie]

as long as she cant get to it

[MagnoliaFly]

I am so tired of seeing those stupid plastic cages and so many people think they are great. Well thats fine and all, but hamsters like to chew stuff- LIKE PLASTIC! They are escape artists. Those cages are made to accommodate the escape artist and make people buy those cheap plastic parts.
Anyway, I've always gone with glass. Easy to clean, no way to escape and you can always put tubes in the cage if you really think the hamster is going to go through withdrawl.

[qazwsxedc]

aquariams are VERY VERY VERY easy to break out of (and thats why my hammy obsesed friend tom feeds a coliney of hammys in the cupboard) 2 hamsters prefur to chew the bars(anoying yet safe) and 3 you are not a know it all :P:redhot: :kaioken:

[Mitchandozzie]

i prefer to have wire cages and 1s that have the plastic in them also like the crittertrail/habittrail cages.:agree:

i think that tanks are to easy to get out of. my cousin had 3 hamsters and each one got out of the tank

[Left Paw]

MY HAMMY HAS A CRITTERTRAIL 3 AND IT SEEMS BIG ENOUGH FOR HER- BUT SHE STILL IS VERY ACTIVE AND I PLAN TO ADD MORE TUBES AS I CAN AFFORD THEM. SHE DOES MAKE A LOT OF NOISE ON HER WHEEL, THOUGH- NOT THE WHEEL ITSELF- BUT HTE WHOLE CAGE SHAKES. I TRIED CUSHIONING UNDER IT WITH A FOLDED TOWEL, BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP.
I TRY TO GET HER OUTAROUND DINNER TIME AND LET HER EXERCISE IN HER BALL OR CAR FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME THAT WAY SHE IS READY FOR BED WHEN I AM. SHE STILL DRIVES ME CRAZY SOMETIMES, THOUGH, AND THAT'S WHY I WANT MORE TUBES AND THINGS.

ALSO, I HAVE A SMALL AQUARIUM THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING TUBES TO FROM HER MAIN CAGE, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX A TOP FOR IT. IT IS NOT RECTANGULAR, BUT ALMOST TRAPEZOID-SHAPED. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS OR KNOW WHERE TO BUY TOPS OF ODD SIZES THAT YOU CAN STILL STICK TUBES THROUGH?

[MagnoliaFly]

I didnt say I was a know it all, I was merely stating my argument for aquariums. I've never had an escape from an aquarium before and neither has anyone else that I know. I have yet to see a hamster "break out of" an aquarium. Habitrails - thats a different matter being that they are plastic. . Habitrails do not provide enough ventilation or sanitation for any small mammal. The tubes are too hard to keep clean and there are not enough openings for air to pass through.

I'd like to see your scientific basis for chewing on metal bars as being safe.
If your stupid and forget to put the lid on all the time its probably best you dont get a hamster anyway

[qazwsxedc]

yes i agree toobs are REALY ANOYING to clean out and the aquariam lid was on the two hamsters (in diff ones) chewed the top off

[MagnoliaFly]

Sounds like really tall hamsters to me. The person shouldnt have left a way for the hamster to even get near the lid.

[Mitchandozzie]

my hamsters like he tubes( yes they are hard to clean but if they like it i leave it in) and they never stay in there for longer then they ned to get somewhere

[JamesEnsor]

Okay one question regarding my crittertrail 1.

I didnt buy a hamster house thing, because Cedar nests and sleeps in the top compartment, and she seems to like it. My problem is this-she poos and pees up there too. I tried to put bedding and absorbent stuff up there, but she just takes it all out. I am kind of concerned with sanitation. shes basically up there with poo and pee and nesting material and bare plastic. It doesnt really smell that bad, but I am worried about her health. Also, I am not entirely sure that the little area is adequately ventilated for the amount of time she spends up there.

Thoughts?

ps-please, dont argue in the threads, thats not very nice.

[Left Paw]

I have Critter Trail 3 and have had no problems but the cage shaking when she runs her wheel. Otherwise, It's a very nice cage and big enough for her to not get bored. Also, like Cedar my Cream Soda poops,pees,sleeps,unstuffs in the petting zone. I'm fine with that so I hardly ever have to change the rest of the cage. We bought her a lazy lookout hoping she would want to sleep in it, but she just plays in it. And had absolutely nothing to do with the sleep and slumber bed we bought her. I think anyone who says that non-hamlarium cages are mean to the hamster are ELITIST SNOBS (If you know what that is). I have tried putting Cream Soda in Aquariums and she hates them! All she tries to do is get out! CS likes her cage that she can get more air in. I'm not accusing anyone who uses an aquarium, but anyone who says that wire cages are mean are wrong! =p

[qazwsxedc]

i had that prob with vanilla so i blocked it off as the smell could kill ya and we took the toobs away coz she sleeps in them

[Left Paw]

CS never sleeps in her tubes. She has started pooping in one corner in the bottom, but when I tried to put her litter pan in that spot, she stopped until I took it out again. She still pees in the top, though. I have to clean it out every day or she starts smelling like pee. I worry about messing with her bedding so much, but she doesn't seem to get too upset- gives her something new to do, I guess- making a new bed every day. I would have to clean the top out anyway becasue she stashes up there and I worry about leaving ANY carrots or lettuce around because I read that they grow a fungus that cause wettail.

I wouldn't take her tubes, though, because that's where she hides when my little cousins come over. CS is afraid of little loud people. Me, too, really! :)

[Mitchandozzie]

lol i would never take away ozzie tubes either. he would hate me!