Pets at Home Move In The Right Direction with New 28cm Wooden Wheel
A new cork lined 28cm wooden wheel is being sold in Pets at Home stores and the community have praised this on social media. A 28cm minimum wheel size for Syrian hamsters is a well known requirement, but for quite some time it has seemed that Pets at Home have ignored the welfare advice, hidden the truth from the public and only sold unsuitable wheels. Pets at Home supplies the majority of hamsters to the UK population so it is very positive that they now also offer an adequate sized wheel at the point of purchase. It also gives us an indication that Pets at Home are trying to improve.
Big Size At A Good Price
The new wheel is sold at £15 making it a very affordable option. There are currently zero reviews so time will tell. It has been reported that the wheel is quiet and we are also pleased to see there is no inner cog which could trap a gerbils tail or long fur. The cork lining is also a recommended feature for comfortable grip.
Cork Lined For Grip
The new wooden wheel is cork lined, which is a feature for grip and comfortable running that we have seen on other ethical wheels. This is a great improvement on a previous design that was temporarily sold and then removed by Pets at Home where the wheel had wooden slats and it was reported that it caused a bloody injury to a hamsters foot. That wheel gave some indication that Pets at Home where wiling to change but they hadn’t quite got it right. The new cork lining in this wheel seems like a sensible feature.
Time To End The Sale Of Unsuitable wheels
Over the years it has been frustrating to see Pets at Home advertising wheels that are only 12cm in diameter as being suitable for Syrian hamsters and not providing an alternative larger suitable wheel for hamsters. The new 28cm wheel could be the start of phasing out this unsuitable mis-labeled wheel that is still for sale.
Blue Cross Wheel Size Requirements
The Blue Cross have published hamster wheel size requirements for each species:
Further information about wheel requirements can be seen on our page about hamster wheels.
