[catnip_34]

Hi all!

Like a lot of people I've seen on here, I want to have the best possible wheel for my hedgehog, but I'm not in the states, so getting a CSBW is going to be very expensive. I won't have my new little buddy for a couple of months yet, so I decided the next best option would be to make my own. However...

One of the biggest selling points of the CSBW (for me, anyway) was that it's supposed to be silent. I'm a pretty light sleeper, and there's a good chance my hedgie and I will be sharing a room. Does anyone have any advice on how to make a homemade wheel silent (or at least very quiet)? What makes it quiet vs. squeaky? Is there a trick to it?

Anyone who's made a DIY bucket wheel, how squeaky have you found it? Any tips?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Aj.t]

I’ve not experience in DIY wheels, but I recommend at least looking at Kaytee Silent Spinners. Ppl are gonna be coming at my neck for even suggesting this lol; there have been reported experiences of these wheels getting toe tails caught or tipping over and causing injury; two+ years of using these and I haven’t had a single problem. It’s worth reading the threads on here of why owners consider this style “dangerous” but from personal experience I love them and they’re SILENT! Except for when Christina kicks litter into it and the litter jingles while she runs... I’m pretty sure she does it on purpose haha

 

[Mecki]

I made my bucket wheel. Just followed a tutorial online. It is silent.

I've had many other wheels in the past for rats and hamsters but none have been as quiet as this bucket wheel.

Here's the link I used as a guide:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Noiseless-Hedghog-Wheel/

...and here's the type of bucket I used, though you'll probably need to find one in your country:
https://www.qcsupply.com/little-gia...AY2QHQj22S-KPwvUY6KAfWyAmUbhfWOxoCWSYQAvD_BwE

 

[Ria]

Mecki what did you use as/make the stand with ??

 

[Mecki]

PVC pipe - same as what is used for the Carolina Storm wheel. I bought the red litter tray at a dollar store and then cut the pipes for the stand to fit around the tray.

 

[Ria]

I havent had a chance to look at the link but I was planning on making Holly a new wheel, then saw this so jumped on it. I don't really want to spend £30 for a wheel but I don't have the money to do that. I've now worked it out to cost me at least half of buying the wheel.

 

[catnip_34]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses, everyone! Mecki, I'll try that blueprint you posted. Thank you!

 

[Mecki]

I havent had a chance to look at the link but I was planning on making Holly a new wheel, then saw this so jumped on it. I don't really want to spend £30 for a wheel but I don't have the money to do that. I've now worked it out to cost me at least half of buying the wheel.

I also liked that by making my own, I had more color options for the wheel. I love my black wheel -- not just because it goes with my color scheme, but because it also makes the poo far less noticeable if I don't get to clean it right away. :-D

 

[Ria]

I also liked that by making my own, I had more color options for the wheel. I love my black wheel -- not just because it goes with my color scheme, but because it also makes the poo far less noticeable if I don't get to clean it right away.

That is true !!
I'm getting a sterdy washing up bowl, then coating the outside bit in marble fablon and the back on the inside but leaving the running surface area without out it, just so it makes it look cooler.

 

[Mecki]

What's marble fablon?

 

[Ria]

What's marble fablon?

Fablon is like sticky back plastic that people generally use to line vivs to make them easier to clean, marble fablon is a pattern type, so the fablon has a marble type pattern.

 

[Ria]

Like this

 

[Mecki]

Must be a British name. Did some googling and all the sites were UK. It appears to be what we call contact paper.

 

[Ria]

Never would have guessed it to be called contact paper, learnt something new !!
Its not that expensive either and looks pretty cool. I have one that's a bit darker than the middle one in the picture, think it will go with the washing up bowl well.

 

[catnip_34]

That is true !!
I'm getting a sterdy washing up bowl, then coating the outside bit in marble fablon and the back on the inside but leaving the running surface area without out it, just so it makes it look cooler.

Oh man, I LOVE that idea! One of my more superficial concerns was finding a bucket or cake tray in a colour I liked, haha. I really like some of the CSBW colours, but all I could find here was plain white or clear. I didn't think of trying something like contact paper. If you finish your wheel before I finish mine, post or PM me a picture of how it turns out!

 

[Mecki]

I'd be a little leery of putting the contact paper on the back of the inside part of the wheel. The outside should be fine. I just know that the back surface (inside) of my wheel somehow manages to get quite poopy even though it isn't a running surface.

 

[Ria]

Fablon is basically patterned stick back plastic, we use it on wood to make the wood easier to clean and protects the wood from water getting to it. The only reason I don't want it on the running surface is because when it can be a bit more slippery than plastic, and so I dont want to put on the area she is running on.

Maybe try searching patterned sticky back plastic ??
From looking contact paper seems more like paper that has a stick back, which isnt the same thing.

I'll probably be making my wheel on either the 15th or 16th or 19th June, depending when it gets here and what time I have. I'm happy to show you a picture when its done.