[Jess]

I have a wheel that i inherited when i bought our hedgehog but after reading, i realized that it might not be safe for her as it has crossbars. I watched her run on it (before we knew she was pregnant) and she seemed to be comfortable getting on and off, but i am looking around for a new wheel. I read the section on good and bad wheels and at the pet stores near me, they only sell the "bad wheels".
I tried ordering a Cake Walk Supreme, but i need 2 of them, because our hedgehog had a surprise baby! He is now 5 weeks old and so it is almost time for him to have a wheel too.
I could only order one wheel at a time on the Cake Walk Supreme website, and they said it would take 2-3 weeks...for a shipping and handling cost of $20 each wheel!
I heard that some breeders make and sell bucket wheels.
If anyone out there knows where i can get 2 safe wheels for my 2 hedgehogs, i would really appreciate some information.
Thanks,
Jess

 

[dorasdaddy]

As an owner of a CWS i can tell you that they are well worth the money. They are comparable in price and shiping to most other bucket wheels sold online......but the workmanship and materials used in the CWS are far superior to anything you will find on the market. The only thing i could tell you is to look in to a flying saucer or maybe a comfort wheel from petco.com or petsmart.com....but if you are going to buy a bucket wheel the CWS is the only way to go.

 

[Jess]

I am just worried about the 2-3 week waiting period.
I don't know if i want to try a flying saucer because it says it takes time to get used to. My mother hedgehog has already been off a wheel for 5 weeks due to her giving birth, so i want to get her back on one as soon as the baby is weaned...which could be any day now.
I will take a look at Petsmart or Petco.
Thanks for your advice!
Jess

 

[Hedgiepets]

PM Reaper and see if he might be able to get them to you quicker or save a little on shipping together. Reaper is a nice guy. *wink*

 

[Reaper]

I can ship one in a day or so right at this time. So it would take a week or so depending on where you live.

 

[azyrios]

i live in Canada on the other side of the country, and it only took 5 days.

 

[LizardGirl]

I also have some good things to say about the Cake Walk Supremes. I got one a few weeks ago for Inky (in addition to his perfectly fine bucket and flying saucer wheels) and have to say this wheel is the easiest to clean, the most silent ever. Inky seems to like running on it more than the others, and it's just overall a fantastic wheel. Reaper uses the highest quality parts, so it is built to last (and look good!). If you are buying any custom made wheel, I would recommend this one at the top of the list.

 

[hedgieMate]

First, kudos to Reaper for producing great wheels! Now we can point new hedgie guardians to a place where they can purchase a high-quality wheel for their hedgies.

I'm a big bucket wheel fan using nothing but BWs in the past 3 years with absolutely no noise, smell, urine spill, or cleaning issues - I didn't realize how fortunate we have been until I find many people having problems with their wheels.

I'd like to point out that the CWS is a variation of bucket wheels and there are more traditional ones available on the market. My quick search turned up a few results where you can buy it [see the links at the bottom]. However, I have no idea how well those wheels are built. Also, they all seem to be priced at $30 + shipping. So Reaper's CWS is only $10 more. For that, it may be wise to pay the difference and get something you know it's really well-made and easy-to-clean.

Failing to get a good BW, I'd say a 12" Giant Comfort Wheel may not be a bad alternative as it's relatively "safe" in comparison to a mesh wheel or Silent Spinner with small holes that can catch hedgies' little toes or a wheel with a crossbar or small openings such as a Wodent Wheel. But if you opt for a GCW, you will have to engineer a noise-reduction device, expect to do a lot of scrubbing to get poop off the tread, and be aware that the plastic pin may be worn out quickly. So in the long run, it may be neither a wise or economical alternative.

As I said before, I'm not 100% sure about a Flying Saucer Wheel. It just doesn't look ergonomically-sound for hedgehogs to me as their feet cross and spine crooked as they run on it (I forgot the term but hedgehogs use the entire soles of their feet when running and it makes a difference whether they run a straight line or not).

If you're handy and can't get a good bucket wheel, I highly recommend to go with a DIY bucket wheel. There's a very good step-by-step instruction [click HERE for the page].

A safe, quiet, and easy-to-clean exercise wheel is essential for both your hedgehog's health and your own sanity as you are the one who clean it everyday. Choose your wheel wisely. Paying extra up-front may save you a lot of headaches and money in the long run.

• - Sunshine Quill Hedghogs
  - GoHedgehogs
  - Bloomin Hedgehogs

 

[Reaper]

The more traditional bucket wheels are why I built the Cake Walk Supreme. Bucket wheels tend to get dirty easy, are not round or don't stay round, can have sharp edges, aren't as big in diameter, and are difficult to clean without getting the bearing wet. When I started as a hedgehog owner I built several bucket wheels. I found them to be less than they could be. Urine and poo deteriorate most metals quickly. Most skate bearings use toxic lubricants and use it sparingly due to skate people whether skate boards, inlines, rollers etc. want speed. And most skate bearings are not waterproof until you get into the VERY high dollar ceramics. And the bases do nothing to catch the feces and urine run off. So I looked at every part of a bucket wheel. Decided how I could incorporate stainless steel for the hardware. Found that a cake cover was bigger, rounder, safer, and poo didn't stick but little feet do. I then acquired some really good stainless steel, nylon cage, ABEC-7, ball bearings. Then I decided to look at lubricants. I have experience designing and maintaining FDA approved production facilities and back in the day there was NO such thing as FDA approved food grade grease. We had to use Vaseline which is a HORRID lubricant. Or encase the entire bearing system in several barriers so the grease could in NO WAY come into contact with the product even under massive failures. So as I was looking at the newest lubricants made I came upon a company who makes lubricants (oils, greases, sprays, and gels) for NASA and the space shuttle. Lo and behold they claimed to have the first ever FDA approved grade grease. I was skeptical. I knew a little bit about lubricants and in my day this stuff was fiction. So I called them up. They claimed to have exactly what I wanted. I was skeptical. So I actually drove to their production facility to see for myself this "mythical dragon" they said they produced. I learned a lot and found out what this stuff is made from and no one before had ever tried this stuff to make lubricants. And one of the side effects was not only was it a wonderful lubricant..... it was also completely non toxic. It was odorless, tasteless and could even be eaten. It was also almost completely water resistant. So once I explained my use for this stuff amid a few snickers they informed me we also have a version of this not on our website that is EXTREMELY water resistant. They dug around in the warehouse and found my dragon. So now I could offer a product which if used as intended should practically LAST FOREVER and do it safer than anything like it before.

 

[hedgieMate]

Bucket wheels tend to get dirty easy, are not round or don't stay round, can have sharp edges, aren't as big in diameter, and are difficult to clean without getting the bearing wet.... Urine and poo deteriorate most metals quickly...

Reaper, I'm glad to know the parts of your CWS are carefully chosen to make the wheel even more safe for hedgehogs and long-lasting for their human slaves!

Just for the record, I haven't experienced any of those issues you mentioned about the more traditional bucket wheels. In fact, I found our traditional bucket wheels holding up amazingly well after 3+ years of daily use - still perfectly round, no dirt or stain, durable, easy-to-clean (no scrubbing), and free of sharp edges. The metal parts are completely free of rust as well. Oh, we never had noise problems either (didn't know about the toxic lubricant though. Hmmm... I probably should look into it to make sure it's not harming our hedgie in any way).

I wonder, like most other thing, the product quality depends on who makes it and what material is used? Perhaps it also depends on the hedgie who runs on it? I probably would opt for your CWS if I were to buy a wheel today knowing how safe it is, but I'm perfectly happy with all three BWs we have been using.

 

[Nancy]

I have roughly 45 bucket wheels, most made by me but 7 are made by other wheel makers. I have had very little problems with the buckets warping but there are a few that are best used on the smaller hedgehogs as the plastic is not quite as thick and they do flex a bit. Some of the buckets are far easier to clean than others and the mess just wipes right off. Some of the buckets have stained fairly easily, others not at all. As for bearings, all of them have just run of the mill bearings. Some are the original wheels I made and are still in daily use with the same bearing almost 6 years later. Others, the bearings have seized long ago and one of the wheels I got from someone else, the bearing lasted less than a month. Having so many wheels to clean, the bearings get wet and some do not hold up at all. I use Vaseline to grease them.

Four of these wheels are the original cake carrier wheels made back around 2000 by a rescue in Ontario. They are not quite the same design of cake carrier as Reapers but they work great and are very easy to clean. I think Reapers will hold much heavier hogs because of the little lip on the edge will prevent any flexing.

I'm looking forward to getting a couple of Reaper's wheels. I have some very large hogs and I think they will enjoy the new wheels as they are slightly larger.

 

[Reaper]

The Amish are perfectly satisfied with horse and buggy and kerosene. I on the other hand like an automobile and electricity. While I am sure that my wheel will not satisfy every hedgehog I do think they are the best wheel available today. So do some others Lori Keller being just one. She says her hedgehogs prefer to run on a Cake Walk Supreme when given the option of several wheels. So until you try something new you may be satisfied but not know what you are missing.

 

[silvercat]

Reaper, do your wheels work well for hedgies with long runner bodies?

 

[Reaper]

Yes they do. They are 12 inches inside diameter, 6 inches wide with a 5 inch wide running surface, and no center bar to rub a hedgies back.

 

[calexica]

My lil girl had used the GCW but I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to upgrade to the CWS. The comfort wheel is too loud!And it gets louder with time. The gears are all plastic with no lubrication. And like others have said, it is difficult to clean. I have to take the whole cage apart just to get the wheel out and into the sink for a good soaking. Spot cleaning was almost impossible. The CWS is far more sturdy and is very easy to spot clean. Plus with the cake walk wheel she can run even FASTER (the movement is far more fluid) so I can tell she loves it more too. I just got mine this week and the wait wasn't long at all. And for the record, I do not know Reaper at all. I ordered mine before I even registered here on these forums. I promise you I am not biased

If you have the money you may want to consider getting both wheels. Use the comfort wheel now and use the cake walk one when you get it. I'm keeping the comfort wheel as an emergency backup, just in case something happens. (My girl is one of those hedgies who HAS to run.) But if I had to choose one or the other, I'd order the CWS if I was you. I'd rather wait a little longer for a higher quality product, especially when it comes to something that should last you a lifetime. The way I see it, my lil girl's wheel is what makes her happy every single night. A little extra money and a little extra wait is worth it.

 

[TrixiesMom]

For Reaper: I am interested in investing in a CW wheel, but with the stand, it is about 1 inch too tall for my 15" hi wire topped/sided cage, which sits in a shallow plastic bin (Martin brand?- I bought it with the hedgie). How stable would your wheel be attached to the side of the wire cage? I purchased a bucket wheel that came with the cage, but it tilts and she poops on the base, so I got a SS, which works fine but is very hard to clean the poop off of each morning. I cant afford another cage, so how could I use one of your wheels? Do they come any shorter than 16"? Thanks, TrixiesMom

 

[LizardGirl]

There is a thread on this in the "For Sale" section. Posting there would be better than bringing up an old thread.

 

[wallemom]

i have a cw wheel and i love it! when i get the money i plan on buying another one! Walle absolutely loves his wheel and it takes minutes to clean! i use a baby wipe for daily maintenance! thank you reaper!!!!!