TRIXIE Running Disc for Hamsters/Mice REVIEW

Few days ago I ordered hamster wheels from ZooCity (http://www.zoocity.hr/). The wheels are finally here and I am doing a review. Enjoy!

Name: TRIXIE Running Disc for Hamsters/Mice
Price: 29 kunas (Croatia) / £4.49 (eBay)

My opinion: When I first saw this wheel online, I was kind of sceptical. The reason is that there isn't much information on these wheels online at all. It was really low preice compared to some othee wheels and I decided to get it. When I first got it, I put it in hmsters' cages and they didn't really pay attention to it. But later all of them learn to use them. Thsi wheel is extremely silent and good for hamsters that live in owner's bedroom. One of three needed just a drop of oil since it was kind of squeaky, and is 100% silent now. 

The desing is pretty fine and it really looks good in hamsters' cages. It does look kinda futuristic, but it's not problem with me. Only thing about it's look I don't like would have to be the coulour. These wheels are sold only in this green base-blue disc version and there are bot any other combinations. Besides that, the look is pretty good for me.

RECAP:

Price: ✗✗✗✗✗

Sounds: ✗✗✗✗✗

Space: ✗✗✗

Look: ✗✗✗

Overall: ✗✗✗✗

Visit to tha forest

Last weekend my family and I payed a visit to forst to pick some shroooms. I couln't post this earlier due too much school activities, but here are some photos:

As soon as we arrived, I saw a fire salamander, I was pretty excited. (I saw one like 10 years ago, they are pretty rare to meet during daytime):

Welcome to a fairytale:

There was also a frog prince waiting for preincess' kiss:

At the end, Masha managed to find some mashrooms:

My hamster is runt. RUNT?

Lately I have been wondering around youtube and interent generally to find as much informations about hamsters and their care and everything. The theme I found really interesting to write about were runt.

Anyone who owns a hamster should know what runt is. But do they? Well, mostly no! 

Runt is a hamster that is smaller, weaker and has more chanceses to have health problems. There are also higher chanceses for bad temperemant in hamsters. Basiclly, hamster runts are usually born as runts.

Left: Bella- 9 months old adult hamster; Right: FiFi- 6 months old adult runt.

Not only runts and "normal" hamsters have differences in size, other differences are as evident. FiFi is runt hamster that I saved from pet shop. If I didn't buy her, her litter mates would most likely kill her. That's not strange in case of many runts. Ever since they are born, they need to survive. It's not easy with few more litter mates and usually mother that are trying to eliminate the weakest one. Sadly, the old quote "only strongest survive" is pretty much the rule. 

 FiFi's ears were bitten by her siblings and Bella.

If baby hamster survives first few weeks, it will most likely be sold as well as it's brothers and sisters. But due the bad treatment at very young age, there hamsters have really bad temperemant. Runts are well known as skittish, biters or scared of everything. They need more taming and can never be tamed as "normal" hamster. FiFi is pretty tame, even she bites a lot. She is also scared if I don't talk to her before handeling and jumps a lot from my hand. 

Hair loss. Common problem in hamsters with bad health, especially runts.

Probably the biggest problem about runts are their health issues. Their suffer from many diseases that are normal for hamsters, just have higher chances to have many illnesses especially being susceptible to stress related problems. That why your runt should have regular trips to vet and health control 24/7. 

I really hope this article can help someone and inform.

-Marko